The Poitou threshold
This Jurassic limestone plateau, a sort of fossilized strait opening the passage between North and South, is also the junction between two very ancient massifs: the Armorican, which starts at Ménigoute, and the Central. The Vienne River occupies most of this vast plain, dominated by the Champagné-Saint-Hilaire horst (195 meters to the south), which some 150 million years ago was covered by marine and then lagoon environments. These protohistoric seas have left us with a wealth of memories, including (protected) sites studded with ammonites, gastropods and other marine fossils: Faluns d'Amberre and falunières du Moulin-Rochas in the 86; Ricou quarries (Azay-le-Brûlé) and Réserve nationale du Toarcien (Thouars) in the 79. For budding geologists and palaeontologists, take part in the summer events organized by L'Homme et la Pierre (www.lhommeetlapierre.com). Another legacy of the sea that withdrew 25-35 million years ago: major watercourses that have generously reshaped the land, forming limestone and tufa cliffs ideal for troglodyte dwellings. Head for the Clain valley, to Saint-Remy-sur-Creuse (Grand Châtellerault) or Berrie (Loudunais), or Tourtenay, the only one of its kind in the Deux-Sévres region. Admire the region's highest cliffs at Angles-sur-l'Anglin, where climbing is practiced (Guignoterie site).
The Poitevin Marshes
It opens up at the gateway to Niort, in the far west of the Deux-Sèvres department, and stretches out towards the Vendée and Charente Atlantic seaboards. Its 100,000 hectares make it the largest wetland area in France after the Camargue. The Marais Poitevin Regional Nature Park (PNR) is but a shadow of its ancestor, the Gulf of Pictons, an oceanic overhang formed some 20,000 years ago, gradually reabsorbed by sedimentary phenomena. From the Middle Ages onwards, prodigious development work (undertaken in particular by the coalition of the abbeys of Saint-Michel, L'Absie, Saint-Maixent, Maillezais and Niel, which created the Canal des Cinq-Abbés, completed in 1217) accelerated its drainage. The ensemble you can admire today, i.e. three major environments, took shape at the end of the 17th century: the wet marsh and its emblematic Venise Verte, its meanders and acid-green lentil beds; the maritime marsh and its famous Baie de l'Aiguillon (at the mouth of the Sèvre Niortaise); and the dry marsh. This melting-pot of atmospheres, these enchanting visions of free-flowing wildlife and wild nature, are yours to enjoy on foot, by bike or, of course, aboard a maraîchine boat. For further information: www.parc-marais-poitevin.fr
The Thouet Valley
Poitou is a generously-watered land, studded with rivers that flow from the Loire basin. In Deux-Sèvres alone, which owes its name to the Sèvre nantaise and the Sèvre niortaise (coastal rivers flowing into the Atlantic in the Bay of Aiguillon), there are over 1,300 waterways. Delightfully winding, calm and bucolic, the Thouet and its valley are among Poitou's most beautiful destinations. The river rises in the Gâtine region, flowing quietly towards Saumur before emptying into the Loire. It's hard to imagine, with its pristine panoramas and teeming wildlife, that the Thouet was once heavily laden with goods, including alcohol and coal (upstream, the Faymoreau coalfields; downstream, the vineyards of the Loire Valley). Follow its course to discover its medieval strongholds, Parthenay, Thouars, Airvault, Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet, and 350 kilometers of walks, all accessible via the Vélo Francette (Caen-La Rochelle cycle route) and the Chemin de Compostelle (via Turonensis, GR 655 and 36). The Thouet valley, one of the Poitou region's major wildlife basins, conceals several sensitive natural areas and Natura 2000 zones, home to dozens of endangered species including the otter and the little bustard. The Syndicat mixte de la Vallée du Thouet website (in French only) tells you all about it: www.valleeduthouet.fr!
Other rivers to discover include the meandering Sèvre niortaise (Niort, Echiré, La Crèche and the Candé islands) and the Gartempe, which will take you from La Roche Posay to Montmorillon before disappearing into the Limousin.
Chizé and Moulière, legendary forests
The Poitou region, which is not very wooded (mostly small, privately-owned areas and coppices, which are relatively little used), boasts two legendary forests that eclipse the famous Brocéliande. Here, Mélusine stopped off in search of a watering hole: from the seven acorns she placed on the ground, seven vigorous oak trees sprang up, connected to each other and spouting cool, clear water. You'll find Mélusine's bathtub in the heart of the Chizé national forest, 20 minutes from Niort. Its 3,435 hectares of predominantly deciduous trees (beech and many remarkable oak specimens) are the remnants of the Argenson forest. From 1951 to 1967, almost half of its surface was occupied by NATO and an American military base, a site now established as an integral biological reserve (home to the CEBC, an ecological research laboratory associated with the CNRS). Trail station, GR 36, hiking trails: in addition to your breath of fresh air, you can meet European wildlife at Zoodyssée (www.zoodyssee.fr).
Moulière and its 6,800 hectares. It was one of the theaters of the Hundred Years' War, and witnessed the devastating ride of the Black Prince, Edward of Woodstock. Situated just a few minutes from Poitiers, the forest is popular with locals, who like to get out in the fresh air. It jealously guards its oddities, including Merovingian necropolises (never excavated but always plundered), a blowhole (up to 50 km/h) and a child's grave. An untraceable treasure continues to attract a handful of enthusiasts, as do its creatures: beware the weary traveller, tempted to accept the invitation of that superb harnessed mount, the Mallet horse... A quick road trip around Moulière will take you to some lovely discoveries: Montamisé, La Chapelle-Moulière, Bonneuil-Matours and Dissay. From late September to late February, you may even come across a hunting party.
