Etang de La Martyre

The Etang de la Martyre in Saint-Gilles-Vieux-Marché is surrounded by woodland. A causeway was built in the 17th century to create a water reservoir to drive the blast furnace, located below the pond.

This was the site of an ironworks complex that probably dated back to the Middle Ages, and was taken over in the 17th century by entrepreneur Jacques Doiseau. In a document dated 1641, the Lords of Rohan agreed to the construction of two furnaces, a forge consisting of two refineries, a boiler house and a slag house. The forges were active for around a century, but ceased operations in the mid-18th century.

The Etang de la Martyre is particularly well-suited to pike fishing.