View availability 
We Tested for You: the Tèrra Aventura Treasure Hunt
Long before the “Pokémon Go” phenomenon, a much more fun and local new-generation treasure hunt existed in the Nouvelle Aquitaine region. An innovative and completely free concept called “Geocaching” with a name that makes you want to be Indiana Jones: “Tèrra Aventura”! Impossible to resist, we had to try this new game!
As a regular holidaymaker in Charente-Maritime, I had heard about Tèrra Aventura but never really got started. Honestly, I didn’t expect to have so much fun! Between the puzzles, unusual discoveries, and encounters with other players, you find a true spirit of collective play… a bit like at the campsite! It’s fun, family-friendly, and you come away with a smile and the desire to do another one the very next day.
Preparation
Originally from Limousin, “Tèrra Aventura” now offers routes throughout the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, including nearly 70 routes in Charente, Charente-Maritime, and Deux-Sèvres alone. 10 new routes were launched in Charente-Maritime during June! Before setting off on an adventure, you first need to download the app on your phone and create a personal account: in 2 minutes, you’re good to go! Picnic in the backpack, fully charged battery, and a good pair of sneakers, let’s go for our first Tèrra Aventura route.
Our Choice of Route
For our first attempt, we chose the “La Sirène de Fouras” route in Fouras-les-Bains. 3km long, 2 hours maximum search time – for a start, that’s a good beginning! A story begins and takes us through several sites in the town, each time with puzzles related to the town’s history and the surrounding landscape. Each time, you have to find clues on site and give the correct answer to have the chance to find the “cache” and collect your treasure called “Poï’z”!
As instructive as it is fun, we have a blast moving from stage to stage in our supreme quest for the almost “Holy Grail”. From Fort Vauban with a magnificent view of Fort Boyard, to the typical small districts of the town center, passing by the fishing huts on Plage Sud, the route allows us to discover heritage treasures outside of classic tourist circuits. We love it!
Terra Aventura Accessible to All
The game requires us to use observation and general knowledge to correctly answer all the app’s questions. However, Tèrra Aventura remains accessible to everyone, including young children. With family, friends, or as a couple, the concept will appeal to everyone. On the contrary, it’s an excellent bridge between generations regarding new technologies: “Give me the smartphone, Grandpa, I’ll show you!” Another very pleasant aspect of Tèrra Aventura is meeting other geocachers along the route. We chat, sometimes help each other, often laugh, as if we were part of a secret community!
Verdict?
After a 1.5-hour walk between sea and town, we arrive at the last question, suspense, we’re about to find out where our Poï’z is hidden. The GPS coordinates appear in green, jackpot, we won, victory check! On our way, we’re going to retrieve our gem.
Mission accomplished, we’ve certainly earned a handcrafted ice cream on the seafront. We immortalize the event with a photo sent on the app, and we’re already thinking about our next Tèrra Aventura route: Brouage, Chatelaillon, or why not Pons… in any case, it’s certain, we want to expand our collection!
