The Marais Vernier

The Marais Vernier, zen marshlands in Normandy

Enjoy a surprise, heading into the heart of the Eure’s countryside. It turns out that you don’t need to go to the ends of the earth to disconnect and feel like you’re in another world! The Marais Vernier marshlands prove exceptional for visitors who want to get away from contemporary life and back to the essentials. 

In the midst of the Parc Naturel Régional des Boucles de la Seine Normande, the Marais Vernier is a unique and precious natural site in France. Created when the Seine shifted course thousands of years ago, abandoning one of its ancient meanders, the Marais Vernier developed into a vast wetland shaped like an amphitheatre. Now, you can observe the local ecosystem perched up high in a panoramic observatory. Spot ducks, migrating birds, swans in full flight and much more besides, as well as listening to the many frogs croaking away!

Getting out into an unspoilt world 

Early in the morning, as the sun rises through a light mist, the flora and fauna of the marshlands gently awaken. You’ve come to a perfect spot to contemplate Mother Nature. Watch on as the place comes to life. On a walk, you’ll encounter Camargue horses and Highland cattle that have acclimatised to the wetlands. Along the trails, you’ll see long, low, old-fashioned farm houses, or longères, with their thatched roofs and apple orchards reflecting an authentic Normandy far from the hustle and bustle of the contemporary world where so much rushes on apace.