THE LOCKS

The ultimate barrier between the waters of the Sèvre Niortaise and the ocean, the locks - built by Napoleon in 1808 - are a reminder of the importance of waterways in regional history. The Carreau d'Or locks mark the downstream end of the river port. Those at Les Enfreneaux feature a ladder for elvers (young eels), facilitating their return to the fold, since, like salmon, eels migrate in summer to spawn in their original freshwater habitat. The ladder is a kind of vertical brush mat over which freshwater flows.