Our vacation home Maison Les Grues is just a stone's throw away from the Douve river. In summer you can see cows and horses grazing, but in winter the water can almost reach the edge of the property. Why is that? In the following, we will tell you what the mysterious Marais and the nature park are all about - and, of course, how you can experience this natural landscape with all your senses throughout the seasons.
Have you ever wondered why it is called the Cotentin "peninsula"? Well, in earlier times, the area in the north-west of Normandy really was almost an island. In Carentan, the marsh capital, and on a narrow strip of land in the Lessay moors, it was possible to get from north to south on dry land. When the Vikings conquered the Cotentin, they are said to have sailed across the rivers from one coast to the other. But if you want to settle down, you need arable land and pasture. From the 18th century onwards, the inhabitants began to drain the area with the so-called Portes à Flots. These gates close automatically when the tide comes in. At low tide, they open to allow the water to drain away. This is how people have reclaimed the land from the sea, at least in spring and summer. When heavy rain falls on the Cotentin in the fall and winter, the rivers burst their banks and the marshes become an infinite lake landscape, a gigantic mirror reflecting the beauty of the land. The water landscape serves as a stopover or even wintering ground for numerous migratory birds.
Marais: In summer, the marshes recede and valuable pastureland is created. View from Mont Doville.
The nature park "Des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin"
The high ecological value of the wetlands was recognized as early as 1991 and a regional nature reserve was established: The Parc Naturel Régional des Marais du Cotentin et du Bessin. Today, 74,000 people in 150 communities live in the nature park on 140,000 hectares, of which 30,000 hectares are wetlands. It includes the marshes of the Douve, the Aure, the Ay, the Taute and the Vire. It also includes the salt marshes on the west coast, the impenetrable labyrinth of the Bocage hedgerows, numerous heaths, moors, marshes and the coastal section of the Baie des Veys. In addition to migratory birds and winter visitors, the nature park is also an important breeding area: around 5 percent of the French white stork population raises its young here and 30 percent of all French yellow wagtails. The park also serves as a habitat for otters and, on the east coast, seals. You can discover orchids and carnivorous plants, fire salamanders and alpine newts, various species of wild bees and crickets.
Baupte: The wetlands of the Marais attract many migratory birds in winter.
Experience the nature park
The easiest way to experience the nature park is from our vacation home. In winter, after heavy rainfall like in October/November 2019, the water almost reaches the property. Drink your first coffee in the conservatory or relax in the barrel sauna with a view of the "white" marshes. You can watch the birds with the binoculars stored in the house. In summer you will see the storks looking for food for their young. Sit down in the balmy summer night and enjoy an incredibly clear starry sky. Or grab one of our SUP boards and make your first attempts at paddling on the Douve. A contemplative place at any time of year is the hamlet of Longuerac, which you can reach in a few minutes' drive and from where you have a wonderful view of the Marais.
La Maison du Parc and the protected natural space
The heart of the regional nature park is La Maison de Parc. On 500 square meters, exhibitions and films bring you closer to the natural world of the park; for example, an exhibition on the face of the Marais in 30 years is running until September 2021. Directly afterwards, you can explore the park's sensitive nature reserve, which is particularly worth a visit in winter. Both are closed from the beginning of December until the start of the French Christmas vacations, but you don't pay admission until mid-March! Unfortunately, dogs are not allowed.
La Réserve Naturelle Nationale du Domaine de Beauguillot
You are also not allowed to enter this small nature reserve with your dog, but right next to it you will find a small nature trail at the Baie des Veys, which also has some observation posts. With a bit of luck, you might even spot a few seals snoozing on the beach at the end of the 1.5-kilometre trail.
Hiking trails
In total, the nature park has an impressive 4,600 kilometers of hiking trails. These include 18 small nature trails that invite you to explore the Marais on foot over a short distance. Simply follow the (wooden) signs Sentier Découverte (discovery trail) and let yourself be surprised. At high tide in winter, it may be impossible to get through in many places, but in spring there are many paths that you can walk with your dogs. Try the small circular trail near Plessis-Lastelle: from the keep you have a fantastic view of the marshes and the Baupte peat bog. On the circular trail you will come across a very special breed of dog, the "Chien des Marais", a tree trunk petrified in the moor with bizarre shapes.
River hiking
Not only can you explore the Marais on our SUP boards, in the summer months there are excursion boats on the Douve and Taute that allow you to experience the beauty of nature from the water. The excursion on the "Barbey d'Aurevilly" across the Douve takes place from May to September and lasts three hours. The explanations are in French only and you can take your dogs on board. Information and reservations: http://www.bateau-douve.com/ .
In many places, the only way to get around in winter is by boat.
