Gregory MathelotGood to know
Parking available in Tertre, along Olivier Lhoir Street, between Marionville Street and the level crossing. Free access. Guided tours available with the Natagora association: www.natagora.be
Imagine 65 hectares of marshes and ponds as far as the eye can see. To give you an idea, that's roughly the equivalent of 65 large football fields!
Imagine 65 hectares of marshes and ponds as far as the eye can see. To give you an idea, that's roughly the equivalent of 65 large football fields! And you don't have to go to the Camargue or a Nordic country to enjoy such landscapes. No, this idyllic spot is located in the heart of the Marionville Nature Reserve.
The history of the Marionville Nature Reserve is a bit like this: who goes hunting loses their place! These marshes and ponds haven't always been this peaceful. Just a few decades ago, they barely existed. In the past, the Haine River ran through the site. This river, now channeled, meandered through the wet meadows and played hide-and-seek with the willows until humans intervened...
Gregory Mathelot
Gregory Mathelot
Gregory MathelotCoal mining has radically changed the history and permanently transformed the landscape of the region. After World War II, the land sank, creating a vast body of water surrounded by meadows. Considered unsuitable for farming, these lands were gradually abandoned by the farmers. But nature never stands still: these new wetlands quickly attracted a rich variety of wildlife and flora.
In 1978, this natural treasure officially became the Marionville Nature Reserve, extending over Saint-Ghislain and Quaregnon.
What can you admire today? A preserved nature in all its splendor! A trail, laid on an old railway line (3 km round trip), leads to two observation posts along the main body of water. Along the way, willow and hawthorn bushes shelter a vibrant winged fauna: warblers, tits, robins, and nightingales. Difficult to spot for beginners, these birds will enchant you with their melody: a true open-air concert!
From the observation posts, open your eyes and ears wide: the reserve is full of living treasures. However, these charming and discreet residents require some patience. Among them, the common gull, the belon shelduck, and the bluethroat with a mirror are among the remarkable species that nest here.
Each environment in the reserve meets the needs of a diverse biodiversity: reed warblers and bluethroats prefer the reedbeds, while in the north, more modest water bodies shelter ducks, amphibians, and insects. In this ecosystem, a curiosity stands out: the bladderwort, a rare carnivorous aquatic plant that can capture its prey in less than a thousandth of a second!