The Saltworks

What The Saltworks does

The Saltworks, legally registered as LES SALINES and operating commercially as Les Salines, is a private tourism business based in Les Sables d'Olonne, France. It operates a 10-hectare operational salt marsh site in the Marais d'Olonne that combines a themed Salt Adventure Park with boat trips and canoe rentals on the local saltwater river. Core offerings are three packaged experiences — a 3-hour Discovery package (boat ride, salt-maker meeting, children's salt harvest, park access) priced at €14-€28, a 2-hour Adventure Park-only experience priced at €9.50-€12, and a 3-hour Canoe Adventure package priced at €17-€24 — plus group and school outing packages with a 20-person minimum, and an annual Carte Pass subscription. Supporting revenue comes from an on-site boutique selling gros sel, fleur de sel, artisanal pottery, and exclusive Maison des Dlices confectionery products.

The business runs on a direct-to-consumer model with distribution through the on-site ticket office, online booking via lessalines.fr, and telephone reservations, complemented by partnerships with cycling operators, the regional Vendée Tourisme board, and the local Office de Tourisme. Activity is highly seasonal, operating April to November with peak summer hours, and the boutique extends limited winter opening (Wednesday to Friday, 2-5pm). Infrastructure is asset-heavy and location-bound: boat vessels Mireille and Jonathan, marshland trails, Gallic huts, and renovated bleachers. The business holds the Qualit Tourisme label, Accueil Vlo certification, and Welcome certification from Pays de la Loire, signaling vetted regional tourism quality.

Name

The Saltworks

Legal name

LES SALINES

Website

https://lessalines.fr

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Les Sables-d'olonne

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Activity Tickets and Admissions: Revenue from selling tickets for various visitor experiences including boat trips through salt marshes, access to the Salt Adventure Park, canoe rentals, and guided salt-maker meetings. Multiple ticket formulas available ranging from 2-hour park-only visits to 3-hour combined boat and park experiences. Pricing varies by age category (adults, children 7-12, children 3-6).
2. Retail Shop Sales: On-site boutique selling locally produced salt products (gros sel, fleur de sel), artisanal pottery, craft compositions, regional confections, Vendée aperitif products, and souvenirs. Products include items made in-house and sourced from local partners like Maison des Délices.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Saltworks (Les Salines) operates a 10-hectare working salt marsh tourist site offering boat trips, canoe rentals, and an educational Salt Adventure Park. Visitors can choose from three main formulas (boat + park, park only, or canoe + park), each including a meeting with a working salt maker and a children's salt-harvest experience. The site also runs an on-site boutique selling artisanal salt products, an annual membership pass, and group/school packages.

Product overview

Les Salines operates as a unified visitor experience centered around a 10-hectare salt marsh complex in Les Sables d'Olonne, France. The core offering comprises three main visit formulas: (1) Discovery of the Salt River by Boat combining 1-hour boat trip, salt maker meeting, children's salt harvest, and park access; (2) The History of Salt through the Adventure Park featuring 2-hour self-guided exploration of the Salt Adventure Park with salt maker meeting and children's salt harvest; and (3) The Canoe Adventure Package with 1-hour independent canoe rental. Supporting offerings include La Boutique selling locally-produced salt products and regional delicacies, group and school visit packages, the 'Leave by Bike, Return by Boat' combined cycling-boating activity (launched 2024), and the Carte Pass' annual membership. The company also operates a shop selling fleur de sel, gros sel, artisanal pottery, and local Vendée products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Salt Adventure Park (Le Parc d'Aventure du Sel) A self-guided 2-hour educational adventure park in the heart of the salt marshes featuring walking trails, Gallic huts, guardhouses, salt furnaces, and fish marshes. Visitors explore the history of salt, local biodiversity, and can participate in riddle games and educational activities. Includes the salt maker meeting and children's salt harvest.
• The Salt River by Boat (La Rivière Salée en Bateau) A 1-hour commented boat trip on the saltwater river aboard the Mireille or Jonathan vessels, covering over 8km through the Marais d'Olonne. Capacity of 1 to 51 people per boat, with accommodation for one manual wheelchair.
• Canoe Adventure (La Rivière Salée en Canoës) A 1-hour independent canoe and paddleboard rental on the saltwater river, operated by partner CANOES LOISIRS. Available for ages 3 and up. Participants explore the marshes at their own pace.
• Meeting with the Salt Maker (La Rencontre du Saunier) Live demonstrations and explanations by a working salt maker (saunier) revealing ancestral secrets of salt-making, including traditions, the crystallization process, and salt harvesting techniques. Part of the Salt Adventure Park experience.
• Children's Salt Harvest (La Récolte de Sel pour Enfants) Children become apprentice salt-makers in the Marais d'Olonne and take home their own salt harvest. Each child receives the 'Little Salt Maker' (Petit Saunier) diploma and membership to the Club des Petits Sauniers de l'Aubraie.
• Les Salines Boutique (La Boutique des Salines) Year-round on-site retail shop selling locally produced gros sel and fleur de sel, artisanal compositions, pottery, regional Vendée products (caramels, galettes, biscuits, Vendée aperitif products), and souvenirs. Operates extended hours in winter (Wednesday to Friday, 2pm-5pm).
• Group Outings (Sorties en Groupe) Half-day or full-day group packages including tours, meals, tastings, and bicycle rental. Minimum 20 participants required. Content varies by chosen formula and may include catering from external providers.
• School Visits (Sorties Scolaires) Educational visits for school groups with adapted activities including salt harvest workshops, meetings with salt makers, and interactive learning about marsh ecology and salt history.
• Leave by Bike, Return by Boat (Partez en Vélo, Revenez en Bateau) Half-day combined cycling and boating activity in partnership with Le Veloo de La Forêt. Visitors start with a guided bike ride through the countryside, then exchange bikes for a boat cruise through the salt marshes. Minimum 15 participants per group.
• Carte Pass' (Pass Card) Annual membership card offering unlimited park access during the opening season, discounted rates on boat tours, and preferential rates for companions. Valid for 1 year with weekend limitations in July and August.

