Lanester - The Goden marsh

The Plessis mill certainly existed before the end of the 16th century; but the oldest written record attesting to its existence dates from 1782. It was a seigniorial mill, although it was first owned by the Abbey of Saint Gildas de Rhuys, like many places in the Pays de Lorient. Built on the edge of the Plessis pond, the tide mill is located in the middle of the dike. It was also fed by the stream that bears the same name. Damaged by a fire in the 1930s, it will be again during the Second World War. Converted into a clothing factory in the 1960s, it will then be refurbished to accommodate housing.

At the confluence of the stream of Plessis and Blavet, between the municipalities of Lanester and Locmiquélic, the banks of the Blavet are more than 500 meters apart. This coastal river joins the Scorff and flows into the Atlantic Ocean at the level of the Bay of Lorient. Until 1909, Lanester was part of the municipality of Caudan. This area, once populated by a few villages made up of farms, has become highly urbanized. Here, on the Lanester side, industrial and military shipbuilding activities are concentrated.

Lanester, who calls himself Lannarstêr in Breton, was born in 1909, from a detachment of the commune of Caudan. The workers coming from the rural world and working at the shipyards gradually settled there with their families and made the neighborhoods that today make up the city grow. Its name comes from the appellation "lann-er-ster", which translates as "the moorland of the river".

Located in the peri-urban area, the Goden marsh is a 22-hectare site, comprising salty and brackish wetlands located on the edge of the Blavet estuary. Initially intended for industrialization purposes, it has become a sensitive natural area, developed and protected to maintain and reinforce its biological richness. At the rhythm of the tides, the level and composition of water change, freshwater and seawater mix. The Goden marsh is also a paradise for birds.

Located at the bottom of the valley, this stream and the wetland that borders it play a fundamental role in the water cycle. The wetland acts as a sponge and stores rainwater in winter; it helps to limit floods and restores water to the river during dry periods. Acting as a natural filter, the sludge and plants that grow there help improve water quality by eliminating pollution. This environment is also colonized by the willow, easily spotted in spring by its white flowers or kittens.

Made up of a mosaic of environments, the Goden marsh is a refuge for many species of birds. Water birds find a place to rest and feed there, while various species of passerines choose to nest in the reed bed. You can easily observe the Garzette egret searching the mud, or the kingfisher in search of a fish. The landscaped path and the observatory will allow you to make beautiful observations.