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Commune of Douarnenez |
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| Douarnenez | ||
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| Seafront of Douarnenez | ||
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| Country | France | |
| Region | Bretagne | |
| Department | Finistère | |
| Arrondissement | Quimper | |
| Canton | Douarnenez (chief town) | |
| Intercommunality | C. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. France is divided into 26 regions or régions (in French of which 21 are in continental Metropolitan France, one is the island of Corsica, In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division Finistère (Penn-ar-Bed is a département of France, located in Brittany ( Breizh in Breton and Bretagne The 100 French departments are divided into 342 arrondissements, which may be translated into English as districts. The arrondissement of Quimper is an arrondissement of France located in the Finistère department, in the Bretagne region. The cantons of France are territorial subdivisions of the French Republic's 341 arrondissements and 100 departments. The Canton of Douarnenez is a French administrative area in the département of Finistère, in Bretagne. The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. C. du Pays de Douarnenez | |
| Mayor | Philippe Paul (2008-2014) |
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| Statistics | ||
| Elevation | 0 m–85 m | |
| Land area¹ | 24. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. 94 km² | |
| Population² (1999) |
15,827 | |
| - Density | 635/km² (1999) | |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| INSEE/Postal code | 29046/ 29100 | |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0. As of January 1, 2008, 64473140 people live in the French Republic. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume The INSEE code is a numerical indexing code used by the French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE to identify various entities including communes Postal codes were introduced in France in 1972, when La Poste introduced automated sorting. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. An estuary is a semi-enclosed Coastal body of Water with one or more Rivers or Streams flowing into it and with a free connection to the open | ||
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once. C D E | ||
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Douarnenez, (Breton: douar (land) an enez (the island) or land of the island), is a fishing-port in Brittany, north-western France, in the département of Finistère. The Breton language ( Brezhoneg) formerly often called Armoric or Armorican, is a Celtic language spoken by some of the inhabitants of Brittany Brittany (Breizh bʁejs Bretagne; Gallo: Bertaèyn) is a former independent Celtic kingdom and Duchy, now incorporated into This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. In the context of the political and geographic organization of France and many of its former colonies a department (département depaʁtǝmɑ̃ is an Administrative division Finistère (Penn-ar-Bed is a département of France, located in Brittany ( Breizh in Breton and Bretagne It lies at the mouth of the Pouldavid Estuary on the southern shore of Douarnenez Bay in the Atlantic Ocean, 25 km (15 miles) north-west of Quimper[1]. Quimper ( Breton: Kemper, Latin: Corspotium) is a commune and capital of the Finistère department in The population in 1999 was 15,827, a decrease over previous counts. It still has fish canning facilities (sardines and mackerel) although sardine fishing, for which the town became famous, has fallen off in recent years. Increasingly, Douarnenez has become an attraction for tourists, not only in view of its pleasant location and warm climate but because of its marinas, its maritime museum, its regattas and its sandy beaches. The island of Tristan off Douarnenez has a mysterious past, linked as it is to the legend of Tristan and Iseult. Tristan Island is also the name of an island in Antarctica see Tristan Island (Antarctica. The legend of Tristan and Iseult is an influential romance and tragedy retold in numerous sources with as many variations
Contents |
History
The legendary city of Ys, of Breton folklore, is believed to lie beneath Douarnenez Bay. Ys, also spelled Is or Ker-Is in Breton, and Ker-Ys in French ( ker means city in Breton is a Mythical The Bretons are a distinct Ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. The port is also associated with the medieval story of Tristan, lover of Iseult, for whom Tristan Island is named. Sir Tristan ( Latin / Brythonic: Drustanus; Welsh: Drystan; also known as Tristran, Tristram, etc Iseult (alternatively Isolde, Yseult, Isode, Isoude, Isotta) is the name of several characters in the Arthurian story of The island was originally named St Tutuarn Island after the priory founded there in the 12th century. Douarnenez has several 16th and 17th century churches, including the Church of Ploaré, which has a Gothic steeple (1548–86), and the chapels of Sainte-Croix, Sainte-Hélène, and Saint-Michel. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period.
The commune
The written history of Douarnenez begins around 1118 when, according to a charter dated 1126[2], Robert de Locuvan, bishop of Cornouaille, donated the Island of St Tutuarn and the lands belonging to it to the Abbey of Marmoutier. As a result, a priory was built on the island. In the 14th century, the island became known as Tristan. The hamlet which grew up at today's Port of Rosmeur was originally part of the parish of Ploaré. It did not become a commune in its own right until 1790. Year 1790 ( MDCCXC) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year In 1945, Douarnenez was expanded to include Ploaré, Pouldavid and Tréboul. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar [3]
The fishing port
The fishing history of Douarnenez goes back to Gallo-Roman times when, as archeological finds demonstrate, fish were salted along the cliffs of Plomarc'h. This article covers the culture of Romanized areas of Gaul. For the political history of the brief "Gallic Empire" of the 3rd century see Gallic Empire In the years before the French revolution, sardines became the driving force for the local economy, culminating in huge fishing and canning activities at the beginning of the 20th century. The French Revolution (1789–1799 was a period of political and social upheaval in the History of France, during which the French governmental structure previously an The twentieth century of the Common Era began on The strikes in the 1920s in favour of better working conditions for the factory women or Penn Sardin were the main reason why Douarnenez became one of the first communist municipalities in France. The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada Today, the canning trade continues although most of the fish are brought in from other ports. Douarnenez is still a centre of boat building and repair work.
