Bird Swamp

In the heart of the Ile d'Oléron, straddling the territories of Saint-Pierre d'Oléron and Dolus d'Oléron, the Marais aux Oiseaux occupies 10 hectares of a wooded and humid natural area. It is composed of a discovery park to raise public awareness of the natural riches of the site and a center for the conservation of endangered species.

A crucial safeguard center for biodiversity

Born in 1982, the Centre de sauvegarde du Marais aux Oiseaux (Bird Marsh Safeguard Center) welcomes wild animals that require care, with the aim of seeing them recover and reintegrate into their natural environment. Many species are welcomed in the center: many birds but also reptiles and small mammals.

The site is equipped with aviaries, cages, rehabilitation enclosures and buildings for quarantine. Animals in distress are cared for all year round in the center. Among them are species as varied as the European cistudy turtle, the gannets, the barn owl, the barn owl, the deer, the star bittern, or the hedgehog. The safeguard center is not open to the visit for the well-being and tranquility of the animals that are cared for there.

The discovery park

The part of the Marais aux Oiseaux open to the visit is composed of a 1500 meters long pedestrian path through the swamp and woods to discover a rich nature and a varied fauna. Signs inform visitors about the species they can observe during their walk.

At the beginning of the walk, a mini-farm popular with young children is home to familiar animals such as sheep, ducks and geese. An enclosure allows you to meet the Florida turtle, a direct competitor of the marsh cistudies. The trail then allows you to discover wild species, among which the grey heron, egret, stork or kingfisher. This part of the trail calls on the observation skills of the visitors. A observatory equipped with a long view offers enthusiasts the opportunity to scrutinize the surroundings with even more attention.

Le Marais aux Oiseaux organizes in its discovery park of numerous animations for young and old: creative workshops, games, photo outings, thematic guided tours and visits with educational booklets.

Tariffs and schedules of the visits and animations

Le Marais aux Oiseaux opens its doors to the public from mid-February to mid-November. In July and in August, visits are possible every day without interruption from 10 am to 7 pm. In April, May, June and September the site is open weekday mornings from 10 am to 1 pm and every afternoon from 2 pm to 6 pm. In October, November and March the park can be visited during school vacations and on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

You will reach it in about ten minutes from our camping île d'Oléron and it will take about an hour to an hour and a half of visit.

The price is 4.50 € full price and 2.80 € child price (from 6 to 14 years old) for a free visit. Guided tours are available for groups of 20 people or more.
The animations organized on the park such as drawing, sculpture or photo workshops are included in the price of the self-guided tour.