Bresle

Etymology

It was only at the 17th century that the river accepted its current name of Bresle. In its Geography , Ptolémée called it Phroudis . Until the 13th century, various other denominations were allotted to him, deriving all from the hydronyme Indo-European front , initially Auvae fluvium , Aucia fluvium until the Carolingian time , then Auga at the 10th century and Or at the 11th century, then one evoked, in various documents, the Bresla , the Brella , the Breselle , the Briselle , the Brisele , the Brisella before the current name is not fixed definitively at the end of the 17th century and runs out towards the North-West through the plate of Formerie , receiving the contribution of some small tributaries (Ménillet and Méline) until its junction, with Senarpont, with the Liger, its main thing Affluent. It takes then the west-north-west direction, characteristic of the coastal rivers of Seine-Maritime and of the Somme. Its valley, boxed in the Chalk, dissymmetrical, flat-bottomed, downstream, is strewn with pond S and Marais. After having received water of the Vimeuse to Gamaches, the river ramifies in many arms (Dyeing and Busine with Have) before part of its course is not channeled between Have and the Tréport. Between these two last cities, Bresle runs in broad a one kilometer grassy, broad valley, framed stiff slopes of 100 meters unevenness, timbered and notched by dry small valleys. This valley carries the traces of the old course of the river which was thrown to Mers-les-Bains until the Moyen-âge (its old estuary forms the “Meadow today” on which a major part of this small town of the department of the Somme is built). To the 12th century, the diversion of water of Bresle, which proceeds more correction of the course of the river than of the digging of a channel, brought its mouth to the Tréport.

The valley of Bresle belongs to the septentrional part of the Paris basin consisted of Craie of the Crétacé superior. The porosity of the latter enables him to store a considerable quantity of water and thus represents a Aquifère of first importance which plays a fundamental role in the constant food of the river guaranteeing of the raised minimum flows, even in period of dryness. Bresle drains on the bank Norman (left) of chalks argillaceous of the Cénomanien and the Turonien and on Picardy bank (right) of chalks with Silex of the Coniacien. The sides of the valley, covered with many wooded areas, consist of silt S, are enriched in Sable S and gravels in bottom by the slopes. The bottom of the valley is especially occupied by Alluvions quaternary, in general argillaceous, brown, yellow or often grisâtres because of the presence of organic matters of vegetable origin. These alluvia are covered with meadows and poplar plantations. The whole of its basin recovers completely or partially the territory of 115 common S gathering: 65000 inhabitants). The population is concentrated in the course downstream of the river between Blangy-on-Bresle and the mouth which gathers the most populated agglomerations valley; upstream, the densities prove definitely lower.

The “institution interdépartementale Oise, Seine-Maritime and Somme, for the management and the valorization of Bresle”, whose seat is located with Aumale, is charged to coordinate actions and projects concerning the coastal river. By decree of April 19th 2007, it became a territorial Public corporation of basin (EPTB), organization recognized officially in the field of the stock management " eau" on the catchment area and has as a main mission the establishment of a Schéma of installation and management of water (WISE).

Its principal affluents, river of low importance, are (upstream towards the downstream):

Ménillet (six kilometers) with Aumale out of Right Bank.
Méline (ten kilometers) with Old man-Rouen-on-Bresle out of left bank.
the Liger (fourteen kilometers) with Senarpont out of Right Bank.
the Fountain Saint-Pierre (three kilometers) with Nesle-Normandeuse out of left bank.
the Vimeuse (seventeen kilometers) with Gamaches out of Right Bank.

Hydrology

Its flow, within the framework of a oceanic mode typically rain, does not exceed 8 m ³ /s with the mouth (7,5 m ³ /s with Bridge-and-Marsh). The whole of the catchment area is affected by a oceanic Climat and receives between 700 and 800 millimetres of annual precipitations (the valley being a little less sprinkled than the heights framing it).

