Шатобриан: География, история и транспортная сеть.

the town
The commune of Châteaubriant itself encompasses not only the town, but also agricultural land and some hamlets. The main agricultural activities are forage and cereal growing, and cattle breeding (especially for beef and dairy production).

The town is built in the small drainage basin of the river Chère. Several streams flow in the Chère in Châteaubriant: the Rollard, the Choisel and the Ruisseau du Pont Pirraud. The basin is limited by several hills belonging to the central axis of the Armorican massif which forms the Breton peninsula. The highest hill is 107 metres high. Several ponds are supplied by the streams, like the Étang de Choisel and the Étang de Deil. Both were created by small dams. The subsoil consists of old sedimentary deposits of schist and sandstone. These deposits came after the Cadomian Orogeny, and they were deformed by the tectonic activity.

Châteaubriant enjoys an oceanic climate with frequent but weak rain. Temperatures are mild with little variations.

Châteaubriant is connected to the regional major roads and to the surrounding villages by several minor roads, such as the RD 163 which connects the town to Rennes and Candé, the RD 178, which goes to Nantes, and the RD 771, linking Châteaubriant to Laval and Nozay. Châteaubriant has its own bus company, the "Castelbus". It operates a small network comprising 30 stops. The town also has a coach station served by the Loire Atlantique coach network. The railway station provides several departures a day to Rennes on a local line. The track continues south to Nantes, but this portion was closed in 1980. The reopening of the line to Nantes is scheduled for 2013, with a new tram train.

Châteaubriant is a relatively young city for France, because it was not built before the 11th century. Thus, the name of the town is not mentioned before that period. Châteaubriant means "Briant's castle", and refers to Brient, the founder of the castle and of the town. Such origin is common among other French cities founded at the same period; it is for example visible on Château Gontier, "Gontier's castle", Châteauroux, "Raoul's castle", and on Laval, which was first called Laval Guyon, "Guy's valley". The town was first mentioned with the Latin Castrum Brieni or Castrum Brientii, and the first mention in French, in 1266, is Cheteau Brient. During the 15th century, the "e" of Brient became "a", and the final "t" was often replaced with a "d" until the standardization of the name in the 19th century. The standard Latin translation is Castrobriandum but the medieval forms Briandi Castrum and Brientii Castrum are still accepted. In Breton language, the town is called Kastell Briant, and in Gallo language, the local dialect, it is called Châtiaoberiant (ABCD transcription, pronounced ). During the French Revolution, many towns and villages which had a name with a reference to religion or feudalism had it changed. As "Châteaubriant" makes a reference to medieval lords, the town was renamed Montagne sur Chère ("hill on the Chère River"). The town did not keep this name for long, and it was called "Châteaubriant" again by 1801. In Châteaubriant itself, Neolithic axes were found around the suburb of Béré. This suburb was probably founded by Gauls who exploited the small iron ore which can be found there. Their ethnicity is unknown, because the region is located at the border between several Gallic people, such as the Andecavi, the Redones and the Namnetes. Remains of Roman buildings were discovered in Béré in 1876, and the suburb was at the crossroads between the Roman roads linking Candé, Nantes and Rennes. The region is invaded by the Breton people during the 6th century. It is then a part of the Breton kingdom. Béré remains an important location, with a mint, a Christian sanctuary, forges and a market.

The history of Châteaubriant itself began in the 11th century when Brient (an envoy of the Count of Rennes) built a castle on a motte bordering the Chère and Rollard rivers. Later, he also founded the priory Saint Sauveur de Béré and a fair in the Béré suburb. The fortress of Châteaubriant was then a part of eastern Brittany's defensive line, known as the Marches of Brittany, along with the other walled towns of Vitré and Fougères (both in Ille et Vilaine) and Ancenis and Clisson (both in Loire Atlantique), which formed the first line of defense against the French Kingdom. Later in the 12th century the town developed around the western flank of the castle. This new town overwhelmed the old Béré suburb, which nonetheless remained a distinct parish.

As the castle was in a very strategic location, the town was subject to several battles and invasions during the Middle Ages. One of the largest sieges was commissioned by Louis IX of France in 1235. Insecurity led the lords to raise city walls during the 13th century. The walls were improved and extended several times and were finally completed in the 15th century. The moat was fed by the Chère on the north and by the Rollard on the south. This stream was also crossing the inner town by the east, until it was covered during the 19th century. The walls had five gates of which only one still exists today. After the war, Châteaubriant was quickly rebuilt and extended towards the southwest, with the construction of a new industrial zone during the 1960s. The population of Châteaubriant is aging, 29.1% of the population being older than 60 (22.7% on the French national level).

Châteaubriant, which is located in a vast rural area, offers many services not available in villages. The town centre comprises many shops and a vast shopping centre is located on the western outskirts. The town has 1105 firms, of which 76 specialise in industry, 96 in construction, 236 in trade and 697 in services. Industry is mainly represented by food processing, with the second biggest cattle market in France and an important slaughterhouse. Metallurgy is also important, with plough and rail material production, but plastic production is replacing it. The foire de Béré, which has taken place every September since 1050, is one of the oldest fairs in Europe. It is a big event for the region, with furniture, leisure and car displays, and agricultural shows. A funfair is always held at the entrance. The fair itself welcomes 55,000 visitors every year, but the funfair is more successful, with 100,000 visitors.

The château de Châteaubriant is an important testimony to French medieval and Renaissance architecture. It combines an upper and a lower bailey encircled by walls and towers mostly dating from the 13th century. In the upper bailey are located the 12th century chapel and the 14th century keep and two halls. These halls and keep, where the lord was living, are built on the location of the older motte and bailey castle. The Renaissance palace, made of three wings and a long gallery, is built in the lower ward. The little town centre dates back to the Middle Ages, and several half timbered houses are visible. They mostly date back to the 15th century. The city walls were destroyed during the 19th century, but the 16th century Porte Neuve ("new gate") and some towers are preserved. The covered market, built in 1900, is an exhibition venue. The Saint Nicolas parish church was rebuilt after 1850. It is a small replica of the Saint Nicolas church in Nantes. The Saint Jean de Béré church is located outside the centre. The church was built around 1100, and still has its original wooden ceiling. Later, during the 16th century, the three baroque altarpieces were set in the choir. The bell tower was destroyed by a storm in 1705 and only rebuilt in 1889. This monument is one of the rare medieval churches that are still visible in Loire Atlantique. See The works of Jean Fréour Sculptor of statue of St Rita. The quarry at the Sablière is where 27 hostages were executed in 1941. It is now a memorial.

The Théâtre de Verre ("glass theatre") is the main venue for concerts and theatre. Châteaubriant also has a four screen cinema and a school for music, dance and drama
The town has a Celtic circle and a bagad (Breton traditional band).

Several legends are linked with Châteaubriant. The most famous one is the Bête de Béré ("Béré beast"), known in the whole Pays de la Mée. According to the legend, a beast, looking like a wolf, a pig or a big cat, prowls every night in the Béré suburb to protect a young maid who has been locked for centuries under the priory. Another legend is built around Jean de Laval and his wife Françoise de Foix, mistress of Francis I of France, who died in 1537 in the castle. At that time, a rumour said that she was killed by her jealous husband, who did not approve of her relationship with the King. Since then, a ghostly procession would walk in the castle at the death anniversary, every 16 October at midnight.