Embouchure de la Charente

Between Rochefort and Fouras-les-Bains, stretches the Charente estuary . At the end of the estuary, the meeting between the river and the ocean forms the Mouth of the Charente.

Did you know ? "The mouth" is the place of junction and exchanges between a river and the ocean. The difference between a delta and an estuary is a matter of the balance of power between the two. When the river is dominant, the mouth is called a "delta". When it is the ocean that is, it is an "estuary".

In the case of the Charente, it is an estuary. Under the impulse of the tide, the sea waves penetrate the land and mix with the river waters. This mixture of fresh and salted water is said to be “brackish”. These brackish waters are suitable only for certain species, endemic to estuaries, and capable of living in salt water, as in fresh water. The flora and fauna are therefore very unique.

The good idea : Many hiking trails are available at the Rochefort-Océan Tourist Office.