With Bridge-and-Marsh, hardly more than five kilometers of sound mouth, the Flow of Bresle, observed on nearly 10 years (of 1999 with 2007), reached on average 7,45 m/s for a catchment area of 693 km2 (either nearly 93% of its total surface area). Measurements thus taken include years with sometimes important rainfall deficit starting from 2003 and minimize the true flow which is established to approximately 8 m/s over the long life, as attests it the figure of 8,02 m/s given by the AREHN ( regional Association of the environment of High-Normandy ). The river present of the limited variations of the module, the period of high waters can be recorded during wintry time and at the beginning of spring with a monthly average ranging between 8,59 m ³ /s and 8,99 m ³ /s reaches in March, the low waters intervene at the end of the summer and at the beginning of the autumn with flows ranging between 5,85 m ³ /s and 6,24 m ³ /s from August with October (September seeing the low module of the year). The periods of low water level, just like the risings are limited. The maximum instantaneous flow recorded at the station of Bridge-and-Marsh dated April 10th 2001 and reached 17,7 m ³ /s (either only 2,4 times medium flow). This moderation makes the overflows of the river rare, at most Bresle leaves its minor bed and its water invades the basic meadows of valley without causing extensive damage.

If one establishes a comparison between the flow and the catchment area, Bresle presents a relatively abundant module as attest it a Lame of water of 310 mm/an (approximately in the national average which is of 300 millimetres, but quite higher than that of the basin of the the Seine of about 225 millimetres) and a specific flow (or Qsp) of 9,8 liters a second and per square kilometer of basin (9,5 l/s/km for the whole of the rivers French, 7,1 l/s/km in the case of the basin of the the Seine).

History

A river border

For a long time, the course of Bresle (especially in its lower part) played a part of natural border. It thus separated the Roman provinces from Belgium and Lyonnaise during the Antiquité, Talou and the Vimeu during the period mérovingienne, the Comté of Ponthieu and the Duché of Normandy as from the 11th century, the Généralité S and intendances of Rouen and Amiens under the Ancien Mode. Since the Revolution, the river delimits the departments of the Somme and the Seine-Maritime, formerly Seine-Lower, and thus, since the years 1950, the areas Picardy and High-Normandy.

This function of border illustrates in an episode (legendary) of the Vie of German Saint of the United Kingdom , more known under the name of German Saint the Scot. Whereas the Roman Empire of occident had disappeared recently from years, about the year 480, Germain, had come from the Cotentin, was installed on the edges of Bresle between Blangy-on-Bresle and Aumale, eager to convert new hearts. The river still separated the old provinces from Belgium and of Lyonnaise, the territory of the latter was, at this place of the course, the field of frank Chuchobald, known under the name of the Hubaud tyrant. This one threatened Saint Germain of dead if he dared to venture on his grounds. Despizing words of the barbarian chief, the man of the church crosses Bresle and penetrated in hostile territory. The inhabitants of the area recovered the body, buried it and an important pilgrimage developed in these places (the sarcophagus, having contained the remainders of German Saint, is in the church of Saint-Germain-on-Bresle).

The inheritance of the valley, heritage of a long human occupation

On about fifty kilometers, of Aumale to the sea, the valley of Bresle keeps many patrimonial testimonys of its long occupation by the men attracted by the facilities of communication, the presence of a river to the regular flow. Close to Blangy-on-Bresle, of the productions of the Neolithic , found on the nipple of Campigny, left their name to an industry of this period: the “campignien”. The Gallo-Roman period is present with the ruins of large a villa, true rural palate, discovered thanks to the air prospection close to Old man-Rouen-on-Bresle and especially the archeological site of Wood-the abbot close to the town of Have. On a space covering several tens of hectares, to two kilometers in the south of the city, extend the vestiges from an agglomeration, Augusta ambianorum , occupied of the middle of the 1st century at the end of the 4th century, of which the functions are still badly established, chief town of Pagus of Catuslogi and/or city-sanctuary forgotten. The Fouille S made it possible to release several Temple S, of the public thermal baths (of which an establishment only intended for the women), a theater which can accommodate: 5000 spectators.

