This heritage trail recounts the historical past of a Gallo-Roman civilization, but also Merovingian once present in Briord. The itinerary invites you to discover its history, through 11 key points and their captioned panels.
The trail starts at the Jean-Baptiste church. Then you can appreciate the relatively well-preserved wash house of Briord, which was a meeting place during the laundry chore.
Continuing your walk and leaving Briord in the direction of Vérizieu, you will come across a place dedicated to the dead, at a place called "les Plantées". The remains of this necropolis form a ground plan for the attentive eye. On the other side of the road (be careful when crossing), in the hollow of the wood, is the entrance to a Gallo-Roman and underground aqueduct. 197m long, it was classified as a historic monument in 1904. Its crossing is authorized. Be sure to take a flashlight and wear waterproof closed shoes. The ground is sometimes slightly flooded. To find out more about the aqueduct and the Gallo-Roman past of Briord, a free audio tour can be downloaded from the IziTravel application.
After this archaeological discovery, you can take the time to explore the footprints left by the millstone quarry, also called "Meulières".
Passage through the cellar of Chinve, a small fortified house probably built in place of a Gallo-Roman barn. Back in the hamlet of Vérizieu, a strange inscription dating from the Gallo-Roman era, named Camulia Attica, may leave you pensive. To understand who Camulia was, the free audio-tour of the tourist office is available on Izi.Travel.
Your adventure as a budding archaeologist invites you to stop off at the discreet remains of the castle of Saint André de Briord. Nestled in the vegetation of its hill, this fortress passed many times from Dauphinois hands to Savoyard hands and other local families before being dismantled in the XNUMXth century.
Your walk will then take you to the hamlet of Flévieu where the bread oven and the work of shoeing oxen (device for hampering cattle during the fitting of horseshoes) testify to the trades of yesteryear. The heritage trail will offer you a last stop at the "sur Plaine" burial site, a necropolis from Late Antiquity.
Taking this path offers an overview of the life and history of the ancient Gallo-Roman city of Briord, formerly "Briorate", which formed the junction between Lugdunum (Lyon) and the city of Genova (Geneva)
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Advice from the Office
Around the cellar of Chinves, the vineyards of Seillonnaz and their iconic barn with a pointed roof offer an unmissable photo spot.
To find out more about the ancient history of Briord, Pérouges Bugey Tourisme has designed a free audio-tour to download from Izi.Travel.
Tips for photographers
Around the cellar of Chinves, the vineyards of Seillonnaz and their iconic barn with a pointed roof offer an unmissable photo spot.
History, culture and heritage
The Gallo-Roman remains of Briord can be discovered at the Archaeological Museum of Briord (by appointment).