The use of the wooden bridge, built in 1853 to replace the ferry, was prohibited in 1896 following the breakage of an oak plank constituting the deck, under the passage of a heavy cart. The current metal drawbridge dating from 1901 supports a load of 10 t. Its mobile part allows boats to pass which once used 9 locks from Niort to Marans in order to export salt, wine, eels and pottery. In 1800, prefect Dupin wrote: “Merchants from Limoges and Blanc came to buy the eels which they took in 10 or 15 cartloads at a time. After having killed them in salt, they delivered them to dealers, who, at fairs and markets, roasted them in the open air...”. Magné pottery was an old local industry which manufactured utilitarian, decorative and devotional items sold to pilgrims to Ste-Macrine.