'Le Traict du Rostu', a privileged site for bird watching
The amazing site of the salt marshes of Le Mès with their unique heritage forms an integral part of zone of ‘Le Parc de Brière’. The salt marshes and the ‘traicts’ (salt water inlets which link the salt marshes to the sea) provide a wide variety of habitats suitable for many types of vegetation native to wetlands and areas of brackish waters (slightly salty water). The abundant source of food provided here attracts a large number of birds which come to over winter in this zone.
A protected natural area
The Rostu Marshes natural site covers 126 hectares.The whole is protected at European level via the Natura 2000 network.
The 'Salorge du Rostu'
You'll find a salt shed (a traditional building used for storing salt), restored by the 'Conservatoire du Littoral' (coastal protection agency) and the Mesquer council.In summer an exhibition space gives information about working on the saltmarshes and the biological wealth of the area.
A walk of a few hundred metres brings you to the sea and mudflats.
Guided tour of the Salorge
The birds ball
During spring tides, an amazing number of birds can be seen here, attracted by the abundance of food : as the tide goes out, avocet, curlew, godwit, plover and sandpiper flock to the shoreline and at low tide, scarlet-beaked shelducks along with a few agitated egrets meander around the mudflats.For a few hours, they are all very busy hunting out worms and shellfish…finding food is essential for survival ! Lucky walkers can only stand and marvel at their strange, astonishing acrobatics !
And winter?
In winter, the site is ideal for observing birds from the North, such as Cravant Geese...If you don't see them at first glance, you will hear them honk happily! Let yourself be guided by ear!
Where to watch the birds ?
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