Discovering the salt marshes of life in Saint-Jean-de-Monts

Among the many natural beauties found in Vendée are the salt marshes.

The salt marshes are one of the natural elements that are worth seeing: these large sets of salt near the sea, which are treated and recovered in an artisanal way…

Between a touch of history and the beauty of the great maritime spaces, it’s a trip worth booking a guided tour! Especially in the Salt Marshes of Life.

The Marais Salants de la Vie are an essential tourist spot for all holidays in Vendée. You can in fact experience the cultivation of salt, which has been done for generalizations and generations in artisanal conditions.

Wondering what to do in Vendée ? Les Places Dorées answers you: go and visit the Salt Marshes of Life!

The Salt Marshes of Life

Straddling Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez and Saint-Jean-de-Monts, the Marais Salants de la Vie are very large salt marshes that allow you to experience the culture of salt in Vendée in practice.

If you have ever spent a holiday in the Vendée, you know that the cultivation and harvesting of salt is very important in this region . Indeed, you can find Vendée salt in many stores.

It is therefore very interesting to take part of the morning or the afternoon to wonder about the concrete realization of this salt, which comes straight from the ocean .

You are lucky enough to be able to book a guided tour of around 1h30 in the Marais Salants de la Vie, to learn how the harvesting of salt works, but also its processing, which is done in a completely natural way.

Also called white gold, salt is one of the essential foodstuffs when you go to Vendée. Discover the whole history of Saint-Jean-de-Monts during this visit which is not insignificant!

Read also: White gold (salt and salt marshes)

A touch of history in your stay

The visit to the Marais Salants de la Vie allows you to discover all the beauty of the natural landscapes of Vendée, during an unforgettable guided tour.

Indeed, salt marsh landscapes originated in the 1700s. Dug by the inhabitants of the time, they were literally made against winds and tides.

In the lower valley of Life, in the 19th century, there are nearly 1000 hectares of land reserved solely for salt marshes. Salt was indeed an essential economic commodity , for the preservation of food and especially meat.

But during the 1970s, these large salt marshes became fish ponds. It is only since the 1990s that the return to traditions has taken place. The old salt marshes have been rehabilitated, in order to revive their historical importance.

Today, you can visit them in order to fully discover the past of the salt workers of the Middle Ages, and the nature of life by the sea when working in the cultivation of salt.

The proximity of a wild nature

In addition to plunging into Vendée history, discovering the salt marshes allows you to discover the surrounding nature.

You enjoy an outing by the sea, with the maritime horizon stretching as far as the eye can see in the heart of the saltworks. Around you, only the sound of the waves and the explanations of the guide disturb the peace.

The Marais Salants de la Vie are also special, in the sense that they offer privileged access to fauna and flora that cannot be found anywhere else.

Between wild nature and historical discovery, the Marais Salants de la Vie have more than one trick up their sleeve!

Read also :

• Walk on the wild coast in Vendée: what not to miss
• The most wild beaches and coves in Vendée
• The seaside towns in Vendée to visit absolutely