Réserve Naturelle Marais d'Yves

An easy 15km drive south of La Rochelle, this nature reserve runs a free nature centre where you can peer through telescopes to watch some of the 192-hectare reserve's 250 bird species amid the wetlands. Depending on the season, you might see flocks of over 20,000 birds fill the sky on their migratory path. The website lists various guided walks, bike rides and safaris through the wetlands – many in English and aimed squarely at children – where you'll also learn about the area's 750 species of frogs, flowers and insects.