La mare aux oiseaux dans le marais de la Brière

Nature

The adventure begins by visiting the Marais; rent a small boat and follow your desires through the labyrinthine canals that await you. This abundant nature invites reflection and encourages introspection. This decompressing space will allow you to arrive at La Mare aux Oiseaux in the best conditions, enabling you to feel the place and the emotions it evokes. Located on Fedrun Island, Rue du Chef de l’île, it’s aptly named, as La Mare aux Oiseaux is surrounded by lush greenery.

Restaurant

Head to the Salon des Cages for an aperitif, as this is where it all begins, just like it did for Eric on April 1, 1995. This room, located at the heart of the historic thatched cottage, witnessed the birth of the dreams of La Mare aux Oiseaux, which initially accommodated around thirty guests. Today, the place is cozy and invites soul-resting moments, allowing guests to relax comfortably in front of the fireplace with a drink, a cup, or a book in hand.

The restaurant, designed like a triptych, reveals itself as a glass cube adorned with wild silk drapes, transitioning into a cozy boudoir and finally into a veranda that opens onto the garden. Beyond that, there is a terrace and an outdoor lounge for summer sharing moments. On your way back, give in to temptation by peeking into the kitchen through the porthole or by opening the door, as here, it’s not forbidden!

One guiding principle: escape. The decor of the place transports its visitors with a mix of vintage and contemporary furniture, art objects, and paintings. A beautiful eclecticism where the host’s memories of travels around the world playfully create a constant contrast between roots and the future. Here and now, you find yourself, having already forgotten the passage of time.

The atmosphere in the kitchen is focused, but Éric has managed to create a family where camaraderie, creativity, and kindness coexist harmoniously. Éric Guerin is approachable, pleasant, and cheerful, readily engaging in discussions about reshaping the world after his service in one of the small lounges that invite guests to savor good moments.

“I do not seek to be demonstrative or to follow trends. I simply let desire guide the gesture, because for me, that is where the magic of cooking lies.”

Let’s cross the garden to find ourselves at the edge of the marsh, right by the water, where three rooms are hidden in a stilt cabin, reminiscent of lodges suspended in harmony with nature and the sunsets over the savannah. Just 100 meters from here is another garden, that of Clos du Rouge Gorge, where you push open a wooden gate to venture among the small thatched-roof houses that house three suites, two duplexes, and the wellness area.

Here, you are both elsewhere and quickly feel at home; each room is unique, featuring a three-and-a-half-ton flint bathtub imported from Indonesia, a door that opens transparently onto the shower as a reminder of Cochin, an old engraving by Léon Danchin that recalls the hunting grounds, or the two-story suites that resemble small private apartments.

SPA

Following the path that meanders between the five suites, a bright glass structure housing a seven-person jacuzzi rises. A beautiful setting that opens up to lush nature extending to a private dock overlooking the Brière marshes. This wellness space does not aim to be a luxury spa. Here, relaxation, calm, and indulgence take precedence, without any frills. A visit to the sauna or a nap on the sunlit terrace are both phases of unwinding.