The Marais
By Gerald Phillipson ARPS The Marais is a region of wetland in SW France. Covering an area of 25 hectors it is the largest limestone wetland in the Dordogne and is protected by the Regional Nature Reserves of Aquitaine. Access is by a two kilometre circuit of duckboard walkways and footbridges.
I have been photographing the Marais for several years in all seasons and hours of the day. What first drew my attention was the quality of the light when the sun penetrated the alders and willows casting shadows across the water enhancing the luminosity of the scene. In spring and summer the ponds and channels are enclosed by the emerald greenness of the dense woodland. This provides a habitat for distinctive plants and flowers while the water courses host a variety of birds, mammals and fish. The water level is fed by a small river flowing into it from the south and maintained buy a controlled exit into a large neighbouring lake.
July 2022 Volume 7 Issue 5
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