The the Middle Ages, starting from the Traité Saint-Clearly-on-Epte, signed in 911, which sealed the birth of the Duché of Normandy, saw the erection of many castles and churches. The frontier function of the river made that one entrusted the territories covering the valley and the plates bordering it to powerful characters who left their print through multiple constructions. The preserved building most important of this period is the Collégiale Notre-Dame and the St. Lawrence of Have. Built between 1186 and 1280 in the honor of the St. Lawrence O' Tool, Archbishop of Dublin, died to the monastery of the city in 1181, this church presents one of the first types of the Gothic art Norman to the 13th century. Capital of the county éponyme, created in 996, the town of Have was the place of the marriage of William the Conqueror and Mathilde de Flandres celebrated in its castle towards 1050 and of famous Tournoi S of Chevalerie in which Guillaume the Marshal took part, the “best knight of the world” according to Georges Duby. During the same period, the port close to the Tréport, seat of a founded Benedictine abbey in 1036 by Gilbert de Brionne, Count of Have, developed with the diversion of the course of Bresle by Henri Ier, another count, at the beginning of the 12th century, towards 1101 and, especially, thanks to the freedom of trade granted to all the ships coming to the Tréport and to Have by Henri II Plantagenêt at the same period, in 1475, Louis XI, wanting to prevent Edouard IV of England from seizing the Tréport and of Have, gave the order to set fire to the two cities whose only churches were saved.

The period of the 16th century at the 19th century was marked, in the valley of Bresle, by the presence and the action of key figures and the construction of new buildings (Saint-Pierre Church and Saint-Paul of Aumale built 1508 with 1610, Saint-Jacob church of the Tréport built starting from second half of the 16th century). The 16th century carries the print of Catherine de Clèves and of her husband, Henri I {{er}} of Own way says “the Gash”, countess and count of Have, which began the construction of the principal monuments of the city: the current castle in 1578. At the 17th emergent century personalities of Mrs. de Joyeuse, daughter-in-law of Catherine de Clèves, which made build a Hôtel-Dieu, held, starting from 1658, by the Sisters of mercy of the Mercy of Jesus, about Saint-Augustin. It was undoubtedly at the 19th century, under the reign of Louis-Philippe I {{er}} (1830 - 1848), that the valley knew its apogee, last making king de France of the castle of Have one of its favorite residences, thus allowing the development of the trade and the craft industry, receiving there, twice, in 1843 and 1845, the queen Victoria to seal the Franco-British reconciliation there. The end of the century was marked by the inauguration, on July 1st 1875, of the railway Paris-North - the Tréport-Seas, borrowing the valley of Bresle, which supported the glass activity by offering to him new outlets (see following paragraph) and tourism with the fashion of the Sea bathings to the Tréport and Mers-les-Bains which became seaside resorts very appraisals.

The communes of the valley of Bresle underwent serious destruction during the Second world war. So with the Tréport and Have the damage was important, the towns of Aumale and of Blangy-on-Bresle were literally devastated by the German Bombardement S of 1940, then combined 1944, the major part of the traditional habitats disappeared at this period.

Navigation on Bresle

Although it is almost impossible to affirm when boats started to sail on the river, the course downstream of Bresle seems be to have gone up, since the Antiquité, on several kilometers (at least until the site of the current town of Have) by maritime boats. Ships used probably the river, beyond the Tréport, to ensure goods transport in destination or coming from the Roman city of Augusta ambianorum established on the heights of the plate of Beaumont. It was necessary to await second half of the 15th century so that a rectilinear channel is dug enters Have and Tréport, about the year 1460, by Charles d' Artois, count of Have, allowing the establishment of a true port in the capital of the county. This port was located not far from the castle, with the junction of Bresle and of Busine, one of the arms of the coastal river which separate from the principal bed in extreme cases of the current communal territories from Have and of Bridge-and-Marsh. A few decades later, under the reign of Louis-Philippe Ier, of work began, the channel was increased, the thorough channel. Starting from 1841, ocean liners of a larger gauge could go up the course until Have with 3 kilometers of the mouth. Every two years (odd years) since 1997, during ten days in August, a village Viking is installed on grounds skirting Bresle below the castle of Have. Reconstitutions of traditional habitats, animations suggested by observers in costume come from many countries of Northern Europe and is, attract several thousands of visitors (: 20000 for the editions 2003, 2005 and 2007), it is especially the occasion to see Drakkar S sailing on Bresle between Have and Tréport.

