Brière ( br, Ar Briwer) is the

marsh A marsh is a wetland that is dominated by herbaceous rather than woody plant species.Keddy, P.A. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation (2nd edition). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 497 p Marshes can often be found a ...

area to the north of the

Loire The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhône ...

estuary An estuary is a partially enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environm ...

in France at its mouth on the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. The residents of Brière are called ''Briérons''. The Brière marsh area includes a vast area of humid zones stretching from the

Gulf of Morbihan The Gulf of Morbihan is a natural harbour on the coast of the department of Morbihan in southern Brittany, France. Its English name is taken from the French version, ''le golfe du Morbihan'', though it would be more precisely called 'the Mo ...

and the estuary of the

Vilaine The Vilaine (; br, Gwilen) is a river in Brittany, in the west of France. The river's source is in the Mayenne ''département'' (53), and it flows out into the Atlantic Ocean at Pénestin in the Morbihan ''département'' (56). It is 218 km ...

to the north, to the

salt marsh A salt marsh or saltmarsh, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. It is domin ...

es of Guérande to the west to the estuary of the Loire and the

Lac de Grand-Lieu Lac de Grand-Lieu () is a lake located to the southwest of Nantes, in the Loire-Atlantique, France, and almost entirely in Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu. At an elevation of , its surface area is , making it the largest lake in France in winter, bu ...

in the south.

Peat Peat (), also known as turf (), is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, moors, or muskegs. The peatland ecosystem covers and is the most efficient ...

used to be harvested here. The Brière territory extends over , including of humid zone, at the heart of which lies the Grande Brière Mottière which encompasses and 21 communes. It is rich in

flora Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' ...

and

fauna Fauna is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is ''flora'', and for fungi, it is ''funga''. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively referred to as ''Biota (ecology ...

, and navigation is possible with

boat A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size, shape, cargo or passenger capacity, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically found on inl ...

s called chalands. Cottages are a common sight in the area, with around 3000

thatched Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge (''Cladium mariscus''), rushes, heather, or palm branches, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. Since the bulk of ...

roof cottages dotted throughout the area. Alphonse de Chateaubriant's prize-winning novel '' La Brière'' (translated as ''Passion and Peat''), 1923, is set in the area and describes its traditions and culture. It has been suggested that the small islands of the Brière, now joined by silt, could have been the location of the

Cassiterides The Cassiterides ( el, Κασσιτερίδες, meaning "Tin Islands", from κασσίτερος, ''kassíteros'' "tin") are an ancient geographical name used to refer to a group of islands whose precise location is unknown, but which was believ ...

- islands mentioned in antiquity as the Phoenician source of tin.Dion, "Le problème des Cassitérides," ''Latomus'' 11 (1952:306-14)

Communes of Brière

The following communes are found in Brière *

La Chapelle-des-Marais La Chapelle-des-Marais (; br, Chapel-ar-Geunioù) is a Communes of France, commune in the Loire-Atlantique Departments of France, department in western France.La Chapelle-des-Marais is located 25 km north of Saint-Nazaire, 42 km south o ...

* Crossac * Montoir-de-Bretagne * Saint-André-des-Eaux, Loire-Atlantique * Saint-Joachim (the commune covering most of la Grande Brière) *

Saint-Lyphard Saint-Lyphard (; br, Sant-Lefer) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. It is named after Saint Liphardus, a 6th-century AD abbot of the monastery established at Meung-sur-Loire. See also * La Baule - Guérande Pen ...

Saint-Malo-de-Guersac Saint-Malo-de-Guersac (; br, Sant-Maloù-Gwersac'h) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. It was created in 1925 from part of the commune of Montoir-de-Bretagne. It is located from Saint-Nazaire in Brière. See a ...

* Saint-Nazaire * Sainte-Reine-de-Bretagne * Trignac Traditionally, 21 communes are considered part of Brière (source

pdf file) : *

La Baule-Escoublac La Baule-Escoublac (; br, Ar Baol-Skoubleg, ), commonly referred to as La Baule, is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department, Pays de la Loire, western France. A century-old seaside resort in southern Brittany with villas, casino, luxury ho ...

Besné Besné (; br, Gwennenid) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. Population See also *Communes of the Loire-Atlantique department The following is a list of the 207 communes of the Loire-Atlantique department ...

La Chapelle-Launay La Chapelle-Launay (; br, Chapel-ar-Wern) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department, western France. Location Located halfway between Nantes and St. Nazaire, it is well served by transport networks. The town is in the west of the Loire ...

* Crossac *

Donges Donges (; br, Donez) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in the region of Pays de la Loire, France. Population See also *Communes of the Loire-Atlantique department * Parc naturel régional de Brière *André Bizette-Lindet And ...

* Guérande *

Herbignac Herbignac (; Gallo: ''Èrbinyac'', br, Erbigneg) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. Population See also * Château de Ranrouët *La Baule - Guérande Peninsula *Communes of the Loire-Atlantique department Th ...

* Missillac * Montoir-de-Bretagne * Prinquiau *

Pontchâteau Pontchâteau (; br, Pontkastell-Keren) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. Population Personalities *Jacques Demy (19311990), film director. *Lydie Denier (1964), actress. See also *Communes of the Loire-Atlant ...

* Pornichet * Saint-André-des-Eaux * Saint-Joachim *

* Saint-Nazaire * Sainte-Reine-de-Bretagne * Trignac *

La Turballe La Turballe (; br, An Turball) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. This commune is known for its harbor, which is the first fishing harbor in the region. Every summer, there is a sardine party (fête de la sardine ...

The Brière Regional Natural Park encompasses 17 communes (source

pdf file) * Assérac *

* Crossac *

* Guérande *

* Missillac * Montoir-de-Bretagne * Saint-André-des-Eaux * Saint-Joachim *

Saint-Molf Saint-Molf (; br, Sant-Molf) is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France. Population See also *La Baule - Guérande Peninsula *Communes of the Loire-Atlantique department The following is a list of the 207 communes o ...

* Saint-Nazaire * Sainte-Reine-de-Bretagne * Trignac

References

External links

tourist information
{{DEFAULTSORT:Briere Marshes of France Ramsar sites in Metropolitan France Landforms of Brittany