La Moufette" fish lock participative worksite... for a legendary vacation!
Come and help save the Moufette lock, at the foot of the Baleines lighthouse.
Come and help save the Moufette lock, at the foot of the Baleines lighthouse.
The locks on the Ile de Ré are fish traps which, since the Middle Ages, have enabled many generations of peasant fishermen on foot to survive on the island.
Today, without the tireless work of passionate volunteers who are committed to maintaining these structures as a testimony to the way in which the inhabitants have lived their island, these locks are in danger of disappearing under the repeated assaults of the ocean.
The La Moufette lock at Saint-Clément-des-Baleines is the largest (6.5 ha; 880 m of wall) of the 14 remaining locks on Ré. It's also the most exposed. It suffers.
The handful of volunteers who work hard all year round to save it need you, the curious visitor, eager for a sincere encounter.
We're not inviting you to join us for a tour of the site, but rather to share in the experience of working together, which is the only way we can hope to complete the task ... temporarily.
Sign up for 1, 2 or 3 sessions: on your own, with a friend or companion, or in a small group. Work sessions of 3h to 3h30, at low tide, are open to all adults... We look forward to welcoming you!
As our work involves the constant handling of stones, and walking around the site area can be uncomfortable, adults and even motivated teenagers are welcome.
As the work involves walking through shallow puddles, you'll need seawater-resistant boots or shoes; on the foreshore, we recommend wearing a cap or hat. The association lends gloves.
Today, without the tireless work of passionate volunteers who are committed to maintaining these structures as a testimony to the way in which the inhabitants have lived their island, these locks are in danger of disappearing under the repeated assaults of the ocean.
The La Moufette lock at Saint-Clément-des-Baleines is the largest (6.5 ha; 880 m of wall) of the 14 remaining locks on Ré. It's also the most exposed. It suffers.
The handful of volunteers who work hard all year round to save it need you, the curious visitor, eager for a sincere encounter.
We're not inviting you to join us for a tour of the site, but rather to share in the experience of working together, which is the only way we can hope to complete the task ... temporarily.
Sign up for 1, 2 or 3 sessions: on your own, with a friend or companion, or in a small group. Work sessions of 3h to 3h30, at low tide, are open to all adults... We look forward to welcoming you!
As our work involves the constant handling of stones, and walking around the site area can be uncomfortable, adults and even motivated teenagers are welcome.
As the work involves walking through shallow puddles, you'll need seawater-resistant boots or shoes; on the foreshore, we recommend wearing a cap or hat. The association lends gloves.
- Sustainable tourismSafeguarding the lock, which is entrusted to our association - the Amicale de Moufette - by the concession for occupying the public maritime domain, is accompanied by obligations designed to respect ancient construction methods and preserve the biological richness of the foreshore:
- dry-stone construction, with no use of binders,
- no extraction from the foreshore,
- a mapped, contractual foreshore approach route,
- lock penetration and use reserved,
- limited fishing activities,
- walking on the lock wall strictly prohibited;
all of which are part of a sustainable tourism approach.
Openings
Openings
From 24 April 2026 until 25 October 2026 - Open everyday
The site is not open every day. This depends on the tidal coefficient, so the appointment time varies with the low tide. Consult the schedule.
Location
Location
Contact Participatory work on the "La Moufette" fish lock
Spoken languages
Spoken languages
Environment
Environment
- Feet in the water: sea
Access
Access
- On the foreshore, at the foot of the lighthouse
Nearby
Nearby
Les événements
Les événements
