Brière Regional Natural Park

Welcome to the Brière Regional Natural Park!

With over 122,000 acres of peaty land, canals and endless horizons, the Brière is one of the largest wetlands in France. Saint-Nazaire does not lie exactly in the heart of the Brière but swamps and canals are part of the town’s natural heritage in its Northeastern corner. Both marshland and bocage cover nearly half of the municipal area.

France’s second largest marshland

How can we describe the Brière? It’s France’s second biggest marshland, containing a wide variety of natural ecosystems, home to 900 different plants and thousands of birds including bluethroats, herons, egrets and ducks… Yes, all this and so much more!

But also… a haven of calm and silence! Just a soft breeze rustling the reeds.

These exceptional man-made natural landscapes are an invitation to come and enjoy the stillness that the Brière offers.

Places to see in the Brière

Land, sea, endless horizons, rustling reeds, gliding herons: Brière Park is exceptional. Just outside Saint-Nazaire, another world awaits you, and here’s how to step inside.

• The bird-watching reserve

Easily accessed on foot from Rozé Port, the Pierre Constant Reserve is open all year round, offering free entry and guided visits in summer (small fee). It’s best to visit early or late to see the ducks, geese, herons, spoonbills, wagtails and bluethroats – and you can borrow binoculars. In the Reserve, a panoramic terrace and observation decks allow you to birdwatch discreetly.
(Rozé, Saint-Malo-de-Guersac)

• Rozé

Around the former lock-keeper’s house you can picnic or explore the marsh.
(Rozé, Saint-Malo-de-Guersac)

• Maison de la mariée

Museum about the former home industry of wax flowers for bridal crowns.
(Île de Fédrun, Saint-Joachim)

• La chaumière Briéronne

A reconstructed traditional interior of a thatched Brière cottage.
(Île de Fédrun, Saint-Joachim)

• Musée de la marine en bois

A local museum about the tradition of wooden boat-building.
(Montoir-de-Bretagne)

• Kerhinet village

In this tiny village of thatched cottages you’ll find Brière Park’s visitor centre.
(Kerhinet, Saint-Lyphard)

Boating is one of the top activities in the Brière Regional Natural Park. Water is everywhere, lapping at the traditional flat-bottomed boats, ideal for exploring the marshes. You’ll find below where you can embark for boat rides.