A bit of history to know everything about this natural space developed by man.
The creation of the pond
Rebuilt in 1840 by Monsieur Poulpiquet, the old dam which already existed in 1754 has not changed since. Originally, it served as a support for a mill, the memory of which seems erased from human memory.
However, the farm to the north is called "Coat Veil Vour", that is to say the Bois du Moulin de Mer and you can still see the foundations of this construction at the entrance to the dyke.
From 1840 to 1870, this place was used to produce molds in basins built for this purpose. The dyke, like the basins, was equipped with valves that allowed the water to be kept in during low tides.
Around 1860, this pioneer of aquaculture tried salmon farming in ponds located in front of the manor, but a strong tide got the better of this attempt. It was then that he considered the construction of the large dam downstream from his mussel ponds to raise sea fish.
THE BIG DIKE
After long steps (1st plan provided in 1864), he obtained the dike concession on April 6, 1868. In 1871, one year after the start of its construction, the large dyke which bars the streams of Penfoulic was completed.
Before this date, the cadastre of 1840 clearly shows that at high tide, the sea advanced as far as the Manoir de Penfoulic and Pen al Len. This large dike was built to accommodate a large fish tank. The pond thus formed covers 6 ha.
A network of channels
After a few years of operation, Mr. de Poulpiquet realized that improvements could be made concerning the water circuit. Indeed, the supply of fresh water from the watershed slowed down or did not allow the growth of certain species of marine fish.
He then imagined and built a system of peripheral freshwater canals. Completed in 1878, they made it possible to maintain a stable salinity level in the pond.
This network of canals made it possible to drain the fresh water coming from Pen al Len and the northern watershed of the pond. A small aqueduct was even built allowing the Pen al Len stream to change banks. Thus channeled, the stream turned artificially around the large pond.