Blaye (; oc, Blaia ) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

and

subprefecture A subprefecture is an administrative division of a country that is below prefecture or province. Albania There are twelve Albanian counties or prefectures, each of which is divided into several districts, sometimes translated as subprefectures. ...

in the Gironde department in

Nouvelle-Aquitaine Nouvelle-Aquitaine (; oc, Nòva Aquitània or ; eu, Akitania Berria; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Novéle-Aguiéne'') is the largest administrative region in France, spanning the west and southwest of the mainland. The region was created by ...

in southwestern France. For centuries, Blaye was a particularly convenient crossing point for those who came from the north and went to

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefect ...

or further south, to Spain and Portugal. Fortified since antiquity, this eminently strategic site located on the bank of a large river, was modernized at the end of the 17th century, thanks to Vauban. In 1685, the ''Commissaire general des fortifications'' of Louis XIV proposed the construction of a real lock on the Gironde in order to "take control of the river" and to hold Bordeaux in case of a revolt. It is then that the citadel of Blaye was built, constituting the major element of the estuary control system. Dominating the urban landscape, this imposing building has been listed as a

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World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for h ...

since 2008, as part of a group of structures engineered by Vauban, in testimony to their global influence on military architecture and planning over the next few centuries.

Population

Its inhabitants are called ''Blayais'' or ''Blayaises'' in French.

Geography

Blaye is located on the right bank of the Gironde estuary (which is some wide at this point), close to the A10 autoroute, north of

. There is a rail line with occasional freight trains, but no passenger services. A small ferry crosses the Gironde to Lamarque, in Medoc.

History

In ancient times Blaye (''Blavia'') was a port of the

Santones The Santoni or Santones ( grc, Σαντόνων, Σάντονες) were a Gallic tribe dwelling in the later region of Saintonge during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name These people are noted as ''Santonum'', ''Santonos'' and ''Santoni ...

. Tradition states that the

Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages * Francia, a post-Roman state in France and Germany * East Francia, the successor state to Francia in Germany ...

hero Roland was buried in its basilica, which was on the site of the citadel. It is an important location in the epic '' Jourdain de Blaye''. Blaye was early an important stronghold which played an important part in the wars against the English (who burnt it in 1352) and the

French Wars of Religion The French Wars of Religion is the term which is used in reference to a period of civil war between French Catholics and Protestants, commonly called Huguenots, which lasted from 1562 to 1598. According to estimates, between two and four mi ...

(when it was the site of a Spanish naval victory in 1593). The duchess of Berry was imprisoned in its fortress in 1832–1833. The town was formerly named Blaye-et-Sainte-Luce and was renamed ''Blaye'' in June 1961.

Sights

The town has a citadel built by Vauban on a rock beside the river, which contains the ruins of a medieval castle,

Château des Rudel The Château des Rudel is a château in Blaye, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas region ...

(''fr''), and the ruins of Basilica of Saint-Romain, which holds the tomb of Charibert II,

king of Aquitaine The Duchy of Aquitaine ( oc, Ducat d'Aquitània, ; french: Duché d'Aquitaine, ) was a historical fiefdom in western, central, and southern areas of present-day France to the south of the river Loire, although its extent, as well as its name, fluc ...

, and son of

Clotaire II Chlothar II, sometime called "the Young" (French: le Jeune), (May/June 584 – 18 October 629), was king of Neustria and king of the Franks, and the son of Chilperic I and his third wife, Fredegund. He started his reign as an infant under the r ...

. Nearby,

Fort Paté Fort Paté is a round, tower-like Vauban fort on Paté Island in the Gironde estuary, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France. It, with its twin Fort Médoc on the mainland and the citadel of Blaye, protected Bordeaux from attack by sea. With them, it wa ...

, on an island in the river, and Fort Médoc on its left bank, also of the 17th century, completed Vauban's defenses of the water approaches of Bordeaux . The citadel of Blaye, its city walls,

and Fort Médoc (the latter in nearby Cussac-Fort-Médoc) were listed in 2008 as

World Heritage Sites A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

, as part of the "

Fortifications of Vauban A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

" group.

Economy

Blaye has a small river-port, mainly used for grain exports. Fine red wine is produced in the district, in the

AOC Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (; ; born October 13, 1989), also known by her initials AOC, is an American politician and activist. She has served as the U.S. representative for New York's 14th congressional district since 2019, as a member of ...

Côtes de Blaye. A large nuclear power station with four reactors is located nearby.

Education

Several schools are located in Blaye. Public schools include the following: * École Maternelle Pierre Bergeon * École Maternelle Lucien Grosperrin * École Elementaire Pierre Malbeteau * École Elementaire Andre Vallaeys

Legal institutions

The town has tribunals of first instance and of commerce.

Twin towns — sister cities

Blaye is twinned with: * Măcin