The Rock-Bernard

the Rock-Bernard , is a city of the west of the France, chief town of the canton of the Rock-Bernard, in Brittany. Its name in Gallo (local speech) is " Roch " , its name into Breton is " rear Roc' h-Bernez " , but in the Breton-speaking communes closest, people say rear Roc' H, marked ʁoa.

Its inhabitants is called Rochois.

Geography

History

In 919, the Vikings go up the Vilaine and notice a rock headland and decides to settle there because of its strategic position. They decide to settle in this place easy to defend. Their chief is called Bern-Binder, " Extremely like a ours". The village that these Norman will create there will have as a name the Rock-Bernard.

Their successors will lend allegiance to the duke of Brittany which, in exchange, will make them gift of grounds and the title of baron of the Rock-Bernard will grant to them.

During the war of succession of Brittany (1341-1365), which opposes Jean de Montfort to Jeanne de Penthièvre, marries of Charles of Blois, the barons of the Rock-Bernard take the party of King de France. Their castle is then entirely destroyed by the partisans of Jean de Montfort. They leave the city and take refuge in Missillac with the castle of Bretesche.

In 1547, François de Coligny, Marquis d' Andelot, husband of Claude de Rieux, becomes baron of the Rock-Bernard. By introducing the worship protesting in 1558, it does of it one of the first established centers of Brittany. With its instar, noble and middle-class convert. One century later, the baron Armand of Cambout prohibits the Protestant worship.

In 1666, the Rock-Bernard is set up in the Community of city per Louis XIV, extremely at the time required privilege.

In 1789, great negociations within the Breton deputies allotted this end of the Nantes country to the department of Morbihan.

The Révolution knows its culminating point with the Rock-Bernard in 1793. 6.000 chouans invade the city and assassinate two republican chiefs, the Le Floch of Cosquer and Joseph Sauveur. In the honor of this last, the city will be renamed the Rock-Saver of 1793 to 1802.

The XIXe century will be marked by great work: boring of the rock, realization of the Saint-Anthony quay, then quay of the Customs…

The port

The Rock-Bernard will take his rise and will thrive thanks to the passage on the Vilaine. The presence of port activities is attested as of the 11th century. They will develop with the wire of time.

At the 17th century, the Rock-Bernard shelters an important shipyard which will launch the Crown, first ship of the line to three bridges of Royal (construction of 1629 to 1634).

It is at the end of the 19th century that the traffic is most intense. Ships of all the Atlantique coast come with the Rock-Bernard. One meets there coasters such as brig-goélettes or fish-wagons, but also of the barges sailing on the Unpleasant one. Salt, wine, cereals, limes and props pit forward by the quays.

Competed with hard by the development of the rail and road traffic, the commercial port will see its activity declining, then to die out at the beginning of the 20th century. It is today a marina which accommodates more than 600 boats all the year.

Bridges

Formerly, the crossing of Unpleasant was done by vat. The passage more attended was that of Guédas, between the Rock-Bernard and Marzan on the old royal road from Bordeaux to Brest. The crossing appeared very often perilous and constraining because of the tides and the strong winds, but also of the negligence of certain frontier runners.

This situation encourages the town councilors to claim the construction of a bridge at the beginning of the 19th century. It will be necessary to await the intervention of the prefect of Morbihan after 6 hours of crossing of Unpleasant, the arrival of Louis-Philippe to the capacity and the risks of insurrection on behalf of the legitimists to facilitate obtaining the required funds.

The first bridge, inaugurated in 1839 after three years of work, uses the technique of the suspended bridge which makes its appearance in France. It consists of two viaducts of accesses in masonry, still visible today, and of an apron out of wooden. If it causes admiration at the beginning, the euphoria will be of short duration. The strong winds abuse the cables of suspension and cause major damage on several occasions.

In 1872, one undertakes the construction of a provisional footbridge. It will be replaced only in 1911 by a metal arch also accommodating a railway.

August 15th, 1944, the lightning falls on a mine posed by German and blows up the bridge. In the urgency, one restores the system of crossing per vat until 1948 when a floating footbridge coming from the combined unloading with Arromanches is installed.

In 1960, after 12 years of service, a new suspended bridge takes over. Inspired of the Bridge of Tancarville, it is conceived to accommodate a growing traffic. However, victim of the development of circulation, the two ways quickly appear insufficient. The deviation of the city then is considered. Located at 600 meters upstream of the suspended bridge, the bridge of Morbihan is put in circulation in June 1996. The sides of its arch are equipped with two footbridges.

These texts are from the Guide published by the Community of Communes of the Country of the Rock-Bernard - -

Administration

Demography

Places and monuments

Castle of the Low Pits, 16th century, Museum of the maritime and rural traditions.

Personalities related to the commune

See too

Common of Morbihan

External bonds

the Rock-Bernard on the site of the national geographical Institute
the Rock-Bernard on the site of INSEE
the Rock-Bernard on the site of Quid
Localization of the Rock-Bernard on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plane of the Rock-Bernard on Mapquest

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