Let Us Tell You the Story
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Cities and regions of art and history Discovery tour of the region Let us tell you the story of the Char lais Bri nnais region View of the Mont Dardon, forming the Crinoidal limestone (marine fossils), of a southern flank of the Morvan range. yellowish ochre hue, is one of the area’s characteristic materials. - Rolling hillsides Natural borders To the north and east, small mountains vary in elevation The Loire River plain traces Impressive geological from 500 to 800 m. These natural the territory’s western border. diversity defensive sites were the scene To the east, the slopes of the The hilly Charolais-Brionnais of early human occupation, in Monts du Charolais serve as a landform stems from a series several instances like the Mont separation from the Clunisois of geological phenomena (fault Dardon dating back to the Iron and Mâconnais regions, while lines, thrusting, collapses, erosion Age. Also on the eastern side the relief of the Morvan and and deposits) altering an initially are the Butte de Suin hilltop, Massif Central ranges enclose varied substratum: magmatic the Horn of Artus and Dun the Charolais-Brionnais on its rocks (granite) in elevation to Mountain, all having been northern and southern flanks. the north and east; sedimentary fortified with some constructions Between plain and hilltops, rocks (sandstone, limestone, known to be built in Ancient at the centre of this region marl and clay) on plateaus and in times. This hilly relief served for a lies an expansive plateau with valleys; and carbonaceous rocks long time to isolate the territory, valleys formed by flowing Loire found in the coal belt between particularly from the Saône tributaries. the Arroux and Bourbince Rivers. From very early on, these River Valley to the east, the main Landscapes Charolais-Brionnais country offers one charming lands from cape after another: rolling hills to lush valleys, From forests to fertile man since the pasturelands shaped by 18th century. materials provided a resource trade corridor between Lyon and for man and aided in developing Dijon. Today, it offers superb dwellings and activities. panoramic views. View from atop the Dun Mountain, with Site of Le Petit Fleury, on the Loire’s banks in View of local area pastureland. its 12th-century chapel and the Mussy- Bourbon-Lancy. sous-Dun viaduct, crossing the Mussy Valley, a tributary of the Sornin. A region where water Famous pastureland In Charolais-Brionnais country, flows freely The Charolais-Brionnais, most hedgerows are formed by France’s longest river (running renowned for cattle farming, various thorny shrubs (nettle, 1,013 km), the Loire adds identity features a remarkably well- rose bushes, hawthorn, briar to the territory and opens access preserved landscape of pastureland and sloe), bay trees (gooseberry, to the west. Considered Europe’s The interior of the Charolais- laid out in a pristine mosaic elderberry, honeysuckle) and an last free-flowing river, the Loire Brionnais region has been of prairie parcels bordered by array of bushes. Sometimes hed- undergoes abrupt variations in moulded by Loire tributaries on hedgerows. The area’s celebrated gerows are planted along low dry both its riverbed and flow rate the river’s right bank: Arroux, hedges delimit property stone walls or abut breezeblock from one season to the next. Arconce, Sornin and Somme. boundaries and confine herds to construction of myriad sizes While this natural dynamic Other streams meander through their designated fields, in addition and shapes assembled without complicates waterway navigation, the territory, like the Bourbince to providing biological functions binder and topped by a layer of it yields an amazing diversity of whose valley has carved a path to (habitat for protected European small stones leaning against one scenery (shores, prairies, forests the Saône and is now used by the species of insects, birds and another. and marshland), which in turn Canal du Centre and the Central rodents), physical functions (soil produces habitat for flora and Europe-Atlantic Highway. consolidation, wind protection, fauna unique in Europe. water flow regulation) and landscape amenity. Example of Samian ware pottery produced Scenes from Charolais County, Great Hugues and Monk Robert in a raised cap on a decorated in Quininum (Gueugnon) around the 2nd Equestrian Armorial of the Golden manuscript, Life of Saint Hugues, L’Huillier Dom A., or 3rd century AD, object on display at the Fleece, decorated manuscript, Jean Solesmes, 1888. Saint Hugues, son of Damas the First of Museum of Gueugnon Area Heritage. Lefèvre from Saint-Rémy, 15th century, Semur was the sixth abbot of Cluny serving from 1049 to National Library of France. 