ETANG ASSECHE DE MARSEILLETTE

The lake covers an area of 2,000 hectares, divided between the communes of Marseillette, Aigues-Vives, Saint-Frichoux and Puichéric. It used to supply the region with fish. As early as the 12th century, people began talking about draining this stagnant body of water - a source of death and misery for Marseillette and the surrounding villages, which were becoming depopulated. In 1605, Henri IV issued a royal decree to drain the lake. However, it wasn't until 1804 and the purchase of the lake by an Irishwoman, Madame de Lawless, that it was drained thanks to a vast amount of work. The lake was then cultivated and developed to harness the waters of the Aude using a unique irrigation system consisting of perpendicular canals to irrigate the land. Today, vines, apples and rice are the main crops grown here. Its peaceful, flat paths are ideal for walking or cycling through countryside typical of the area.