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Green Venice in the French countryside
To the north of the town of Niort lie hundreds of kilometres of green marshland called Venise Verte (Green Venice), where monks dug canals in the 12th century and Napoleon later ordered for the canals to measure a certain width. The canals can be visited by boats, which are either guided by a guide like the gondolas in Venice, or, for example, in a picnic version so that the boat is rowed by you yourself.
My first experience was with a guide. The guide was an old man who spoke in a monotonous voice for an hour and a half. Even I, who, as a professional guide, am always interested in knowing new things, lost my interest to listen. This first time it didn't matter, because I was so fascinated by these green “corridors” that brought to mind a green chapel.
My second experience was with my first Finnish group. This group has been traveling with me for 10 years, so even though the boating went pretty bad, it was fun! Paddling (for that is what it is, and not rowing) was difficult. You have to paddle the boat at the same time on both sides with the same strength, and that's not easy. We were in a very good mood even if the boat was turning every which way! Miraculously, however, we found the designated picnic area and although the weather was quite cloudy, the birthday party was a success. If you ever wanted to disappear from the world, this picnic spot in the middle of a swampy area in Venice Verte might do the job.
Green Venice is green indeed, the canals are like the most beautiful chapels, and the experience is, as always on my travels, unique. A guide in English would reportedly be available -remains to be seen. Personally, I don't want to paddle the boat anymore, or I 'll have to take a course.
There are also cruises on a big boat called the Collibert, which takes about 100 people and where you can get lunch or dinner. I haven't tried it, because even though the French guide's stuff went by my ears, in the small boat the atmosphere was straight out of a storybook, and I'm not surprised the place is called Green Venice. From the town of Niort you can get here by free bus to the small village of Coulon, rent a boat and off you go!
For trips to Niort and it's surroundings, contact me at leena.immonen@saaritours.fi. I'll guide you in English - let's meet at Paris airport and take the train together. Niort works perfect for really small groups - 4-6 people.
