Witness to the prestigious past of the town, the Taillée moat (seawater arm), is located at the level of the old port. Built from the 12th century, the village of "Bourg Neuf" quickly became more important than the first parish of the town of Saint Cyr en Retz.
Presentation of: Etier de la Taillee et ancien port de Bourgneuf
The gradual siltation of the Gulf of Machecoul, imposes the need to approach the sea to continue trade and trade in goods with the countries of the North; Scotland, Holland, Belgium ... At this time, the former Bay of Brittany was better known for its salt trade than its rival Guérande.
In 1725, there were still 437 boats leaving the Port of Bourgneuf, filled with 4 to 500 barrels. The surrounding stalls allow the salt collected in the 1,300 hectares of salt marshes to be brought back up, using small wooden boats called "cats", and to see this food transported by sea throughout the Pays de Retz, Nantes and throughout Europe. The Taillée stall measures 60 meters wide and 4 meters deep.
Around this district, there are also street names evocative of the past; the street of the "mariners", the street of the "Good Port", the street of the "Rope Factory" ...
The progressive siltation of the Bay of Bourgneuf, the wars of Vendée, and the French Revolution will have the upper hand over this prestigious past.