Quantifiable outcome

• Park accessible to 80% for wheelchair users
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Maison des DélicesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 June 2024Local confectionery producer in Maché, Vendée creating exclusive products (caramels, galettes, biscuits) using Les Salines' fleur de sel. Products sold only in the Les Salines boutique. Short supply chain ensures quality.
• Le Veloo de La ForêtcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2024Collaboration launched in 2024 offering combined cycling and boat excursion packages. The 'Leave by bike, return by boat' concept allows visitors to explore the region by bicycle before returning via boat through the salt marshes. Minimum 15 participants for group bookings. Meeting room available for corporate rentals.
• CANOES LOISIRSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCanoe and paddleboard rental operator (RCS La Roche-Sur-Yon 477 832 208) providing independent services on the salt river. Les Salines acts as intermediary distributing tickets on their behalf. Full service responsibility lies with CANOES LOISIRS.
• Vendée TourismecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism board promoting Vendée as a destination. Promotes Les Salines as part of regional tourism offerings including camping partners, activity providers, and tourism offices across the Vendée department.
• Office de Tourisme des Sables d'OlonnecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal tourism office representing Les Sables d'Olonne destination. Cross-promotional relationship for visitor referrals and regional tourism coordination.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Puy du Fou: Large-scale historical theme park in Vendée, France, repeatedly voted among Europe's best theme parks. Broad incumbent: a much larger French heritage/immersive tourism operator in the same Vend\u00e9e regional tourism market, competing for the same family-and-educational-experience visitor dollar with a wider portfolio and significantly greater scale.

Regional players

• O'Gliss Park: Water-based theme park located in the Vend\u00e9e region of France. Regional comparable: a regional water-park attraction in the same Vend\u00e9e tourism catchment, competing for the same summer family-leisure segment through water-based activities versus Les Salines' salt-marsh experience.
• Aquarium La Rochelle: Major public aquarium in La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime. Regional comparable: a leading family-oriented educational attraction on the French Atlantic coast, competing for similar tourist itineraries that combine Vend\u00e9e and Charente-Maritime day-trip visitors.
• Parc naturel régional du Marais Poitevin: Regional nature park covering marshlands in western France (Vendée, Deux-Sèvres, Charente-Maritime). Comparable: managed wetland nature park with similar ecology (salt/freshwater marshlands), boat-based visitor experiences, and educational programming in the same regional tourism market.

Direct peers

• Les Salines de Gruissan: Operational salt marsh and tourist site in Gruissan (Aude), southern France. Direct comparable: working salt marsh offering guided tours, salt-making demonstrations, and retail boutique—same operational and visitor-experience model in a different French region.
• Valle Salado de Añana: UNESCO-recognized salt heritage site and visitor attraction in the Basque Country, Spain. Direct comparable: ancient salt valley with guided tours, salt-making heritage interpretation, and experiential visitor programming—an international analog to Les Salines' heritage-tourism positioning.
• Terre de Sel (Guérande Salt Marshes): Visitor center and tour operator at the Guérande salt marshes in Brittany, France. Direct comparable: another operational salt marsh open to public tourism, offering guided tours, salt-harvesting experiences, and retail sale of artisanal salt products—the same heritage-tourism-plus-gourmet-retail model as Les Salines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC7JWjGe9CM6QH8PCnVr0Q4w
• Facebookfacebook.com/salines.en.bateau
• Instagraminstagram.com/lessalines_sablesdolonne
• TikToktiktok.com/@les_salines
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/les-salines

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Saltworks