Field of Certainly
The Domaine of Certainly is a piscicultural property located on the commune of Audenge, in the north of the Bassin of Arcachon.
Presentation
The field was arranged during second half of the 18th century for the production of salt by the marquis de Civrac, Captal of Certainly. It with this intention created a vast network of sea water basins, connected by lock-valves which maintained a water level constant and renewed. These basins were protected from the Basin of Arcachon by a monumental dam which had transformed the salted meadows of the island of Branne into salt-water marshes. This considerable work had required the displacement of 2 million tons of ground.The production of salt reached 1000 tonnes/an as of the first years. The field, exempted taxes, was quickly profitable. However, the pressure of the salt producers of Charente led to the introduction of the taxes. The marquis died ruined in 1773.
Ernest Valeton de Boissière inherited the field and into fisheries undertaking transformed it.
The field belongs to the Conservatoire of the littoral and was classified “significant Natural space”. Managed by the General advice of the Gironde since 1994, it covers 396 ha including 150 ha of basins, the wet meadows, the arable lands, the timbering of leafy trees and coniferous tree.
The castle, rebuilt about 1840 by Ernest Valeton de Boissière and partially restored in 2004, is registered like its park with the additional Inventory of the Historic buildings. It is not opened with the public. The farm buildings and the dependences are managed by a CAT (Center of Assistance by Work for handicapped). The visit of the field and its network of basins is free.