Cycling the Marais Poitevin

The Marais Poitevin is a marsh region between Marans and Niort in southern Vendee / northern Poitou-Charentes. A fascinating and unusual region, where silent tree-lined canals traverse the tranquil landscape.

Sounds interesting I thought, and yesterday I sketched out a bike route on the map which would take me past some of the highlights. The region is pretty much flat so I would miss the excitement of cycling uphill, but otherwise my route looked good.

Starting from Marans, on quite a windy day, I headed north on a road I thought would be a good start. In fact it was more or less a motorway and I spent 15 minutes cycling along the hard shoulder, lorries hurtling past as I fought to stop the strong winds blowing me into the traffic. A poor start but I had high hopes for what lay ahead.

Leaving this road I was on much more pleasant country roads, little traffic and plenty to enjoy, although the winds were becoming ever stronger. Still, navigation errors aside and the wind behind me, all was well. Unfortunately the navigation errors meant I didn’t seem to find the ‘proper’ Marais Poitevin. I did find a little hill (well, slope) to ride up on a lane west of Vix so that cheered me up.

But there was a nagging concern as I scootled through the countryside. If the wind was behind me now, it was going to be a challenge for the return journey. It was now blowing a positive gale.

The final stretch took me from Vix back to Marans, a long flat road about 15 kilometres long that should take less than half an hour. Well, as plants and trees were bent flat to the ground around me, I battled against the wind but it was certainly the hardest long flat road I have ever cycled, interspersed with occasional heavy showers to help things deteriorate further.

Still at least I faired better than the two adventurous holidaymakers I passed on the road, who would have been cycling backwards if the wind had been any stronger, and seemed on the point of being blown into one of the famous canals of the Marais Poitevin.

The last couple of kilometres into Marans and I was back on the hard shoulder trying to pass a long traffic jam, before puffing and panting exhausted into the car park to Mrs B’s amsement – she had spent the afternoon ambling along the river bank, drinking coffee, and admiring the town’s very impressive ‘Jardin des plantes’.

As we got into the car she smiled knowingly and said ‘Ah yes, I remember now, the weather forecast had issued warnings about very strong winds coming in from the Atlantic…’