BRETAGNE (BRITTANY)
GENERAL INFORMATION
Bretagne
(Brittany) is one of the 26 régions of France. It occupies a large peninsula in
the northwest of the country, lying between the English Channel to the north
and the Bay of Biscay to the south. Its capital city is Rennes.
Bretagne is considered France's number
one agricultural and fishing région, accounting for 10% of national production.
There is also a great deal of industrial activity, and the local authorities
have embarked on a campaign to promote the development of advanced
technologies. The capital, Rennes, is an international center for
telecommunications research.
There are four Départements within Bretagne : Finistère, Ille-et-Villaine,
Morbihan, Côtes d'Armor. Its main
cities are Rennes, Fougères, Redon, Saint-Malo,
Saint-Brieuc, Dinan, Guingamp, Lannion, Quimper, Brest, Châteaulin, Morlaix,
Vannes, Lorient, Pontivy.
HISTORY
The
région of Bretagne is made up of 80% of the former duchy and province of
Brittany. The remaining 20% of Brittany is the Loire-Atlantique département
which lies inside the Pays-de-la-Loire région, with its capital Nantes, which
was the historical capital of the duchy of Brittany.
Part
of the reason why Brittany was split between two modern day régions was to
avoid the rivalry between Rennes and Nantes. Although Nantes had been the main
capital of the duchy of Brittany until the 16th century, Rennes had been the
seat of the parlement of Brittany between 1560 and 1789. Rennes had also been
the administrative capital of the intendance of Brittany between 1689 and 1789.
Intendances were the most important administrative units of the kingdom of
France in the 17th and 18th centuries. As for the provincial states of
Brittany, which originally met every two years in a different city of Brittany,
they had only met in Rennes from 1728 to 1789 (with only the exceptions of
1730, 1758, and 1760). Despite that, the "Chambre des comptes" staid in Nantes
till 1789. Note that Vannes (Gwened in breton) used to be the first
administrative capital of the duchy from 1381 till the end of the 15th century,
keeping the seat of the "Chambre des comptes" till 1491/99, and the one of the
"Parlement" till 1553, and between 1675 and 1689.
Thus,
when French régions were created, it was decided in 1941 to create a région of
Bretagne with Rennes as its capital, and another région created specifically
for Nantes, which was called Pays-de-la-Loire.
Pays-de-la-Loire is made up of a part of Brittany, but also several
other historical provinces.
THINGS
TO DO AND SEE
It is difficult to
resist Brittany’s charm and to escape being captivated by the land created by
the vagaries of wind, water and time.
Along
a coastline where steep cliffs give way to fine sandy beaches, historic fishing
villages nestle side by side with renowned seaside resorts. Inland, the heath
merges into rolling hills and lakes and marshes conceal oases of green.
French
markets in Brittany are a delight and are a part of the life of the villages
and towns. They are picturesque, full of life, and a place to see and meet
interesting people. Village markets are excellent for a variety of items you
won't find in normal shops.
Many
people discover what Brittany has to offer on bicycle - you can go at your own
speed and choose your own route, and there is something special about getting
off the beaten track and discovering unspoilt landscapes for yourself. You will
have some rare experiences, as when you spot a kingfisher in flight, start a
hare from your path or stop to examine a rare wild flower. You can idle down a
little lane, leading either to the sea or to a river and perhaps find a cove
that motorists never see. Brittany is full of quiet byways passing through
beautiful little villages.
Brittany has a total of 1,700 kilometres of
coastal footpaths running along capes, headlands, dunes and beaches. These
footpaths are extremely accessible and follow the entire length of the
coastline, passing through superb scenery. Now maintained for rambling and
walking, they once had a major role to play in coastal surveillance, being
originally used to combat smuggling and wreck-looting, hence the term "Customs
Paths". But times have changed, and these paths are now the preserve of
nature-lovers, dedicated hikers, those keen for a taste of adventure and others
simply out for a stroll.