Economic activities: The valley of Bresle - The Valley Knell

The economic activity of the valley of Bresle (including between Tréport and Aumale, are about fifty kilometers) is characterized by the strong place of industry. It is indeed the first zone of High-Normandy for the share of employment in this sector, which gathers 44% of paid of which much works in large production units. This weight of the secondary industry explains an underdevelopment of the tertiary sector in fields as varied as the public services or those intended for the private individuals. As a study of INSEE indicates it, the valley of Bresle is presented in the form of a last zone of use of High-Normandy in activities such as the public administrations, education, health, the social action and the Tourisme. The valley of Bresle is especially known for its glass activity present since the Moyen-âge; the first mentions which make state of it go up with 1402. In the beginning, the glassmakings were located in edge of the Forêt of Have which ensured the wood supply necessary for the heating of the furnaces and in Fougère S whose ashes provided the Potasse essential to the fusion of the Sable extracts in Bresle (fluviatile sand of a great purity). They were the property of glass gentlemen (the work of glass being regarded as a noble art) who had seen themselves granting this privilege by the counts of Have. The reputation of the glassmaking of the valley of Bresle quickly exceeded the borders of the Royaume of France; in the Years 1560, Philippe II of Spain thus called upon the Master-craftsmen of the area to glaze the Escurial. Since, the glass industry of the valley of Bresle always managed to overcome the crises, to adapt to the market and it remains a reference in its field of production.

In 2006, the glass pole of the valley of Bresle employed approximately: 7300 people, of which close to: 6000 in the valley itself, and it carried out a turnover of about 940 million euros, including 75% with export. It is thus about the first provider of uses of the basin representing more than 65% of industrial manpower (13% of manpower of the sector at the national level). The six glassmakers of the area occupy a position of leader world on the market of the bottle manufacture and always provide nearly 80% of the bottles of Parfum of high-end in the world, which employed, in 2006, alone close to: 4200 paid, contributes largely to its dynamism and its fame. Around the manufacture of hollow glass (bottles of perfumes), related activities developed such as the manufacture of the moulds and the castings (metallurgy), the activities of design upstream, the finishing (completion and decoration) downstream. Since 1999, the State recognized the glass pole of the Valley of Bresle like industrial district or productive system localized, i.e. a basin of employment developed around the same traditional know-how. The industry of glass profits from the label “Valley of Bresle - Knell Valley”, reference world in the field of the bottle manufacture of luxury (particularly appreciated in the field of perfumery and the drug company). However, the other glass companies do not offer the same prospects as attest it new recruitings by the Saverglass factory of Feuquières or the dynamism of Rexam Dispensing System to the Tréport.

The equipment mechanical, the transformation of metals, electrical equipment and electronic which is in retreat enough Net, chemistry, rubber and the plastics as well as agribusiness industry constitutes the other sources of employment in the industrial field.

Aquatic environment and ichtyofaune

Tens of ponds (with Bridge-and-Marsh, Bouvaincourt-on-Bresle, Incheville, Beauchamps, Gamaches, Blangy-on-Bresle or Hodeng-with-Bosc the with the pond with the Gilded Valley) strew the bottom with the valley, which is still locally preserved by an important rate of putting under grass and the linear wooded ones on the plates or slopes. Y also go up each year of: 1000 with: 3000 sea trouts. Nevertheless, of migrating formerly very common, like the Eel, regress there in an alarming way, whereas fishing with the Civelle (young eel) is not practiced there.

Classified rivers with salmonidés since 1987, Bresle (as its affluents) are subjected in the name of the Code of the environment (stopped 4/18/1997) to the obligation of freedom of movement of migrating fish. Indeed, of many stoppings (mills for example) make insuperable the passage for the Atlantic salmons and the sea trouts contributing to their decline. A study was carried out by EPTB-Bresle d' Aumale drawing up a list of the works having to be arranged in priority to allow the descent and the rise of all the species. Presented in September 2007, it counts a score of black spots on which work should begin after having taken much delay on the legislation in force. The environmental impacts of industry and the urbanization are in reduction, but the rejections of agriculture (Engrais, Pesticide S) can add their effects to pollution of the Sédiment S due to glass or metallurgical industry. In spite of these threats, Bresle offers many courses of fishing, with the sea trouts in the low valley, with the trouts fario upstream, the grosses carps, white fish (Ablette S, let us keep) and with the carnivores (Brochet S) in the many water levels. The various courses of fishing of Bresle and its water levels (13 on the whole) are managed by Associations Approved for the Fishing and the Protection of the Aquatic environments (AAPPMA).

