A short history of Bourg en Bresse (France)

 The earliest site of Brou, owing to its perfect geographical situation, dates from the Neolithic age; our ancestors settled in Brou, and on the hill where now stand the law court and prison.

 During the Celtic era, the hill might have been a place for druidic cults; its many megaliths were later used by Romans for the building of defensive fortifications, and still exist today, re-cut in the basement of the prison. Under Roman rule, a fort was built and the crossroads of Brou drew farmers and potters to the village which was finally destroyed during the troubles of the third century AD.

 In the fifth century, the Burgondes were established in Brou. In 927 though, Gerard, bishop of Macon, retired to Brou, then uninhabited and founded a hermitage, soon becoming a priory with a church –St Pierre de Brou- in the eleventh century. It was the parochial seat of Bourg until it transferred to “Notre-Dame” church (1503). The actual church of Brou and its cloisters were built from 1506 to 1532 on the site of the priory.

 Abut the tenth century, the Sires of Bage, Counts of Bresse, set up a feudal castle on the ruins of the roman fort.

 Soon after, in 1272, Bourg and the county of Bresse were given to Savoy by the wedding in the Chillon Castle of “Sybille de Bâgé” and “Amédée de Savoie”, later Amé V. Capital of Bresse in 1286, Bourg then plays an important part in region and develops rapidly.

 In the fifteenth century, Bourg had 3000 inhabitants and was entirely fortified. In 1569, “Saint Maurice Fort” –one of the most important in Europe- was built on the west to avoid the return of the French. It was razed in 1611, by order of “Marie de Medicis”. Bourg was held the first time from 1536 to 1559 (Treaty of Cateau-Cambresis) under the reigns of “Frrançois ler” and “Henry II”; it became French after “Maréchal Biron” took the town (August 12th 1600). Bourg was definitely part of France by the treaty of Lyon (January 17th 1601) between Henri IV and Charles Emmanuel of Savoy.

 -Office de Tourisme, Bourg en Bresse.