Blaye
| Blaye | ||
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| region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine | |
| Department | Gironde | |
| Arrondissement | Blaye | |
| Canton | L'Estuaire (main town) | |
| Community association | Blaye | |
| Coordinates | 45 ° 8 ′ N , 0 ° 40 ′ W | |
| height | 0-41 m | |
| surface | 6.42 km 2 | |
| Residents | 4,835 (January 1, 2017) | |
| Population density | 753 inhabitants / km 2 | |
| Post Code | 33390 | |
| INSEE code | 33058 | |
| Website | www.blaye.fr | |
_mairie_2.JPG) Town Hall - Hôtel de ville - Mairie de Blaye |
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Blaye is a French town with 4835 inhabitants (at January 1, 2017) in the Gironde department in the region Nouvelle-Aquitaine . The city is the seat of the sub-prefecture ( French Sous-préfecture ) of the Arrondissement Blaye , this consists of four cantons , it is the capital ( French chef-lieu ) of the canton L'Estuaire .
geography
Blaye is located on the eastern bank of the Gironde estuary , which is formed near Bordeaux by the confluence of the Dordogne and Garonne rivers . The small river Saugeron flows through the urban area in a largely canalised manner, which forms a harbor for a length of 200 meters before it flows into the Gironde.
Location and traffic
From Blaye, you can take the D937 and D137 roads to Bordeaux in the south, 45 kilometers away. The roads D137 and D730 lead over 75 kilometers to the north-west of Royan.
There is a ferry connection across the Gironde between Blaye and Lamarque .
The next motorway junction onto the E5 / A10 or E606 / N10 is 25 kilometers away at Saint-André-de-Cubzac.
Bordeaux-Mérignac International Airport is 48 kilometers away.
history
Blaye is the old Blavia ( Blaventum ), a solid city of the Santons in Aquitaine Gaul . One of the first documented structures is the Saint-Romain basilica, which was built in the 4th century. After partial demolition in the 17th century under Vauban , the remains were uncovered as ruins during excavations in their current state.
Due to its location exposed to the ravages of the Normans in the 9th century , subject to the struggle between the dukes of Gascon and the Counts of Angoulême in the 11th century , Blaye enjoyed extensive freedom during the English rule in Guyenne . It was snatched from the English during the Hundred Years War in 1363 by Du Guesclin and in 1451 by Dunois , received from Louis XI. and Charles VIII. extended privileges, but was repeatedly a theater of war in the Huguenot Wars . Blaye was captured by the Huguenots in 1568 ; but these were driven out again by the Holy League . In 1593 Marshal von Matignon besieged Blaye in vain. After Louis XIII. Louis XIV , who held court here in 1620 and had shown the city several indications of favor, had 300 houses and the Saint-Romain basilica torn down in 1652 and 1658, and in 1683 Vauban built new fortifications (see below). From 1832 to 1833 the Duchess of Berry was imprisoned here for the benefit of her son after her unsuccessful undertaking.
Citadelle de Blaye
In the urban area north of the Saugeron river port is the Blaye Citadel from the 17th century, which as a fortification has an early Roman origin. In 1652, under the direction of field marshal and engineer Blaise François Pagan (° 1604 - † 1665), the first fortification construction began. The well-preserved citadel was built on the same site under the engineer François Ferry (° 1649 - † 1701) from 1680 and 1689 , the work being under the control of the fortress builder Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban (° 1633 - † 1707). The citadel of Blaye, together with Fort Pâté (on the Gironde island of the same name) and Fort Médoc, have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 7, 2008 under the name “Verrou Vauban” . See also Vauban's fortifications . The site of the historic fortifications rises on the east bank of the Gironde on a rocky hill 45 m above the river and extends over approximately 40 hectares north-west of the center of Blaye.
Population development
| year | 1962 | 1968 | 1975 | 1982 | 1990 | 1999 | 2006 | 2016 |
| Residents | 4291 | 4355 | 4051 | 4559 | 4286 | 4666 | 4687 | 4856 |
| Source: Cassini and INSEE | ||||||||
economy
The earlier economic structures were based on fishing, viticulture and handicrafts. The Centrale nucléaire du Blayais has now become the most important economic factor with four nuclear power plant blocks, each in the form of a pressurized water reactor. With a total net output of 3640 MW, the complex is one of the larger nuclear power plants in France. Unit 1 was connected to the grid in 1981, units 2, 3 and 4 only in 1983. The closure is planned 40 years after commissioning (2021 and 2023).
Blaye wine region
The municipality of Blaye gives the appellation Blaye (or Blayais ) the name. The region has had the status of an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC for short) since 1938 . The area planted with vines is 5880 hectares, the majority of which are red grape varieties. This was not always the case: at the beginning of the 20th century, predominantly white wines were made, which were used to produce cognac , which in Blaye, however, was only allowed to be referred to as brandy by appellation from 1909 to protect the cognac region.
The winemakers use the Blayais appellation less and less and are switching to the Côtes de Blaye and Premières Côtes de Blaye appellations , which have stricter quality requirements. In 2000, 12,740 hl were still marketed under the name Blaye , in 2002, however, only 5070 hl . In order to give the appellation a better quality profile, a minimum maturation period of 18 months has been set before it is sold.
Attractions
- Saint-Romain basilica (ruin, built in the 4th century)
- Château des Rudel (ruin, 12th century)
- Porte de Liverneuf (gate building, 13th century)
- Tower de l'Éguillette (15th century)
- Blaye Citadel (fortress, from the 17th century)
- Fontaine du Saugeron (fountain with sculpture, 19th century)
- Park between Allée Marines and Rue Emile Gireau
Town twinning
literature
- Le Patrimoine des Communes de la Gironde. Flohic Éditions, Volume 1, Paris 2001, ISBN 2-84234-125-2 , pp. 196-220.
- Bernard Ginestet: Côtes de Blaye. Jacques Legrand, Paris 1990, ISBN 2-905969-30-X .
Web links
- City website (French)