Briare is a small village in the Loiret region in the Center-Loire Valley region. Limitrophe of Châtillon-sur-Loire, it takes place forty kilometers of Montargis and about seventy kilometers of Orléans, in the agricultural region of Puisaye.
Former Brivodurum in the Gallo-Roman period, Briare really took off under Henri IV, especially during the construction of the Loyre in Seyne canal. Before becoming the tourist site that it is today, the city was illustrated in 1939 with the creation of a rural reception center for the refugees of the Spanish war.
Today, Briare enjoys a pleasant natural setting with Natura 2000 listed areas, as well as an architectural heritage that is not without interest. Full of charm, the city of Loiret regularly attracts visitors eager to discover this part of the Center region.
Built at the end of the 19th century, the church of Saint-Etienne unveils an elegant Roman-Byzantine style. Inscribed in the Historical Monuments, it is known for its decorations based on enamels of Briare some of which represent the signs of the zodiac, just like some stained glass from the inside.
The canal bridge of Briare was partly designed, for the masonry, by Gustave Eiffel, famous engineer at the origin of the tower of the same name. Built at the end of the 19th century, it was for a century the longest in Europe in its category, and was listed in Historic Monuments.
Today the site of temporary exhibitions, the castle of Trousse-Barrière was built at the end of the XIXth century. It takes place on an old farm and today presents a building in brick and stone, with two corner towers. Inside, the dining room features a Renaissance-style coffered ceiling, painted stained glass windows and many paintings.
Walking through Briare, you can also admire the town hall which takes place in the old castle of the lords of the channel of Loyre in the Seine redesigned in the eighteenth century. The tower that adjoins it now houses the Tourist Office.
The network of ancient canals and water stations of the Prés-Gris now serves as a marina for the city of Briare.
Two museums take place in Briare, that of the mosaic and enamels on the site of manufacture of enamels of Briare with photographs of time, collections of mosaics of the XIXth century or sculptures, and that of the two marines and the bridge- channel. This last evokes the history of the navigation of the Liège and the inland navigation since the time of Antiquity. A 17-meter-long aquarium displays the local fauna, while collections of documents help to learn more about the construction of the canal bridge and the goods being transported.
Several Natura 2000 sites take place in Briare, such as the Loire and Loiret valleys, and the Loire valley of Tavers in Belleville-sur-Loire.
