The Michelin Guide says that the Hôtel de Ville, or Town Hall, in Noyers has a façade that dates back only to the 18th century. The foundations of the building date to the 12 century, and it was re-built in the 15th. Then, after a fire, it was given a new façade three centuries later. The Hôte de Ville is just across the way from the charcuterie that I posted about earlier.
You can see the plaque on the right in the larger photo above, at the Hôtel de Ville (lower right corner). It shows how high the waters of the Serein River rose in a flood on 25 September 1866.
Noyers has 78 buildings that are classified or registered as monuments historiques, most of them from the 15th century. Most have never been significantly modified over the centuries. Of course there have been floods and fires over that time, but the town has survived fairly unscathed. Nowadays, Noyers lives essentially on tourism.
Ken, can you explain the use of the word crue, instead of inondation? I think I've seen the phrase la grande crue used to refer to the time that the Seine flooded over into nearby streets of Paris, around 1900-- now I see this-- but, I was unaware of the term. How are the two terms different? Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteLa crue is the crest of a river. When it crests, a river doesn't necessarily flood the surrounding lands. But sometimes it does. Ten or twelve years ago, when we first came to live here, the Loire was en crue at Blois and at Amboise. There were some inondations around Blois but not at Amboise, where the levées are higher. We drove up to Amboise on a December Sunday (along with a lot of other people) to see the event. (How's that for franglais?)
DeleteHere is an old web page of mine about that day in Amboise when the Loire was en crue and approached flood stage .
DeleteThanks, Ken!
DeletePerhaps the flood was on July 25th- 25 7? The Place de L'Hotel plaque seems out of place somehow. Is that guy a Roman or an American Indian?
ReplyDeleteEvelyn
ReplyDeleteSept-em- bre : 7-BRE
Beaver- thanks! I will think of September the same way lol.
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BIRTHDAY, KEN!!!!!
ReplyDelete