Trendy sports practice In recent years, running means for most a personal challenge, a quest for aesthetics and a connection with nature. The trail spirit is have fun, share good times, discover. We seek inner harmony through contact extended with nature, surpassing oneself with kindness. Discover our territory while running!
Trail running, trendy nature running
The semantics of trail in English means “to run on a path”. The principle of trail running is toalternate phases of walking and running in a natural environment (most often in the mountains), with more or less significant differences in altitude.
Trail running attracts more and more fans. At a time oxygen bubble et physical challenge, everyone finds in the nature run what he wants to put into it in terms of intensity and effort ratio physical/relaxation.

What is a Trail Station?
A concept born in Chartreuse in 2011
Benoit Laval, founder of the equipment company RaidLight, created the concept of Trail Stations. A Trail Station is a place 100% dedicated to trail running. It offers courses of different levels depending on the territory in which the course(s) are located. The Trail Stations are aimed as much at beginners and confirmed athletes. The difficulty level materialization is exactly the same as for the ski slopes, each route is assigned a color code based on difficulty:
- Green: easy
- Blue: medium
- Red: difficult
- Black: very difficult
The concept is also intended for enthusiasts who are looking for a single location, enough to organize courses, group/family outings over a day, a weekend or a week. Each station is linked to the territory in which it is located in order to discover its most beautiful landscapes et his best routes which are varied, which can go from the trail to the high mountains.
The Niort – Marais Poitevin Trail Station
Overview
The concept of Niort Trail Station – Marais Poitevin Is simple : discover our territory while running.
Located in the heart of Marais Poitevin Regional Natural Park and labeled Grand Site of France et less than 2 hours from Paris (by train).
Our destination has 20 courses varied in order to make you experience a unique experience and particular of Poitevin Marshes.
To set up this Trail Station, we, the Tourist Office, we wanted to rely on the expertise of a national operator recognized in the field of practice of outdoor sports : Rossignol. The Trail Stations are run by the On Piste service bringing together multi-sport destinations.

Discover our routes:
Download the On Piste application on your smartphone and set off to discover the Niort – Marais Poitevin Destination while running! The On Piste tool is complete and has many services so that you enjoy a pleasant sporting experience. You can also find less detailed routes on our website.

Territory with low elevation
In everyone's mind, trail running is practiced in areas with unevenness. However, we can boast ofto be the only place in France where it is possible to run without elevation change over a perimeter of 100 km and in a Regional Natural Park, a privilege !
Our routes are marked and services are offered for all practitioners who wish to discover new landscapes through their practice: beginners or enthusiasts, independently or supervised, for the day or for a stay.
Inclusion
Thanks to our low altitude territory, the Niort Marais – Poitevin Trail Station becomes the first to offer a significant number of courses adapted to different disabilities (motor, visual, etc.) and is supported by MAIF with the “Sport Planet 360” label as well as by the HRC 79 (Deux-Sèvres Departmental Handisport Committee).
Nowadays, 4 courses are labeled disabled sports.


Extension in Haut Val de Sèvre
Since summer 2022, the Niort – Marais Poitevin Tourist Office And the one of Saint-Maixent-L’École have entered into close collaboration thanks to local actors who wish to set up trail circuits. It is therefore through this means that the idea ofan extension is born 1 year and a half after the inauguration.
This is composed of 5 new trail courses specific to each of the territories in which they are located, i.e. 5 different municipalities (Ste-Néomaye, Cherveux, Augé, Souvigné and St-Maixent-L'École).