Bois-De-Cene: Hiking Trails and Heritage

Bois-de-Céné lies between the Marais Breton Vendéen to the west and the bocage landscape to the east. When planning your trip, the area therefore combines two distinct landscape settings with hiking trails and historic sights. You can focus on outdoor activity, heritage, or both: two hiking trails differ clearly in length, while the church, the motte féodale, and Abbaye de l’Ile Chauvet provide different historical points of interest.

Landscape and hiking trails

La Borderie du Marais, in the commune of Bois-de-Céné, offers a different view of the landscape. This 68-hectare site consists mainly of natural meadows with shallow depressions, rushes, and reeds. Here, the vegetation and terrain take centre stage; by contrast, the hiking trails can be compared by their stated distances. Alongside the broader landscape setting, this gives you a concrete picture of a wetland in the commune.

There are two markedly different distances to choose from for a hike: “Les Roseaux” is 8.5 kilometres long and marked in yellow; “Le Croix des Guignards” covers 17 kilometres. The second route is therefore twice as long as the first. Taking the trail length into account when planning your day gives you a concrete indication of the scale of the walk. Before setting out, check the local signage for “Les Roseaux” and the local trail conditions for “Le Croix des Guignards”.

A guide for culture enthusiasts is the Bois-de-Céné heritage trail, which is part of a series of downloadable visitor brochures. The booklets include maps, photos, and descriptions of important sights. You can use them to get an overview of the cultural sites featured in advance; also check whether the brochure you want is currently available.

Historic sites and summer event

The Church of Saint-Étienne dates from the 14th and 15th centuries and is listed as a historic monument in the Monuments historiques register. The motte féodale, a tumulus, is located at the western entrance to the village. According to the historical interpretation, Normans arriving from Port La Roche were watched from there during the rule of the lords of La Garnache. At Saint-Étienne, the focus is on the building’s age and protected status; at the motte, it is on the connection between the landform and its historical function as a lookout.

Abbaye de l’Ile Chauvet was an island monastery dating from the early 12th century. The Festival de l’Ile Chauvet is an annual summer music festival that combines cultural events with the discovery of the abbey grounds. If you would like to include a festival visit in your trip plans, check the current programme in advance.

More activities

Canoe and/or cycling trips with Route du Sel are available in Bois-de-Céné. If you plan to take part in one of these activities, confirm the booking terms directly with the provider.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Bazoges-En-Pareds, Le Gué-De-Velluire, Maillezais, La Tranche-Sur-Mer, Les Brouzils, Vix, Grues, Mesnard-La-Barotière.

Go to the main travel overview: Vendée.