The fishing huts

An eye-catching sight on the edge of the Canet lake, the 10 wooden huts, giant reeds and sanils together form "the fishing village". Restored in 1993 using traditional materials recommended because of their strength and water-tightness, the fishing huts offer protection from the rain and wind but also remain cool and well ventilated in the summer. These huts are no longer lived in by the fishermen but used rather as storage places for fishing tackle and nets including the "trabaque", which is the name given to the traditional fishing net.

At the centre of the village you’ll find the "Common House", which is the place where the fishermen congregate to enjoy some time together, but often to make an eel bouillinade  “eel stew” which is the traditional dish.

The rounded shapes of the huts offer shelter from the dominant wind, the Tramontane.  Inside each hut there are 3 rooms partitioned by means of reed screens: a little room where the fishing tackle is stored, a bedroom very loosely arranged and a main room (which serves as a living room and kitchen). 

As for how they are built, the wood comes for the most part from bits that have been washed up by the sea or the rivers. The reeds are cut up at the edge of the lake. They are put out to dry then tied together with string or iron wire to form screens which are used to provide the water-tight walls. When it rains the water runs down, sprinkling the garden with the rest flowing away down to the water table from where the fishermen obtain their drinking water. The garden, protected by a hedge wind-break, provides shelter to fig trees, cacti, laurel bushes and other Mediterranean plants. A hut will last between 18 and 25 years.

Recipe for making"Bullinada”:

This is legendary dish eaten by the fisherman of the lake and made from eels and is very similar to Catalan bouillabaisse. Once washed, the eels are place in cast-iron pot with some potatoes, some lard, peppers and garlic, in successive layers. The whole lot is then covered with water. You can add a few little crabs to give some extra taste. The pot is suspended above the hearth and over a high flame, for around 20 minutes once boiling point has been reached.