La Baie de L' Aiguillon sur Mer
Vue aérienne de La Baie de l'Aiguillon

The Aiguillon Baie National Nature Reserve

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Between land and sea, between fresh and salt water, between man and nature.

The Aiguillon Baie is a vast natural complex, composed mainly of mudflats and salt meadows, of about 5 000 hectares, located downstream of the Marais Poitevin and shared between the Vendée and the Charente-Maritime.

Its maritime and wet character gives it a primordial interest for the reception of migratory and wintering water birds. This is the reason why the State has classified 4 900 ha of this territory located in Vendée as a National Nature Reserve.

There are many interactions in Aiguillon Bay, a graceful transition from mainland France to the ocean. At the daily rhythm of the tides, the landscape evolves, from a bay dominated by gigantic mudflats or showing only vast salt meadows, to the almost total immersion of the bay confined by dikes erected by man. 

Ponton/Bateaul - Baie l'Aiguillon sur Mer
Vue aérienne de la Baie de l'Aiguillon sur Mer

The biological reserve of the Vendée marsh, the gate to the wet marsh.

A veritable maze of canals, this vast ecological complex of exceptional richness takes its visitors into the preserved universe of the Poitevin Marsh. 
The Departmental Biological Reserve is composed of a set of wet marshes and forms a wide strip of 137 hectares between Nalliers and Mouzeuil-Saint-Martin.

It presents all the typical environments of the Poitevin Marsh: it is criss-crossed by ditches and canals, its meadows and "terrées" are interspersed with groves, lively hedges and dense coppices and dotted with paths and grassy slopes.

A witness to the history of the Poitevin Marsh, this magnificent reserve has been shaped by hand. Water is the essential element that structures this spacious landscape where plenitude reigns. In the past, this natural area was a refuge for hutters, inhabitants of the area but also a production area for firewood. It has become a receptacle for rare flora and fauna.

The presence of remarkable and vulnerable species explains why a large part of this territory is only accessible to the public during guided tours. Born of a fragile balance between land and water, the wet marsh is a true sanctuary for many animal species, some of which are now threatened. Close to the Baie de l'Aiguillon and the winding course of the Sèvre Niortaise, La Réserve Biologique shelters the rare and discreet Loutre d'Europe or the genette. This territory is also frequented by the purple heron, the winter teal, the European oriot, the black kite or the sweet bondrée apivore. We also note the presence of many protected insects such as the rosalie of the Alps or the large peacock at night.

From April to September, the Reserve House opens its doors and transports visitors to the fascinating history of the marsh where various activities are offered.

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