Balade au bord de la Mère à Epannes

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OTNMP – Hiking in Deux-Sèvres

DEUX SEVRES DEPARTMENT

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Located in the Courance valley, Epannes invites you to discover its secrets. The fauna and flora are remarkably rich.

Route details

EPANNES

pedestrian

Cultural, Nature (fauna, flora)

Description

Located on the old royal road Poitiers-la Rochelle, the town of Epannes is located on the route of a Roman road linking Poitiers to Saintes. It is located in the Courance Valley. For a long time, life was organized around the river and its driving force. In Poitou, the name “courances” is given to streams that are heavily dependent on rainwater. On the Courance several artificial reaches supply the neighboring villages and the river will take other names such as La Mère, Le Vivier and La Petite Ronde.

Happy hiking and remember that you are not alone on the trails you are about to travel. We therefore invite you to respect nature: avoid picking flowers and plants, do not leave any litter behind, respect inhabited places, stay on the trails, keep dogs on a leash

DifficultyEasyDuration03h00Distance11,0 km

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Walk along the Mother River in Epannes

Distance:11,0 km

Your itinerary

Getting to the starting point to report a problem

Step 1

In Épannes, the 14th and 15th century church dedicated to Saint Madeleine, and the Hosannière cross, in the cemetery, constitute most of the religious heritage.

Step 2

The castle, built in the 18th century, is private and cannot be visited. It belongs to the ancient Cugnac family, closely linked to village life. The Marquis de Cugnac is said to have arranged La Mère et la Courance. He also donated several marshes then exploited as collective pasture or gardened marshes.

Step 3

Come and enjoy this beautiful place! Facilities are present on the site: pétanque court, fitness trail, games for children, barbecue area, etc. To fish at the Epannes lake, a fishing license is required.

Step 4

It is a dam built for the diversion of La Mère towards Epannes. It is a reach with an upper departure, the dam raising the level of the river. On its left bank the river went down to feed the old village mill, the 2 meter fall providing the driving force to make it turn, and on its right bank it resumes its normal course.

Step 5

Populiculture or poplar cultivation has developed since the middle of the 6th century. This tree is used to obtain peeling wood, for the manufacture of crates, cheese boxes, plywood, etc. Its superficial rooting makes it very sensitive to wind. Regularly during memorable storms, dozens, even hundreds of trees have fallen down. The water paths are also lined with pollarded ash trees whose “heads” are cut every 7-XNUMX years to make firewood. The roots which form a dense and deep network secure the banks. If luck smiles on you, you will be able to see the gray heron, the most emblematic bird of the Marais, or the black kite, the marsh harrier, the kestrel, the kingfisher or other birds settled or passing through since the Marais is a favorite stopover for thousands of birds.

Step 6

The Courance has its source in the foothills of the plain in the town of St Matin-de-bernegoue between 52 and 60 m above sea level. It flows after 36 km into Vieux-Mignon at the Cabin dam in St Hilaire la Palud. Due to its sinuosity, its numerous channels in its downstream part, the variability of its name (Canal de la Petite Ronde, Ruisseau du Vivier, La Mère, etc.), it is sometimes difficult to distinguish it from these channels and reaches. The 18 tributaries of the Courance represent approximately 80 km of length.

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