Do you have to be sporty to do this activity?

No. It all depends on the boat you choose, the duration and your mood for the day. The pedalo is more accessible for a leisurely outing, while the canoe and paddle require a little more effort. In the Marais Poitevin, the canals are calm and there are no rapids, so navigation is accessible and gentle, even for a first experience on the water.

This is highly recommended, especially during the tourist season.

How long will it take?

It depends on the pier you choose. The duration ranges from 1 hour to the whole day, with 2-hour or half-day formats also available.

Should you worry about mosquitoes on your canal trip?

No, you won’t be devoured. Mosquito bites are rare along the river. Mosquitoes are generally more prevalent on certain hiking trails, depending on the season. For complete peace of mind, a little anti-mosquito cream before setting off will do the trick.

Canoeing in the Marais Poitevin: an adventure on the Venise Verte

All aboard, sailors!

Fancy an adventure on the water in the heart of nature?

Brave sailors, set sail for the Marais Poitevin Regional Nature Park for an experience that’s as authentic as it is thrilling. Aboard a kayak, canoe, pedalo or even a hire paddle, explore the canals of this unique area of the Vendée classified as a Grand Site de France (if you please).

Are you ready? Take the helm and let’s set off on a nautical expedition through the Marais Poitevin!

About your adventure…

Rendezvous at one of our landing stages

Choose from a range of landing stages in the Marais Poitevin offering canoe, kayak, paddle or pedalo trips.

Open in summer

Most landing stages are open from the spring to the autumn holidays.

Accessible to all

You must be able to swim (lifejackets provided by the pier).

Booking is strongly recommended

We strongly advise you to book your hire in advance, and in some cases it is compulsory.

Free car parks

Free parking is available close to each pier.

3 heroic reasons to take the plunge!

Rediscover a taste for freedom

Glide at your own pace through the canals of the Marais Poitevin and become the master of your own boat.

Choose your level of adventure

Fancy a leisurely pedal-boat outing, a more sporting canoeing mission or a balancing act on a paddle? Here, there’s something for everyone.

Explore the wilderness

Paddle in the heart of the Green Venice, where the canals wind through the trees and nature still retains all its freedom.

Your adventure in detail

Canoe, kayak, paddle or pedalo: a boat for every hero

Today you’ve decided to test your sailing skills by hiring a boat, a typical activity in the Marais Poitevin. The first stage of your adventure on the water (and perhaps the most difficult): choosing your boat.

Vendée Marais Poitevin’s 9 landing stages will help you choose the ideal hire boat. Will you opt for a kayak (practical and easy to handle), a pedalo (that timeless craft), a paddle (to test your balance) or the classic canoe to explore the canals? Or maybe you’d prefer a traditional flat-bottomed boat, emblematic of the Marais Poitevin… Either way, you’ll need to keep a firm grip on the helm!

Kayaking or canoeing in the Marais Poitevin

Let’s set off for a natural walk in our cathedral of greenery. Depending on how adventurous you are, you may have chosen to hire a boat foran hour, half a day or even a whole day.

As soon as you get on board, you won’t regret your choice of activity: as you paddle along, you glide silently through the Venise Verte and enjoy the calm that surrounds you. After all that time spent scrambling around the Vendée, it’s good to let your kayak, pedalo or canoe carry you along. With your nose in the air, you can look at the pollarded oaks, wave at the bikes on the footbridges, cheer on the hikers crossing a canal on a chain ferry… In short, you can take it easy and love it!

The exploration of the marsh continues…

And for curious explorers, there’s plenty more to discover in the area. After your navigation, continue your mission on dry land. Set off on foot along the canal paths or hop on a bike to explore the quiet roads of the marsh.

Along the way, there are a number of places worth visiting:Maillezais Abbey, the Marais Poitevin Farm, the Petite Cité de Caractère (small town) of Nieul-sur-l’Autise and the Maison de la Meunerie (milling centre). These are just some of the stops you can make to extend your adventure and discover the stories, landscapes and skills that have shaped this unique region.

Your mission starts here

Free parking is available close to each pier.

Good advice from the Tourist Office!

Choose your boat according to your tribe

Paddling is fun, but not necessarily the best idea for everyone on their first outing. With the family or for a relaxed outing, a pedalo or canoe is often a safe bet.

Go early or at the end of the day

The light is more beautiful, the atmosphere calmer and the marshes even more magical.

Travel light, but not blindly

Take water, sun protection, clothes that don’t mind a few splashes and, above all, a protected phone. The far-sighted hero always ends the mission with a smile.

Prepare your mission!

Do you have to be sporty to do this activity?
No. It all depends on the boat you choose, the duration and your mood for the day. The pedalo is more accessible for a leisurely outing, while the canoe and paddle require a little more effort.
In the Marais Poitevin, the canals are calm and there are no rapids, so navigation is accessible and gentle, even for a first experience on the water.
Do I need to book?
This is highly recommended, especially during the tourist season.
How long will it take?
It depends on the pier you choose. The duration ranges from 1 hour to the whole day, with 2-hour or half-day formats also available.
Should you worry about mosquitoes on your canal trip?
No, you won’t be devoured. Mosquito bites are rare along the river. Mosquitoes are generally more prevalent on certain hiking trails, depending on the season. For complete peace of mind, a little anti-mosquito cream before setting off will do the trick.