The name Researchers originally though the name came from the French word bar, or barbell, a freshwater fish pictured on the coat of arms of local nobles; but actually it comes from the Celtic word bar, which means fortress or stronghold.
History working in progress
“Le vilain castel de Bard” THAT MADE NAPOLEON SUSPICIOUS. It is quite impressive seeing a print from 1829 representing the fortress of Bard after it was destroyed by Napoleon, because this place, with its strategic position at the top of a rocky spur overlooking a river gorge and a single road, seems meant to be fortified. And so 30 years after it was demolished by Napoleon, Carlo Felice of Savoy, fearing a new attack by the French, had it rebuilt. The imposing fort that dominates the valley was completed in 1838, after eight years of work, and today it has three structures set on different levels: Opera Ferdinando at he bottom, Opera Vittorio in the middle, and Opera Carlo Alberto at the top. Still considered a masterpiece of military architecture, the new fortress, compact and massive, was composed of barracks, covered communication trenches, imposing walls and loopholes that entirely occupied the sides of the rocky spur; it had 238 rooms and could accommodate up to 1000 people. The fortress fell into decline at the end of 1800s and was used first as a prison and later as a munitions depot. The medieval village, with its roof tiled with lose, the local slate, winds around the foot of the fort along the ancient Roman consular road, of which a number of traces remain: a stretch of rod, arches, walls, and the bridge over the stream. In the village, 25 houses have been declared historical landmarks: Casa Nicole (street no. 41-45) was built in the 15th century partially over one of the gates to the village, belonged to the De Jordians nobles, becoming the residence of the Nicole family, who were the last Counts of Bard, in 1744. On the plaster outside the house you can see the marks left by the bullets fired in May 1800 by those defending the fort against the Napoleonic army. Casa Challant (no. 46), built in the fifteenth century, was the residence of Count Filiberto di Challant; it is placed near a characteristic arcade, has a façade with beautiful carved stone windows the remains of ancient frescoes. Casa Valperga (no. 22) is recognizable by the mullioned window (vertically divided) in the middle of the façade and two cross-style windows. Generally, the ancient palaces preserve inside stone stairs, passes, beams and doors made in medieval style. The square bell tower of the Parish Church (XIV century) is interesting thanks to the three orders of windows. In the village centre, near the fountain (1598) is a 170 cm-tall stone column topped with a human head of which origins and significance are still unknown. This little town, which cover just three square kilometres, has two natural attractions: the potholes that are round cavities cut into the rock of the river bed, and the erratic boulders, left by quaternary glaciers movements; both are visible near the present-day cemetery. Other legacies left by men over the centuries are the Neolithic rock engravings ate the foot of the fort, and the ruins of the Hospice of Saint Jean de la Pierre (XII-XIII centuries) along the road to Donnas.
Local Products On a narrow strip of land along the Dora and few terraces at the edges of the ancient Roman road, some tenacious growers managed to produce an excellent wine with an enchanting name. Rocchi di Bard. This wine, famous even in ancient times, is made from Nebbiolo grapes, boasts a brilliant red colour tending towards garnet, an almond fragrance and an alcohol content of 12 percent.
The name