1109, during the height of the order’s glory. The Eduens and Romans From the time of lords… Except for flint specimens from … and monks Around 1140, Pierre the Volgu, prehistoric vestiges are Beginning in the 10th century, Venerable, Cluny’s abbot, wrote: rare in Charolais-Brionnais. a vast network of monasteries «Our land is without a king, or a Traces of human occupation duke or even a prince.» Control were built and dotted the are more tangible as of 5th of Southern Burgundy lay in the territory, in exercising control century BC when the territory hands of multiple small-time over local parishes. Within this was inhabited by Eduen people, lords, squires or barons, whether network, the nearby Cluny Abbey a large tribe of Celtic descent. direct or indirect vassals of established its pre-eminence In 58 BC, they requested either the Dukes of Burgundy through priory houses founded Rome’s help in resisting the or the Kings of France. Among in Bourbon-Lancy, Charlieu, Helvetian invasion, leading these figures were the Sires of to Julius Caesar’s victory at Charolles and Paray-le-Monial; Semur, Digoine and Bourbon- the battle of Bibracte, which in Marcigny, the first Cluny Lancy. During the 13th century, initiated the Gallic Wars. The monastery for women opened the Duke tightened his grip on Roman occupation proceeded in 1056. Cluny’s power sparked power by installing bailiffs, or by dividing the territory into a resistance movement, led representatives, in the towns of agricultural estates (villas) and an by the bishops of Autun and Charolles, Semur and Montcenis urban type development where and by purchasing the Charolais Mâcon, that took hold in the spa treatments (Bourbon-Lancy) countryside, where he set up Saint-Rigaud Abbey (since A region evolving over over evolving A region the centuries Charolais-Brionnais’ history has its landscapes, Like its but also by been shaped in large part residents, by geographic position and natural advantages. and local crafts (Gueugnon and a county and offered it to his disappeared) and the priory Colonne, since disappeared) were granddaughter Béatrix. houses of Anzy-le-Duc and Saint- practiced. Germain-en-Brionnais. The Mill Tower in Portrait of Elisabeth-Alexandrine de Breeders participating at the Digoin earthenware selection Marcigny, a 15th-century Bourbon-Condé, known as Mademoiselle of agricultural competition in workshop, employing up to 1,700 fortified construction, Sens (1705-1765), oil on canvass, painted by Charolles, beginning of the 20th personnel, photograph from the today used as a Jean-Marc Nattier, 18th century, Château de century, postcard, Departmental beginning of the 20th century, private museum. Versailles. Charolais’ last countess, she resold Archives. collection. the work to the Crown in 1761 in exchange for the Palaiseau plot. A land of cattle breeders Amidst torment … and the Franco-Spanish and skilled labourers surrounding the Hundred battles The marketing of Charolais This mainly rural territory has beef cattle (used in the past as a Years’ War… Louis XI annexed the Duchy of experienced substantial industrial pulling force) for its meats, on In 1337, the King of England Burgundy in 1477 after the death development. Jean-Hector de Fay, the Lyon and Paris markets, has declared war on the throne of Charles the Bold. The marriage helped open the local economy a high-ranking French military of France. Beginning in 1411, of Charles’ granddaughter, to the exterior. The famous 17- officer, had forges installed in the conflict widened with civil Marguerite of Austria, to the day journey made by Emiland Gueugnon as early as 1724. war between the Armagnac future Charles VIII was intended Mathieu of Oyé and his herd to the and Burgundian factions, in to calm tensions between Ceramic plants were located in Poissy market in 1747 serves as a addition to roaming armed bands the King of France and the Charolles (Prost earthenware poignant testimonial. The region under the banners «Routiers» Habsbourg family, heirs to the factory in 1844), Digoin (the remained specialised in cattle and «Ecorcheurs». Against this Duchy. The 1493 annulment of breeding during the 19th and Sarreguemines plant in 1875 after tumultuous backdrop, Charolais- this wedding however returned 20th centuries. The north-eastern annexation of Alsace-Lorraine Brionnais held a coveted strategic the Charolais to the Habsbourg’s section traditionally handles by Germany), Paray-le-Monial border position for the Duke (who would become the royal calving, while the south focuses of Burgundy. Cities like Paray- family of Spain), and it remained (Charnoz, in 1877), Marcigny on feeding (fattening) the animals. le-Monial, Bourbon-Lancy, their property until 1684. After (Emile Henry factory in 1850) The Charolles Agricultural Society Marcigny and Charolles built the cessation of Franco-Spanish and Palinges. Mining activity was (founded in 1880), followed by or rebuilt their fortifications. hostilities between 1635 and the «Herd-Book» (1887) and ongoing in La Chapelle-sous- Fortresses were erected during 1659, the county was then «Charolais Beef» AOC quality Dun from 1809 until the 1960’s. this period, like the La Clayette transferred to the Bourbon- appellation (2010), sets guidelines Moreover, Chauffailles has been Castle built in 1380 by Philibert Condé family and would be de Lespinasse, a loyalist to the merged in 1761 back into the for this activity.