Its Grand Port, totally restored, was one of the main places of exchange between the plain and the valley of the Sèvre Niortaise. Two wooden cranes remind us that in the past, poplar trunks, transported by water, were hoisted onto the bank. On the edge of the river port stands a 19th century dwelling (private property visible from the street). (private property visible from the street). The 11 warehouses on the ground floor were used to store goods in transit to Niort and Marans. In its extension, old farms lined up along the chemin de la Garenne overlooking both the street and the Minet reach. Arçais is a typical market gardening village and an ideal starting point for discovering the wetlands on foot, by boat or by bicycle.