Part of the poitevin  marsh is a classified site, as for example as well as the Mount St Michel. The most known zone is around Coulon and is called "Venise Verte" which means green venice.

       The marsh includes/understands two great areas: The marsh known as desiccated, near to the edge of sea, which is a zone of polder protected from the floods by dams. And, the marsh known as wet which is located upstream desiccated marsh and which plays a plug part, since one does not hesitate to flood it to protect the large cities, and the zone of polder. Each inch of the water level is controlled by a whole system of locks.

      The richness of the marsh poitevin, precisely comes from these floods which deposit each winter a very fertile layer of silt. This richness is not a myth, since at the beginning of the century, one hectare of marsh was worth twice expensive than a hectare of plain.

      But agriculture then evolved to the intensive, mechanization, the overproduction and all the confusing systems of premiums which are associated there. Thus, the marsh lost its value and it is now the reverse, since one hectare of marsh is worth twice less than one hectare of plain.

       Historically thus, this medium was rich, and we think that it deserves again to be exploited and maintained. Unfortunately, the marsh seems now to be an abandoned museum and without much interest, which one visits in the boat and at the full price.   

After the draining works.

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Our marsh...

        The marsh is cut out in very small pieces, with the image of what existed in agriculture at the beginning of the century. For the breeding, we endeavour to constitute coherent blocks from 5 to 10 hectares.

 This work is very interesting: it is a question of redefining ditches, of manufacturing culverts, to imagine the short advance of the animals it is intelligently necessary to redraw the landscape.

       The difficulties are numerous: in particular for the repairing of the pieces left with the abandonment. To transform a jungle into meadow does not have anything obvious. Moreover, the storm of the year 2000 complicated work. But the method is tested: slicer, hydraulic winch to draw the trees on the ground, fire, crusher and a lot of sweat and patience. The Shetland pony is also an invaluable help: he clears!

      Once the piece is given in state, it is enough to give from the animals for the maintenance and the improvement of the grounds: preferably bovines. Then it is gained. If the animals are removed, in two to three years, the piece becomes again a jungle and all is to be remade.

      Here an example of modification of adjustment of the pieces on a block here of approximately 5 hectares. Out of chestnut, one notes the culverts, one sees that certain ditches partially or were completely stopped, others open. Trees were planted (they all are not indicated).

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Our fields in the marsh :