Road trenches in Eastern France in the 18th century. A geohistorical contribution to the study of the lack of security in rural areas
Rochel, Xavier
Road trenches in Eastern France in the 18th century. A geohistorical contribution to the study of the lack of security in rural areas - 2020.
34
Anti-highwaymen trenches are defined as linear clearings made on each side of a road, in order to provide travellers with a sense of security against lurking highwaymen. One can consider them as signs of past insecurity in rural and forested areas. We tried to map out this little-known landscape heritage. A total of almost 280 km of trenches has been identified on the territory of the Grand Est region. All identified trenches seem to date back to the 18th Century, associated with a high risk of highway robbery and military ambushes in a region situated on the borders between France and the Germanic Empire.
Road trenches in Eastern France in the 18th century. A geohistorical contribution to the study of the lack of security in rural areas - 2020.
34
Anti-highwaymen trenches are defined as linear clearings made on each side of a road, in order to provide travellers with a sense of security against lurking highwaymen. One can consider them as signs of past insecurity in rural and forested areas. We tried to map out this little-known landscape heritage. A total of almost 280 km of trenches has been identified on the territory of the Grand Est region. All identified trenches seem to date back to the 18th Century, associated with a high risk of highway robbery and military ambushes in a region situated on the borders between France and the Germanic Empire.
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