|  The Geography of Brittany Brittany (Breizh) is a peninsula between 62 and 93 miles wide which extends 150 miles, on the northwestern corner of France. To the north lies the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean and the Bay of Biscay lie to the west and south respectively. Basse-Normandie lies to the northeast. Pays-de-la-Loire lies to the east. Throughout history, Brittany has been culturally and geographically separate from the remainder of France. Brittany northern coast is long and jagged dotted with islands, some small and others large. There are magnificent beaches which are swept clean by huge tides. There are many fishing ports and oyster beds. The south coast is gentler, with wooded river valleys and a milder climate. The west, being exposed to the Atlantic winds, has a ruggedness that justifies the name Finistčre, - the end of the earth (Pen ar Bed in Breton). Important rivers, in Brittany, include the Loire, Odet, Vilaine, and Sčvre Nantaise. At 21,366 square miles, Brittany is slightly larger than Belgium or twice the size of New Jersey. Nowhere in Brittany is one more than 47 miles from the sea. Its climate is wet throughout the winter but mild and often very hot in the summer. There is a noticeable temperature difference between the north and south coasts. In the summer months, it can be several degrees warmer on the southern coast. Known to the Celts as Armorica, the land of the sea, Brittany is a Région of France. Its historical area was somewhat larger than the current Région Bretagne which includes only four of the five historic Breton Départements. The major cities are Nantes (Naoned) and Saint Nazaire (Sant Nazer) in the southeast, which forms the major port at the mouth of the river Loire. Rennes (Roazhon) has been the capital of Brittany since the Middle Ages, and is now capital of the Région. The five Breton Départements are: 1) Ile-et-Vilaine; Rennes is also the capital of the Département.
2) Cotes d'Armor (originally the Cotes du Nord); St-Brieuc is the capital of the Département.
3) Morbihan; La Trinité sur Mer is the famous port on the southern coast of Brittany.
4) Finistčere; Brest is the capital of this Département which is the most Breton. Many people speak and/or understand Breton.
5) Loire Atlantique; although historically a part of Brittany it is no longer an official Département. Nantes, the original capital of Brittany is located in Loire Atlantique Brittany has a population of 3,847,663 persons according to the 1990 Census. Three languages are spoken in Brittany: French, Gallo and Breton. French is the official language. In eastern Brittany (Haute-Bretagne or Breizh Uhel), a dialect of French called Gallo is spoken. In western Brittany (Basse-Bretagne or Breizh Izel) the language is Breton (Brezhoneg). There are no towns at all where Breton is the dominant language, although a majority of residents in towns of less than 10,000 residents in inland Bass-Bretagne can at least understand the language. The strongest Breton speaking areas are also the poorest agricultural land in Brittany, and so are the most affected by emigration. The Celtic culture of Brittanyis most visible in Basse-Bretagne. In Quimper, and in the Pays Bigouden, crčpes, cider, women dressed in traditional costume and coiffe (the typical Breton lace head-dress) and Celtic music are still a part of the Breton lifestyle. Vannes, Dinan and Rennes, the Breton capital, have medieval quarters where well preserved half-timbered buildings cover markets, shops, crčperies and restaurants. Like many other Celtic nations Brittany was for a long time isolated. Because of this its Celtic culture has been preserved. It is rich in local history and proud of its ancient stone monuments, its stone houses with their roofs of slate, its medieval wayside crosses, and its tiny chapels. There is a strong sense, in the soul of these tiny villages, of how life was when Brittany was isolated from the rest of the country by impregnable forest, and the French language was not heard in Brittany.
Go to Brittany Directory Go to Breton Language Go to Breton Links
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