The Great Wading Bird Trail starting from Port Hamoneau

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This hike starts at Port Hamoneau in Brains on the banks of the Acheneau, then crosses the Marais du Cheval and the Marais de la Guerche.

Details

n°7386482
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.18 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 15 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 16 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 19 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1 m
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Description of the walk

Park at Port Hamoneau.

(S/E) Head north along the Acheneau river.

(1) Continue north-west. You will enter the Marais du Cheval.

(2) Turn right towards the east, following the Grande Douve stream.

(3) On your right, you will see the Marais de la Guerche. Turn left onto the carriage road heading north. After 600 m, cross the D211 road with caution and continue straight ahead for 250 m, then turn right towards the hamlet of Le Bignon.

(4) Turn left to reach the hamlet of Le Barré. Go around it on the left, then after 90 metres, turn left to join the D211. Cross it carefully to reach the hamlet of La Barbotinière.

(5) Turn right onto the tarmac road for 300 m, then take the path on your left. After 10 m, turn left again to reach the hamlet of La Proutière.

(6) Take the dirt track on the left, then continue straight ahead.

(7) Turn right to reach the crossroads you took on the way there.

(2) Continue straight ahead to return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 4 m - Port Hamoneau - Acheneau - Canal de Buzay
  2. 1 : km 0.36 - alt. 2 m - Towards the Cheval Marsh
  3. 2 : km 1.18 - alt. 1 m - La Grande Douve
  4. 3 : km 1.87 - alt. 2 m - Guerche Marshes
  5. 4 : km 3.2 - alt. 6 m - Le Bignon
  6. 5 : km 4.69 - alt. 7 m - La Barbotinière
  7. 6 : km 5.73 - alt. 5 m - La Proutière
  8. 7 : km 6.73 - alt. 2 m - Intersection
  9. S/E : km 8.18 - alt. 3 m - Port Hamoneau

Notes

This route is not accessible when the Acheneau is in flood, generally from mid-December to mid-April.

Worth a visit

In the marshes, you are sure to see large wading birds, grey herons, cattle egrets, little egrets, great egrets, spoonbills and storks, especially during the breeding season.
Between (2) and (3), you are in the territory of egrets and storks. Between (3) and (4), halfway along the route, you can see a stork's nest.
You will see wading birds throughout the route. Look at the cattle, and you will certainly see cattle egrets alongside them.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5
Based on 7 reviews
Reliability of the description
5 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
4.4 / 5
dreze44
dreze44

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful route taken yesterday in fine weather. We explored the marshes along lovely paths, which were sometimes wet but still passable at this time of year, and discovered the surprising course of the Acheneau river. We saw few birds, except for a few herons taking flight, but the walk was still very pleasant and invigorating.

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kartavan
kartavan

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful, easy walk. So many birds to watch. What's more, there were lots of storks at this time of year
.

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plidenantes
plidenantes

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, but don't come expecting to see marshes, as they don't exist during this dry season. However, there are beautiful paths, beautiful landscapes, exceptionally large trees and plants, a few motionless herons and busy cattle guard, and, of course, pretty streams populated by nutria... the walk goes by quickly!

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Jeff56
Jeff56

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 12, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant route. A lovely afternoon stroll after Sunday lunch. It is less interesting in October, as wildlife is scarce and the flora is "dormant". That said, I recommend it. It takes between 1½ and 1¼ hours at a leisurely pace.

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paulmasters
paulmasters

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We really enjoyed the walk, but at the end of summer/beginning of autumn there was perhaps less to see than in spring. Between 2 and 3 o'clock we met two hunters with their guns, but they headed off towards La Barbotinière. The marshes were quite dry and we didn't see much wildlife; mostly just cattle! We had already done part of the route with another Visorando hike, so we knew the area a little, but the route was easy to follow in any case, and the walk was enjoyable.

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JPBellocq
JPBellocq

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with marshy areas covered in grass on one side and hedges and a few woods on the other. The promised wading birds were there, even storks.
It took us 1 hour and 55 minutes, at a leisurely pace.

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louismireille
louismireille

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Excellent hiking trail in the Brains marshes. A leisurely walk that takes less than two hours. The promise of bird watching was true. Magnificent! As was the view of the Acheneau. Splendid! Best to visit in spring, I think, when the grass in the meadows isn't too high, so you can better enjoy the landscape. But you'll need to be patient and wait for the marsh paths to dry out...
One suggestion: in the presentation details, specify Brains for the municipality, not Port-Saint-Père.
Thank you to the person who suggested this hike.
LouisMireille

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