Road Map Brittany (AA Touring Map France 01): No. 1

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Main article: Kingdom of Brittany A 1922 nationalist engraving of Nominoe, first king of Brittany Battle of Ar Roc'h-Derrien during the War of the Breton Succession

In the meantime, several laws were promoted to open schools, notably for girls. In 1882, Jules Ferry succeeded in passing a law which made primary education in France free, non-clerical (laïque) and mandatory. Thus, free schools were opened in almost every villages of Brittany. Another attraction in Concarneau is the Musée de la Pêche ( Fisheries Museum), which displays exhibits related to fishing and has a documentation center with publications about maritime activities and fisheries. The museum also presents temporary artistic exhibits with a theme of fishing, sailing, or the sea. Visitors can begin a walking tour at the Place de la Mairie to admire the Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall), built in 1734. West of the Place de la Mairie is the Eglise Saint-Sauveur, a lovely church built from the 17th to the 18th centuries. East of the Town Hall is the Place du Parlement de Bretagne encircled by 18th-century houses. Capital cities [ edit ] The Château des ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, permanent residence of the last dukes Brittany lies within the north temperate zone. It has a changeable, maritime climate, similar to Cornwall. Rainfall occurs regularly but sunny, cloudless days are also common. In the summer months, temperatures in the region can reach 30°C (86°F), yet the climate remains comfortable, especially when compared to the French regions located south of the Loire. The temperature difference between summer and winter is about 15 degrees, but it varies depending on the proximity of the sea. The weather is generally milder on the seacoast than inland but rainfall occurs with the same intensity on both. The Monts d'Arrée, despite their low elevation, have much more rainfall than the rest of the region. The south coast, between Lorient and Pornic, enjoys more than 2,000 hours of sunshine per year. [44] Flora and fauna [ edit ] An ocean sunfish exhibiting its characteristic horizontal basking behaviour several miles off PenmarchWhen the region of Brittany was created, several local politicians opposed the exclusion of Loire-Atlantique, and the question still remains.

Government policies in the 19th and 20th centuries made education compulsory and, at the same time, forbade the use of Breton in schools to push non-French speakers into adopting the French language. Nevertheless, until the 1960s Breton was spoken or understood by many of the inhabitants of western Brittany. During the 1970s, Breton schools were opened and the local authorities started to promote the language, which was on the brink of extinction because parents had stopped teaching it to their children. At the end of the 19th century, several seaside resorts were created along the coast and villas and hotels were built in historicist, Art Nouveau, and later in the Art Deco styles. These architectures are particularly present in Dinard, La Baule and Bénodet. Architecture from the 20th century can be seen in Saint-Nazaire, Brest and Lorient, three cities destroyed during the Second World War and rebuilt afterwards, and in the works of the Breton nationalist architects like James Bouillé and Olier Mordrel. A French map of the traditional regions of Brittany in Ancien Régime France. The earlier state of Domnonia or Domnonée that united Brittany comprised the counties along the north coast Immigration of the Britons [ edit ] What amazed us most on our Brittany road trip, a region in the northwest of France were the absolute jaw-dropping panoramas that we came across. From the raw coastal stretches to the medieval towns, there was such amazing diversity on display. One of the highlights of this coastal area is Perros-Guirec, a popular seaside resort in Brittany and favorite destination among Breton families. Perros-Guirec has three sandy beaches with kids' clubs, as well as opportunities for water sports during summer. View over TrébeurdenThe celebrated letter-writer Madame de Sévigné stayed here between 1644 and 1690, during which time she wrote letters to her daughter (which are now well known in the French literary canon). In 1689, the son of Madame de Sévigné commissioned royal gardener André Le Nôtre to create the formal French gardens on the estate. The main hub of activity on Belle-Île-en-Mer is Le Palais, an interesting town with many restaurants, hotels, art galleries, and artisans' workshops. Tourists may take self-guided tours or guided tours of Château de Josselin to admire the lavish interior. The sitting and dining rooms feature monumental fireplaces, and the library contains more than 3,000 antique books. Gardens in the Château de Josselin The village of Rochefort-en-Terre (35 kilometers away from Vannes) is listed as one of France's "Plus Beaux Villages" (Most Beautiful Villages) as well as a "Village Fleuris" ("Flowering Village") because of the vibrant flowers that decorate the town. The Château de Fougères presides over the charming town of Fougères (50 kilometers northeast of Rennes), nestled in a tranquil landscape of forests and agricultural land. With the appearance of a fairy-tale castle, this formidable château has 13 towers around a circuit of fortifications.