bridge

Barré bridge

Image Olivia May Anjou, photos, Val de Loire , , , ,

It’s a bridge (Pont Barré) over the river Layon, built in XI century, restored in 1988.

The river Layon, was sort of  a frontier between the region Anjou and Poitou.  The bridge Barré was a demarcation point between Republicans and Royalists during the Vendée War (1793).

As at those days, the tax of salt was higher in Anjou then in Poitou. there were farm soldiers on the bridge controlled the traffic of salt between these two regions.

Barré bridge (Pont Barré)
next to the Barré bridge, an other one was built for today’s traffic
war memorial
war memorial on the bridge

There are vineyards around the valley Layon, a very good white vin Coteau de Layon is from here.

vineyard by the river layon
old vin making tools

April 2019.