Canoeing

You will see many birds on your itinerary, just open your eyes! Maine-et-Loire is the French department with the most important population of terns. These graceful birds nest here every year between March and September. You can watch them, but careful, it is a species which needs a lot of calm during reproduction.

At this period, they are very sensitive to disturbance. The presence of people or animals on the sandbanks where they nest can be enough to make them leave and abandon their brood. The Park and the “Ligue pour la protection des oiseaux” (LPO, Bird protection League) work together on protection measures in order to offer the best nesting conditions to the tern population.

Every year, signs are put up on the islets they nest on. It is strictly forbidden to land there. In addition to this, a biotope protection order prohibits the access to the “sandy islets detached from the riverbank“ (meaning sandbanks not accessible by foot), covering the entire bird reproduction period from April 1^st to August 15^th.

This order applies to the areas between Saumur and Montsoreau as well as between La Daguenière and Juigné-sur-Loire. The Park and the LPO aim above all to raise awareness about this protection issue. The prefectorial order includes fines for offenders. Be careful and watch out!