Briere

The Briere is a huge peat bog in the Loire Atlantique department, north of St Nazaire. It was named as a regional park in 1970, and is one of the oldest in France, though at only 40,000 hectares, one of the smallest.

For many years the Briere furnished peat to heat the homes of Nantes, Vannes, and the area between. The peat was cut when wet and left to dry by the many Briere canals before being transported. Once dry it was so hard that it could be used as a roofing material, and even sculpted like wood.

Many houses in the region have thatched roofs - the thatching being taken from the bog.

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