Near Château-Guibert lies Lac du Marillet, a natural area with several inlets and purpose-built trails. Its very dry slopes are characterized by meadows and heathland; the flora has an almost Mediterranean character. Together with the hiking options, the Church of Notre-Dame de la Nativité and engineering structures, it offers a diverse range of natural and cultural attractions.
At Lac du Marillet: Reservoir and Nature
The Barrage du Marillet was built between 1983 and 1987. The reservoir it created covers 127 hectares and holds 7,300,000 cubic meters of water. Dry slopes, meadows and heathland shape the landscape around the lake. The flora there has an almost Mediterranean character.
Wildlife at Lac du Marillet includes the European golden oriole, nightingale, kingfisher, brown hairstreak butterfly and emerald damselfly. Alongside its waterside landscape, the area’s diverse habitats and species give it a distinctive natural character.
Hiking with Different Highlights
The Sentier pédestre Le Lac du Marillet is an easy, 9.7-kilometer circular trail starting in Château-Guibert. It is advisable to check current trail conditions before setting out, as they can change. Another option is the Sentier pédestre Château d’eau de la Choletière: its hedge-lined paths offer panoramic views of the surrounding area of Château-Guibert and the Marillet Valley.
The trails have different features to consider: for Le Lac du Marillet, the length and difficulty are clearly stated; the Sentier pédestre Château d’eau de la Choletière stands out for its hedge-lined paths and views. This lets you choose a hike based on a known distance or the landscape experience.
Church, Garden and Engineering Structure
The present-day Church of Notre-Dame de la Nativité was built between 1892 and 1894 on the site of an older Romanesque church and the adjoining cemetery. Its floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross. A bell tower with a portal leads into a single-nave church with a projecting transept; the choir faces south. The transept extends out from the sides of the nave, making the cruciform layout easy to understand.
The Château d’eau de la Choletière also has a distinctive construction history: it has a 50-meter-high tower. Its conical tank was hoisted onto the tower with hydraulic jacks in three days. Here, religious architecture and an engineering structure stand side by side, with very different forms and functions.
An official garden brochure from 2015 describes the Jardin de la Morandière as a romantic garden with 600 varieties of roses around a bower, a pond and pergolas. It also highlights the view over the valley. As this description dates from 2015, please check current opening times and access before visiting.
Outdoor Activities
Based at La Pinetière in Château-Guibert, Pieds d’AventureS offers hikes with donkeys. Its program also includes a range of activities accessible to people with disabilities, including day hikes and hiking stays lasting two to eight days. It also offers workshops or two-day courses introducing participants to bivouacking and bushcraft.
At Lac du Marillet, there is a black bass fishing area with catch-and-release rules on the Moinie and Tourteron inlets. Fishing and hiking options add further specific interests to the area’s natural and architectural history when planning a trip.
Discover more destinations: La Gaubretière, Saint-Mars-la-Réorthe, Tiffauges, Saint-Michel-Mont-Mercure, Sainte-Cécile, Cugand, Rocheservière, Nesmy
For the broader travel guide: Vendée.
