Blancafort

Blancafort is a common French, located in the department of the Cher and the area Center.

Geography

Blancafort is located at the limit of the Berry and the the Sologne, in what one calls the Country-Extremely.

History

Historical general information

Depended formerly on the abbey of Saint-Satur and that of the Charité. A Commanderie of the Fresne, Order of the Temple, existed there with.

The channel of Sauldre

The idea to build with a channel was evoked at the beginning of the 16th century by Léonard de Vinci. Whereas it resided at Amboise, it had imagined a channel through the the Sologne, and had thrown on paper some drafts on this subject. But this realization exceeded the technical possibilities of the time.

In 1786, Autroche proposed to him also the construction of a channel to vivify the the central Sologne just like Lavoisier which in 1787 emitted this idea: “The insalubrity of the the Sologne is due to the impermeability of its ground. To solve this problem, it is necessary to build a channel which would cross this area, and thus, to allow a water run-off”

But, the true father of the Canal of Sauldre is the engineer and mathematician Adhémar Barré of Saint-Coming. At the time of a study trip in the Sologne (1826), it made a discovery: the Marling. This one to allow the enrichment of the grounds out of limestones since the the Sologne is deprived by it.

The channel of Sauldre will be able to have the following functions: drainage, Irrigation, Marling, Transport. Between July 1848 and April 1849, the allocated appropriations make it possible to dig 13 km. Those will be unfortunately abandoned.

Two months after the visit of the Prince-president Louis Napoleon Bonaparte, on April 22nd 1852, work begins again, with for only goal transport of the marl of Blancafort with Lamotte-Beuvron. On the whole, it measures nearly 47 km length; its width is of 9,50 m and its average depth of 1,30 Mr. It comprises 22 locks.

In December 1926, the channel is unused. By an Order in Council of May 1st 1927, it is decided to remove any credit of maintenance. However, until 1941, a small traffic persisted (wood, stones, marl…).

As of its birth, the channel of Sauldre seemed condemned, competed with immediately by the railway Orleans - Bourges, inaugurated in 1847, then by the " roads agricoles" established under the Second Empire. The liming and the use of the artificial fertilizers, more advantageous and less expensive, undoubtedly gave the death-blow.

Marl-pits

In 1869, the state acquires the marl-pits of Launay , which are located at Blancafort, and concedes them with owners. After the extraction of the marl, this one is sold with the communes of the Sologne to enrich their limestone grounds.

Over one 16 years period (of 1869 with 1885), the marl-pits of Launay provided 200.000 m ³ marnes. Of 1885 with 1900, time during which the channel was prolonged of Launay to the Hospital , Albert Fernault and its brother exploited of new careers which they acquired, drawing on average 30.000 m ³ from marnes per annum.

9 boats, containing each one 50 m ³, ensure the transport of the marl. This one is sold 1,25 Frs the m ³.

In 1900, the marl-pits occupy 40 to 50 workmen, remunerated 0,30 F of the hour. The boatmen perceive 130 to 160 Frs per month.

The Mill of Crot

The Archives of the cure of Blancafort (1605) mention the Moulin of Crot . This Toponyme appears in the form " the large Hook " on the Chart of Cassini.

Administration

Demography

Places and monuments

Museum of the Sorcery

Located at 11 km with the is of Aubigny, installed on 1.200 m ², in the walls of an old farm the museum of Sorcery proposes the discovery, during approximately one hour, of the imaginary and historical universe of the Sorcière S. Through reconstituted scenes life size, you will côtoierez all that wove during the ages this side of our cultural heritage. This museum as much ludic than teaching, became, with more than 30.000 entries per annum, one of the most attended places Cher.

Castle of Blancafort

Strong of the 15th century, entirely furnished and inhabited house. Built at the 15th century by Boucard, on the site of an old seigniory which existed already at the 11th century, then transformed at the 17th century by the family of Falcon, this strong house with the beautiful brick equipment rises at the edge of Sauldre, in a pleasant site enriched by a garden with the Frenchwoman. One finds there a very beautiful furniture and tapestries of.

Saint-Etienne church

This church of the 15th century is equipped with curious “a bell-tower-porch”. Of trapezoidal plan, widened by front and which are being étrécissant upwards, it is made of four enormous Bigue S or beams. This one rises with about fifteen meters in height and is covered with slate. This configuration forms a kind of open mouth where the main door of the church would be.

1st center of the Euro and monument of the Euro

December 25th, 1998, IGN announced officially that the center of the 11 countries having chosen the Euro was located at Blancafort with the coordinates of the point: x= 618.952 y=2282.849 represented by the Geodetic terminal . Since this one is located on the grounds of the farm " the large rock " , a monument was built on the edges of the channel of Sauldre to symbolize the center of the euro area.

January 1st 2001, with the entry of the Greece in the Euro area, it is Montreuillon which became the geographical center of the euro area.

Channel of Sauldre

Castle of Hospital-of-Fresne

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