Barzan () is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of south-western France.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Barzanais or Barzanaises.
The commune is the site of a major Gallo-Roman site of Barzan structured excavations carried out since 1994. Aerial photographs and the first archaeological excavations have revealed the presence of a Gallo-Roman port city of great importance (a monumental Gallo-Roman temple, baths, forum, theatre etc.). Other remains are the subject of annual excavations.
It seems almost certain that this Gallo-Roman town is the Novioregum indicated in the Antonine Itinerary. It could also be the Portus Santonum (the port of the Santones) described by Ptolemy.
Geography
Barzan is located some 30 km south-west of Saintes and 15 km south-east of Royan in the former province of Saintonge. Access to the commune is by the D145 road from Meschers-sur-Gironde along the coast to the north-west which passes through the commune and continues south-east to Saint-Fort-sur-Gironde. The D114 branches from the D145 near the village and goes north to Arces. Apart from the village there are the hamlets of Barzan Plage, Chez Grenon, Les Monards - a small port, Chez Garnier, Les Grandes Mottes Gachin, and Les Maisons Neuves.
In the south-west the commune borders the Atlantic Ocean where there is a small beach resort built in the 1960s. The Riviere de Chauvignac flows south outside the eastern border to join the Ruisseau de Désir which forms the eastern border of the commune as it flows south to join the Riviere de Chauvignac to form the Monards Channel at Les Monards which connects to the sea.
Geology and Relief
The commune is located in the heart of a region of limestone hills overlooking the Gironde estuary. The Littoral zone extends from the Bay of Chant-Dorat, west of the commune, to the Monards Channel in the south, consists essentially of an alternation of muddy intertidal zones and Limestone cliffs which are relatively eroded and are termed dead zones in the southern part of the commune. This term is explained by the gradual retreat of the shoreline and the partial silting of the estuary at this point leaving the cliffs, once battered by the waves, several hundred metres from the waters of the estuary, in the middle of the swampy areas. This type of landscape, found mostly near Mortagne-sur-Gironde, marks the beginning of what is sometimes called the Charente Camargue. In the north-west the Caillaud cliffs mark the border with the commune of Talmont-sur-Gironde.
Vegetation
The commune is sparsely wooded but has a forest covering the valley of Font Vielle.
The landscape is strongly marked by the cultivation of cereals, - especially wheat and maize - as well as vineyards: the vines that cover the hillsides are used particularly in the production of cognac (the town is classified as "Bons Bois") and for the production of Charentais Wine (called Talmonais).
Toponymy
The name Barzan comed from the Latin Barisiacum from the Gallo-Roman anthroponym Barisii with the Gallo-Roman suffix -acum indicating ownership transformed into the Latin suffix -anum. In the Middle Ages the village was called Barlan then Balzan. When the village became a commune the name Barzan was used.
Barzan appears as Barzan on the 1750 Cassini Map and the same on the 1790 version.
History
A prehistoric settlement
The commune was inhabited very early, at least from Neolithic times, which is evidenced by the discovery of numerous traces in various parts of the commune especially near the hill of La Garde which overlooks the Gironde estuary. In 1877 Eutrope Jouan, a local historian, reported the uncovering of fragments of polished axes and arrowheads. This discovery would be confirmed almost a century later, in 1970, by remnants of ceramics attributed to the Matignons and the Peu-Richardiens. Layers of ash and stone fireplaces were found nearby and the presence of a cemetery a few metres from the site showed proof of the presence of a habitat there in about 3500 years BC.