Rieux-en-Val

Rieux -en- Val ( Catalan: Rius en Val ) is a southern French village with 87 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) in the Aude department ( Languedoc- Roussillon ).

Location

Rieux -en -Val is located at about 190 meters above sea level. inst on the north bank of the - now mostly dried up - river Sou, a tributary of the Orbieu in the mountainous and rocky landscape of the Corbières, the department roads 42 and 110, just over 11 km ( driving distance ) west of the former Abbey of Sainte -Marie de Lagrasse. The nearest large city, Carcassonne is located approximately 28 kilometers north-west.

Demographics

In the first census in France in 1793, the city had 126 inhabitants; End of the 19th century, it was a short time over 200

Economy

The residents of Rieux -en -Val lived for centuries - largely on the principle of self-sufficiency - from the proceeds of their stony fields and of their sheep and goats; wine was also grown on a small scale. Today ( Apartment rentals ( gîtes ) ), tourism plays an important role in the revenue of the town.

History

For the history of the site has no information; approximately 500 meters east of the village situated medieval bridge over a now often dried out and only in winter or water-bearing waters after heavy summer storms, but points out that there formerly was a frequently used way. The principal and / or builder of the bridge were very likely monks of the Benedictine Abbey of Lagrasse nearby.

Attractions

The occupied with irregular and only slightly smoothed cobbles mullioned and multiply easily stepped medieval bridge is surrounded by about 80 centimeters high lateral parapet walls; she is a total of about 47 meters long and only about 1.60 meters wide. The small width of the bridge makes it likely that it must have been to a pedestrian or equestrian bridge. For the derivation of floating debris ( tree trunks and stone rubble ) bach located upstream pier heads are pointed. Similar bridge structures can still be found frequently in the Mediterranean ( Italy, the Balkans, Catalonia ); they are usually dated to the period from the 12th to the 15th century. Why do we raised the center sheet, is ultimately unclear - possibly wanted or you could (still) do not build segmental arches, which - had a flat routing allows - with the same span. The bridge was added in 1926 to the list of Monuments historiques.