La Guittière salt marshes and fish ponds in Talmont Saint Hilaire
The Guittière salt marshes in Talmont Saint-Hilaire, where seawater is brought in to produce salt through evaporation, also form a unique and bizarre landscape in the heart of the Payré estuary. Tourists staying at a 4-star campsite in the Vendée can mingle with the oyster farmers and sauniers who work there, spending a pleasant day in the middle of the salt marshes and learning more about salt and oyster cultivation.
Hiking through the Guittière salt marshes
The best way to discover the world of salt marshes is simply to take a stroll. Park in the parking lot at the Port de la Guittière and start by passing through the oyster-farming village where oysters are grown. A little further on, you’ll pass the house where Saint-Henri Dorie was born. Continue along the path to the village of La Guittière, where you can visit the salt marshes , then on to the village of Ilaude, where a small view of the mesh of fish marshes awaits you. Continue north to Moric, then west to La Bourie, where you can visit the studio of local artist Catherine Cousseau. A little further on, the Cul d’Âne footbridge takes you across the wet marshes. You’ll then follow the salt marshes farmed by local salt producers. Before returning to the parking lot, don ‘t miss the view over the Peyré estuary from the beach at Port de la Guittière, a listed Vendée site. In summer, you may have the opportunity to see the salt-makers harvesting the salt… Other walks are available along the Vendée coastline.
Visit the Guittière salt marshes
For those who want to learn more about La Guittière, it’ s possible to take a guided tour of the salt marshes. In 1h30, you’ll learn all about the history of the Guittière marshes and the work of the salt-marsh farmers. Throughout the summer, tours are organized on Tuesdays at 10:30am and Thursdays at 6pm. Between July 15 and August 23, additional tours are offered every Monday at 8:30am and Friday at 10:30am. Guided tours cost €6 for adults and €2 for children aged 7 to 15. Meeting point is in front of the salorge, rue des salines. It’s just north of the parking lot at the Port de la Guittière in Talmont-Saint-Hilaire.
Tasting oysters at Les Viviers de la Guittière
One of the most popular places to visit in Talmont-Saint-Hilaire is undoubtedly Les Viviers de la Guittière, where François has been raising oysters for several years now. Set against the wild and authentic landscape of the marshes, you can enjoy oysters, of course, but also seafood and fish from the Sables-d’Olonne fish market at very affordable prices. Les Viviers de la Guittière is located at the end of rue des parcs in the port of La Guittière.A giant oyster weighing 1.3 kilograms was recently found nearby at Les Viviers de la Mine!
If you’re staying at a campsite in Talmont Saint-Hilaire, don’t miss the chance to spend a superb day in the Guittière salt marshes. You can also visit the Château de Talmont.
