Bresse

See also: Bresse (homonymy)

The Bresse is an old province of France, located in the areas the Rhone-Alps, Burgundy and Franche-Comté. The geographical expression Bresse is made up of three different parts: the Bresse bourguignone , subdivided in Bresse louhannaise and Bresse chalonaise, which is located in the east of the Département of Saône-et-Loire, the Bresse of Ain, sometimes called Bresse Savoyard, which is located in the Département of Ain and finally the Jurassic Bresse, more the small portion of the three, in the west of the department of the the Jura (and appendix of the Bresse louhannaise). The adjective referring to the Bresse east bressan and the inhabitants of the Bresse are the Bressans .

History

See also: History of the Bresse

The Bresse, of XIIe century until the Treated of Lyon in 1601, belonged to the States of Savoy. This period was favorable, in particular XVe century. Bâgé was the principal city of the province, with its princes. But its situation, close to the borders of France, supported the emergence of Borough-in-Bresse which became the capital. The province had to face covetousnesses of King de France, who wished to increase his territory. The situation of plain of the Bresse was difficult to keep. Finally the sovereigns of Savoy, agreed to center themselves on the alpine part of the Duchy and to give up the Bresse (and the Bugey), in exchange of Saluzzo or Saluces in Piedmont.

Agriculture and economy

It is famous for the 1  200  000 volailles/an raised by 330 stockbreeders raised in the open air 3/4 of its life, with a minimum of 10 m 2 per capita.

Culture Bressan E

  • Seen sociological:

Primarily rural country, the company bressane, in the past, was organized at the rate/rhythm of the agricultural activity. The habitat in Bresse is dispersed, of type of the woodlands, concerned of individualism within the community, organized around the parish and of the commune. The social structure, is thus defined by a mixture of Conservatisme, attachment to the ancestral values and direct democratic participation in the Community life.

The Bressan S étaint called by their neighbors of yellow bellies:

- According to a version, this would come owing to the fact that they fixed at their belt the gold coins coming from the sale of the Volaille of Bresse,

- According to another version, the Bressan S were the first to eat corn in the place of corn in the form of Gaudes for example. This food at the time being reserved with the animals, their neighbors thought that the interior of their belly was to be yellow.

The traditional costume of festival of the Bresse, is preserved by folk associations. It comprises, for the women, a wide hat, in the shape of plate, surmounted by a black cone. For the men, it is about a blue tunic; of a long bonnet, long trouserses and shoes. In Coligny, limit of Ain and the Jura is organized first Tuesday of August of each year a fair bressane with old where everyone is in costume bressan.

  • Conscript: the festival of the conscripts very anchored in this area concerns young the 20 year old people. Drawing its roots of the period of the " Conscription " founded by the Jourdan general in 1798 and who imposed that each old man from 20 to 25 years could be called with the service of the nation. The young peasants for much, replaced against certain material advantages young more crested people. Before their departures of large festivals organized themselves then. They perdurent today still and are very appraisals of the local populations which see a maintenance of the very strong social link there.

These festivals proceed in general between January and March of the year. They allow the people of the village whose age corresponds to one decade to gather around a large banquet during which " is played; the rigodon" traditional music played by 2 musicians, one with the clarinet, the other with the drum. The organization of this banquet falls entirely to young the 20 years old old people which put a point of honor to personally invite each guest at the time of a visit in their residence (the practices changed in certain communes, a mail replacing the house search). It is then the occasion to give a rosette to them, distinctive sign corresponding to their age.

  • It should be noted that the festivals of conscripts coincide with the employers' festivals (not necessarily because all the employers' festivals are not between January and March). Those are the occasion of the arrival of the vogue, for the duration of an end of the week. The banquet of the conscripts is followed the shortly or the following week after the matefaims: conscripts inviting the population of the village and the surroundings to taste crepes and to dance.
The " patois" bressan, which is hardly any more practiced beyond the circles " patoisants" , was the principal language of abstract communication until the years 1970 in the campaigns bressanes (many elderly (generations having more than 70 years in 2007) still use their language between them, their children including/understanding it but not speaking it, their grandchildren knowing of the words or expression passed in the daily life or francized).

  • Movable bressan:

The Bresse has its own style in term of furniture. Resulting from a rural settlement, the pieces of furniture which one found in the farms were often composed of a standard unit: a cupboard bressane (the most famous part and most required), a clock, a dresser, a bed with baldachin. These parts are characterized by the style bressan largely defined in good number of work. The pieces of furniture were built by " huchers" , often skilful, and profiting from a broad wood turpentine range in the area. Other elements are also indexed: the cradle, the chair with salt, tables and benches. Often adapted in a single part, the hutau, the rural furniture of antan knew a sharp revival and the prices, for the parts of time, knew a fulgurating rising curve. These parts, formerly forsaken with the profit of pieces of furniture " modernes" found nowadays their place, choice, in the living rooms, rooms and kitchens, around Louhans or of Borough-in-Bresse.

culinary Specialities:

  • Chicken of Molten Bresse
  • Gaudes
  • bressane

Tourism

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