Arcais, France - June 20, 2011

Arçais is in the Deux-Sèvres department in the Poitou-Charentes region and is the only village actually in the Marais Mouillé, the "wet marsh", which forms the eastern half of the Poitou Marshes. It is a popular center for tourism, with several embarcaderos offering punts and other boats for hire on the network of canals that surrounds the village. There are also a few shops, cafes and bars in the village. It has a population of about 650 and is heavily dependent on tourism. Pictures here.