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The river Aude

Normally called «The River». It is a part of our territory like the « garrigue », the « sea », the « ponds » and the « marsh » and the « vineyards ».

Each of which has a specific role for the benefit of the inhabitants of this area and has a big influence on the economic development.

The « garrigue » allows one to pick wild asparagus, mushrooms, to hunt a variety of game ….

The « Sea » brings cooling breezes in summer and mackerel fishing and also loup in winter …

The « vineyards » provide an income for numerous winemakers. The excellence of their work has been recognized by the many medals received from various annual competitions.

In winter the ponds and the marshland take advantage of the incoming sea water; soft water from the Clape resurgences as well as the overflows from the river.

All these components contribute to a favourable environment for flora and wildlife, a reservoir for waterfowl as well as a protected area for nesting habitats of various kinds of migrating birds.

 

The river and its soft water are necessary for the life, cultures and vineyards of this area. Thanks to a more or less regular flow of water allowing wine-growers to irrigate and flood their wine-fields and meadows each winter.

 

Several objectives:

In the last century it was necessary to fight against the « phylloxéra » (disease of vine); nowadays   it is  against the winter frost and to limit the rising salt.  Only three centuries ago the plains of Aude were still a delta. The salt is present in the ground and stays in the deep while water floods its surface.

 

The River with a big « R »

At its mouth the river which gave the name « Cabanes de Fleury » was the meat safe for a whole population of farmers and fishermen; a whole economy run thanks to fishing. There were vineyards which belonged to the Company Salins du Midi as well as salted marshes. There was a very important fishing activity, essential for food self-sufficiency. The fish was cooked in unlimited ways and this knowhow still exists. The men went for fishing and the women sold the fish. They left with a cart drawn by a donkey or a mule into the surrounding villages with an established round for each of them (before 1939).

 

The « Globe » was one of fishing techniques which has disappeared on the Mediterranean Sea but still ran in Cabanes some years ago.  By this way one had to tighten a fishing net right across the river then to pull it down and with a block system and strong arms get it back up (nowadays mechanized). The fish which came over the fishing net was caught and the fisherman could take them with a landing net.