Hiers-Brouage is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in western France.

History

Brouage was founded in 1555 by Jacques de Pons on the Bay of Biscay facing the Atlantic Ocean. Its economy was based on salt and access to the sea. The town was fortified between 1630 and 1640 by Cardinal Richelieu as a Catholic bastion in order to fight against the neighbouring Protestant town of La Rochelle. Gradually the harbour silted up in the last part of the 17th century, leaving the town stranded and useless as a port. It fell into ruin.

The town's most celebrated son is the French navigator Samuel de Champlain, who lived there when young, before being the co-founder of French settlement in Acadia and Quebec.

In 1825 Brouage was joined to the village of Hiers, 2.5 km away, forming the commune of Hiers-Brouage.

Sites

• The village church dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul built in 1608. Since 1982, several stained glass windows have been installed by Quebec and New Brunswick to commemorate historical figures of New France, including Samuel de Champlain who lived in the village when young.
• The Samuel de Champlain Museum.
• The walls of the remparts of the citadel of Brouage.
• The Porte royale or King's gate which gave access to the quais.
• The Saint-Luc powderhouse (poudrière) with four flying-buttresses.
• The Halle aux vivres or Warehouse built to store goods and supplies for the citadel.

See also

• Communes of the Charente-Maritime department

References

Based on the article in the French Wikipedia.

External links

• Office de tourisme
• Hiers-Brouage
• brouage.org
• brouage.org in English