Timeline

Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Brienne is a former road terminal located in the early 18th century in the department of Saône-et-Loire. Located west of Cuisery, at the crossroads of roads D 975 and D 971 (former national roads 34 and 37), it marked the junction between two main lines of communication: the east-west transversal link between Franche-Comté and Bourbonnais, and the road from Bourg-en-Bresse to Chalon-sur-Saône via Romenay and Cuisery. Graved in limestone, it indicated the directions of Besançon, Louhans, Lons-le-Saunier, and Bourbon-Lancy.

The column, which is now partially degraded in spite of a flowered area, bears witness to the organization of road networks under the Old Regime. It also mentions secondary destinations such as Saint-Amour (Jura), reflecting its role as a landmark for travellers and merchants of the time. Classified as a historical monument by decree of 31 October 1939, this terminal belongs to the municipality of Brienne and illustrates the heritage of pre-revolutionary infrastructures in Burgundy-Franche-Comté.

Its strategic location, at the branch line of major tracks, emphasized the importance of Brienne as a communications hub between the provinces. The inscriptions, although eroded, remain a rare vestige of road signs before modern standardization. The boundary is now protected for its historical value and its representative character of 18th century road developments.

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