South Vendée getaway at the gateway to the Marais Poitevin

Morning: Fontenay-le-Comte, the open-air Renaissance

Start your day in Fontenay-le-Comte, the "Fontaine des Beaux Esprits" and intellectual capital of Poitou under François I. The first rays of sunshine magnify the Renaissance facades of the 16th-century townhouses. On Place Belliard, elegant arcaded houses bear witness to the city's golden age. Each street has its own story: rue des Drapiers, rue des Tanneurs, rue des Orfèvres, and so on. The names evoke a time when trade was the city's main source of wealth. Lose yourself in the narrow streets until you reach the Quatre Tias fountain, the town's emblem.

Afternoon: the Royal Abbey of Nieul-sur-l'Autise, a Romanesque gem

Then on to Nieul-sur-l'Autise, a Petite Cité de Caractère nestled at the gateway to the Marais Poitevin. The village itself is a jewel box of charm, with its traditional limestone houses, shady squares and flower-filled alleyways winding down to the Autise river. At the heart of this thousand-year-old village stands the majestic Abbey of Saint-Vincent. Founded in 1069 and elevated to royal status by Eleanor of Aquitaine, it boasts the only intact Romanesque cloister in western France, where the light plays between the finely chiselled arcades.

Just a stone's throw from the abbey, the Maison de la Meunerie reveals another facet of the local heritage. This water mill, built in 1728, bears witness to ancestral know-how. The big wheel still turns, powered by the Autise, which meanders peacefully by.

Join one of the landing stages of the Marais Poitevin, the famous "Green Venice". In Maillezais, Le Mazeau or Damvix, take a traditional boat trip, guided by a storytelling boatman. Your first day ends with dinner at a waterside inn, where local specialities - eels, frogs... - will remind you that water is the source of life and flavour here.

Morning: green escapade in the Mervent-Vouvant forest

With the first rays of sunlight filtering through the branches, immerse yourself in the lush greenery of the Mervent-Vouvant forest. In this 5,000-hectare green lung, wild nature and legends intermingle. Whether you choose the footpaths winding through the evergreen oaks or the mountain bike trails through the undergrowth, the magic happens right from the start. Along the way, meet the remarkable trees that are the pride of the forest: the 5 twins oak, with its impressive offshoots transformed into sculptures, the three-hundred-year-old Marinier oak, 32 metres high, and the mysterious Hermit oak, also known as the "Tree of the Hanged".

For lunch, set up your picnic on the shores of Lac de Mervent. Watch the birds circling overhead, and perhaps catch a glimpse of the fish skimming the surface.

Afternoon: from Lac de Mervent to the medieval town of Vouvant

Then succumb to the call of the glistening water in the afternoon sun. At the leisure center, climb aboard a canoe, kayak or paddle to explore the secret corners of the lake that only sailors can reach. Electric boats offer a gentle alternative, ideal for photographing the discreet wildlife that ventures close to the banks.

Then join Vouvant, a medieval gem nestled in a meander of the Mother River. One of France's most beautiful villages , Vouvant welcomes you behind its 13th-century ramparts. Your eyes are immediately drawn to the Tour Mélusine. According to local legend, this imposing tower was built in a single night by a fairy with magical powers. Climb its steps to take in the village and surrounding forest. As you stroll down the narrow streets, let yourself be carried away by the unique atmosphere of this artists' village, where painters and sculptors have set up their studios in the ancient stone mansions.

Night begins to envelop Vouvant in its inky mantle, star by star. This is the hour when the fairy Mélusine, it is said, regains possession of her tower and watches over the sleeping village...

Want to extend your stay in Sud-Vendée?

• Follow the Fief Vendéen de Pissotte wine trail, 60 kilometers of sun-drenched vineyards, waterways and artists' studios, punctuated by tastings at family estates.
• Visit the splendid Château de Terre-Neuve in Fontenay-le-Comte, a Renaissance gem with impressive coffered ceilings and carved woodwork, where the poet Nicolas Rapin lived.
• Combine cycling and boating on a guided tour of the Marais Poitevin, following in the footsteps of the monk-builders who shaped this unique landscape over the centuries.