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Sunday, March 18, 2012: Today we will see the bridge of Morbihan, the salt marsh Guérande and a small dolmen. But, as always, we start with the video:
We start by going to see the bridge of Morbihan ... Or not, it is actually the bridge of La Roche-Bernard (after some research). In fact, the bridge was built
because Morbihan Bridge rock Bernard was no longer sufficient to support the entire summer traffic, causing 20km cap every summer. The bridge of the rock-bernard, third name
(this is the third bridge was built, the first of December 1839. Carried away by a storm a new bridge was built in September 1911. Aug. 15, 1944, the German into the
rock-bernard see happen Allied troops to their bases underwater saint-Nazaire. They decide to blow up the bridge and explosives ... it will be lightning, falling on explosives
will blow the bridge. 3rd and last bridge that still exists was built into 1957 and 1960.). We can see the remains of the first bridge piles, overgrown with plants.
The new bridge is 407m long, 82m high and apron (where we go) is 55m above the river ''la vilaine''. What a great view of the area.
The construction of the city of rock-bernard back to 919. Viking back of the Vilaine and notice this rocky promontory. They decide to be installed. Their leader, named
''bern-hart'' meaning ''strong as a bear'' give him the name of rock bernard. In the nineteenth century, the rock-bernard reached its peak with river transport. From
across the Atlantic arc is approximately 200 ships daily passing through the port city. This port but also supplying Redon Rennes, the prosperous city of the wine trade,
lime, mine poles, but mostly salt from guérande. With the generalization of train much faster than ships, rock bernard will soon undergo an economic crisis. The two wars
being added, the city will not rise until 1960, date of commissioning of the third bridge over la Vilaine, thanks to the development of tourism and naviguation craft.
After a little trip here we are Guérande, specifically the salt marsh Terre de Sel.
How do we move from seawater grain of salt? With a guided tour of the marshes, we know. explanations:
You should know that the Atlantic Ocean to the south Brittany has a salt concentration of 35 grams per liter of sea water enters the Atlantic Traict Croisic then
goes up by a system of canals the creeks, to the deepest basin guérandais several kilometers from the ocean. From mid-June to mid-September, at each high tide,
the salt opens a hatch and filled with sea water the mudflat (40cm deep), first evaporation pond circuit that serves as a reserve between tides. As its name
suggests, it is also a settling basin where the suspended particles will settle to the bottom. With a slight and constant slope, the water then passes through
evaporation ponds, the cobier (4cm deep), makeup and adernes (2-3cm deep) that serve to feed the reserves last day basins is the harvest of salt: eyelet
(1 to 1.5cm deep). It is in the latter that the water reaches a salt concentration of 300 grams per liter! It is through the combined action of sun and wind
that we get this concentration almost 10 times higher than sea water base. A salt-can produce between 0 and 200 tons of salt per year depending on weather
conditions. A paludier have an average of 28 each eyelet and eyelets allows him to harvest for a day correct 50kg of salt per day and 2-3 kg of salt. To reach
the eye and be harvested, the water passes for 3 weeks in the salt marsh. But if it rains 5mm, water must spend 1 more day in the marsh to lose this dilution.
A salt marsh is one quarter of the year to harvest and the rest of the time to maintain, clean, rebuild the marsh. This technique of harvesting salt has been
used for over 1,600 years Guérande.
But, why is salt so important ?
For several reasons: already, as seasoning and as a preservative. These two functions are known since prehistoric times. Then as currency in
Europe and Asia (this is where we get the word in french ''salaire'' (pay), salt, the latter being used as currency.). Control the supply of salt was the cornerstone
of the military expension of the Roman Empire which had the monopoly. The salt was taxed for several centuries. This tax, Gabelle (which gave the name Gabelous
persons responsible for collecting), initiated under Louis XI was so unpopular that begat massive rural exodus, war and participated in the outbreak of the French
Revolution.
But enough about history, place in pictures:
After purchasing a cargo of salt must soon be thinking back on the road, we're going towards a small dolmen before returning. On the way we stopped to see an old
mill: The mill of the cliff, which made of buckwheat flour (for pancakes yum).
We are finally to the small dolmen Riholo, illuminated by warm color. This dolmen is of a particular type (and rare), there is a dolmen transept around the room,
two symmetric diverticula are located left and right of the main axis. Dating back 6,000 years, it is very damaged and it is still that little sadly.
Day looped back to the house to eat, prepare tomorrow and sleep. A quick stop by the sea for the sunset...
