OUR REGION OF BRITTANY

Brittany is a former independent kingdom and duchy, and a province of France. It is also, more generally, the name of the cultural area whose limits correspond to the old province and independent duchy. Brittany is one of the six Celtic nations. It was at one time called "Lesser Britain".

Brittany occupies a large peninsula in the northwest of France, lying between the English Channel to the north and the Bay of Biscay to the south. Its land area is 34,034 km² (13,137 sq mi). The historical province of Brittany is divided into five departments: to the west is Finistère, Côtes-d'Armor lies to the North, Ille-et-Vilaine is in the north-east, Loire-Atlantique is to the south-east and Morbihan lies in the middle, bordering the Bay of Biscay.

Besides its numerous intact manors and châteaux, Brittany also has several old fortified towns. The walled city of Saint-Malo, a popular tourist attraction, is also an important port linking Brittany with England and the Channel Islands. It also was the birthplace of the historian Louis Duchesne, acclaimed author Chateaubriand, famous corsair Surcouf and explorer Jacques Cartier. The town of Roscoff is served by ferry links with England and Ireland.

 

 

Finistère is the most westerly part of metropolitan France and is the region where Breton survives most strongly as a spoken language. Breton-speaking schools are called Diwan, Divyezh and Dihun.

The varied, stunning and unspoilt coast of North West Finistere seems to go on and on forever. Tiny coves, huge beaches, rocky granite cliffs, tiny fishing ports, ancient villages and breath taking wild countryside.

The moment you arrive and breathe in that pure clean sea air and take in a vista, largely unspoilt by progress, you know that you are somewhere very special.

All of this plus the endearing Breton culture and people make up what is arguably one of the most healthy, peaceful and beautiful places in Europe.

Finistere retains much more of it’s Breton culture and traditions than the other departments of Brittany and the Northernmost region even more so.