Fauna and flora of the valley

The valley (reads minor and reads major river) as well as the slopes offer a great floristic diversity with the presence of beautiful settlements of Orchidée S and Genévrier S ( Juniperus communis ) on the chalky lawns as well as beautiful hêtraies called hêtraies of the asperulo-fagetum . In addition to the presence of common species (Wild boar, Stag) and Wildcat in the high valley, the place shelters mammals rarer than one does not find in no one another place in the north of the France). In autumn and winter, some ponds shelter important parkings of some birds: castagneux Grèbe, crested Grèbe and Foulque macroule in particular.

While waiting for a hypothetical classification of the whole of the course like Community site of importance (see higher), certain zones of recognized ecological interest profit from specific protection measures. It is the case of “Wood under the city”, small space located on the communal territory of Bridge-and-Marsh, registered since 2006 with the national inventory of the national natural heritage like “Natural Zone of Faunistic and Floristic Ecological Interest” (ZNIEFF). On a little more than one ten hectares a wet alder plantation develops. This vegetable formation is composed of Aulne S pushing on grounds softened by the surface discontinuous underwood and sheet of water preventing their major rooting where find Carex, Fougère S and various herbaceous plants like the Canneberge ( Vaccinium oxycoccus ).

Discovered and tourism

Museums, devoted to the glass activity, were opened to the public with Have ( museum " Traditions verrières" ) and with Blangy-on-Bresle (with the manor of Fountain ). The visitors can discover the history of glass and the bottle manufacture, the various stages of the work of glass (of the raw material until packing), the tools and machines current, of the collections of bottles of perfume of luxury, and regularly attend demonstrations of blowing of glass by Master-glassmakers.

By traversing the valley of Bresle, the visitor at the time of discovering vestiges of the old activity miller through the remainders, maintained more or less well, of the mills which were shelled along the course (nearly 130 were listed in first half of the 19th century including 66 in the first 30 kilometers.): corn mill, mill with oil, mill with tan (reduced barks of Oak out of powder being used for the tanning of the skins), mill with cement, mill to turn wood, mill with powder, mill being used as driving force with textile factories… Only some buildings survived the ravages of time and the demolition contracters. To Aumale, the mill of Roy, built at the 19th century and which animated a flour mill (Lambotte establishments) until in 1972 is, since 2004 classified with the inventory of the historic buildings, it offers a rare example of the ultimate evolution of the flour-milling which saw the replacement of the Meule S by crushing mills. With Saint-Germain-on-Bresle, a mill built in 1782 (today transformed into rural Lodging), was used as driving force with a spinning mill of Lin, representative of the old textile activity of the high valley of Bresle which périclita as of the end of the 18th century; the serge of Aumale was rather known with Paris so that Molière quoted it in one of its parts. Downstream, three other buildings present a good state of conservation: with Blangy-on-Bresle, the mill of Fountain (mill with corn of the 18th century), with Monchaux-Soreng the mill of the sawmill Quenot-Wood

The Chemin of the ponds makes it possible to traverse, with foot or in the bicycle, the low valley of Bresle between Have and Incheville. Many nautical activities (veil, board with veil, canoe…) can be practiced on the many ponds which mark out the course of the small river.

Departments and principal communes crossed

Oise (60): Abancourt, Quincampoix-Fleuzy
Somme (80): Senarpont, Gamaches, Beauchamps, Mers-les-Bains
Seine-Maritime (76): Aumale, Old man-Rouen-on-Bresle, Hodeng-with-Bosc the, Nesle-Normandeuse, Blangy-on-Bresle, Incheville, Have, Tréport.

Appendices

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