The old railways
Douarnenez owes much of its prosperity and expansion to its old railways which provided services for passengers and goods from the end of the 19th century. From the railway station at the centre of Tréboul, the SNCF operated a service to Quimper. SNCF ( Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français) (French National Railway Company is a French public enterprise [4] The railway station was at the centre of Tréboul. The route began operations in 1884 but passenger trains were discontinued in 1972 while goods traffic continued until the final closure in 1988. Year 1884 ( MDCCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1988 ( MCMLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link displays 1988 Gregorian calendar) The old line has now been converted into an 18-km cycling and walking track, providing an excellent means of discovering the surrounding countryside.
There was also another train out of Douarnenez, the so-called Youtar[5] a small-gauge railway to Audierne via Pont-Croix. Audierne ( Gwaien) is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France. Pont-Croix ( Pontekroaz) is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France. Inaugurated in 1894, it was initially shut down in 1936 but was reopened during the Second World War until it finally closed in 1946. Year 1894 ( MDCCCXCIV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Year 1936 ( MCMXXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The old track between Audierne and Pont-Croix has been converted into a footpath along the River Goyen.
Douarnenez today
Introduction
The town centre is located at the top of a peninsula separating the Port of Rosmeur on the eastern side from Port Rhu to the west. The steep, narrow cobbled streets which climb up to the town have changed little over the past century, revealing a wide range of places of interest, including old chapels, the Halles or covered market and unspoilt houses once inhabited by local fishermen.
The main square is not only the site of the local market but is the focus of shopping, banking and the local economy. There are a number of hotels and restaurants here as well as the post office and the tourist office.
Perhaps the most picturesque part of the town is the road along the sea front at the Port of Rosmeur which is lined with cafés and restaurants specialising in seafood.
The commercial harbour, including some of the fish processing and canning facilities, is at the northern end of the peninsula, as is historic Tristan Island which can be accessed on foot at low tide. In the Fishing industry, fish processing or fish products industry refers to processing Fish delivered by Fisheries, which are the Tristan Island is also the name of an island in Antarctica see Tristan Island (Antarctica. The Plage des Dames, a quiet sandy beach surrounded by rocky cliffs, is also in this area.
Port Rhu is famous not only for its boat cemetery but for its Port-Musée or Museum Port where it is possible to walk around a number of fishing vessels dating back to the early 20th century. It includes an innovative indoor museum with exhibits on the sea, its history and its challenges.
Tréboul, situated on the other side of the estuary, also has a harbour for pleasure boats, lined with cafés and creperies. Les Sables blancs, a wide, sandy beach, is one of the main attractions.
Sport and activities
Douarnenez is a haven for water sports enthusiasts, and there are lots of exciting possibilities within this genre for you to try. If you prefer to keep your toes out of the water, however, don't worry, you won't find yourself high and dry when it comes to sporting opportunities. There is horse-riding, tennis, walking, cycling, petanque and even golf all within a short distance of the town. [1]
Local culture and events
Since 1986, Douarnenez has organised maritime festivals once every two years, bringing together all types of traditional sailing, with competitors from the four corners of the earth. Sailing is the art of controlling a Sailing vessel. By changing the Rigging, Rudder and dagger or centre board a Sailor manages the force In 2004, a record year, there were almost 2000 sailing ships, 17,000 sailors and 30 participating countries.
Each year, Douarnenez has a full programme of festivals and events including regattas, local folklore, cinema, carnaval processions, gastronomy and sports. Details are available from the local tourist office.
There has been a revival of Breton culture in recent years typified by the Bagad de Douarnenez, a Breton music association with bagpipes and other local instruments. The Douarnenez film festival also owes much to the Breton revival, dealing as it does with films from minorities.
The Bretons and their culture
The Bretons came over from south-west Britain in the 4th to 6th centuries, bringing their language and culture. The Bretons are a distinct Ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 4th century (per the Julian calendar and Anno Domini / Common era) was that Century The 6th century is the period from 501 to 600 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. This explains why Breton, a Brythonic language, bears great similarities to the Cornish language and to Welsh. The Breton language ( Brezhoneg) formerly often called Armoric or Armorican, is a Celtic language spoken by some of the inhabitants of Brittany The Brythonic languages (or Brittonic languages or British languages) form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family the other being For the Cornish-English dialect see West Country dialects and List of Cornish dialect words. Welsh ( cy Cymraeg or cy y Gymraeg, kəmˈrɑːɨɡ and {{IPA|[ə ɡəmˈrɑːɨɡ]}}, is a member of the Brythonic branch of Celtic Many of the traditional stories and myths also share a Breton-Cornish heritage. There are now very few, if any, native speakers of Breton who are not fully bilingual in French although there were still several hundreds of thousands at the beginning of the 20th century. Today, there has been a revival with several Breton-language schools[6] in Finistère as well as Breton radio and TV[7] stations, bookshops, local theatre and music. It is estimated that over 500,000 people are now fluent in Breton.
Gastronomy
One of the main attractions in Douarnenez is the large number of usually quite small restaurants and crêperies around the town. A crêpe (kreɪp French kʀɛp is a type of very thin cooked Pancake usually made from Wheat Flour. Most specialise in seafood, usually offering fish soup, shellfish, crab, lobster, prawns, sardines, mussels and the catch of the day. Not to be forgotten is Douarnenez's buttery cake, kouign amann, which has now become famous throughout France and beyond. Kouign amann (/kwiɲ amɑ̃n/ pl Kouignoù amann is a Breton cake As for drinks, Breton cider can be drunk either alone or in kir breton, a cocktail consisting of cider and cassis. For the non-alcoholic beverage commonly known in the US as "cider" see Apple cider. Cassis (kasis is a commune situated east of Marseille in the administrative department of the Bouches-du-Rhône in the Provence-Alpes-Côte
At the covered market or les Halles, open every morning, there is always a wide variety of fresh fish and seafood as well as a selection of crêpes or thin pancakes which can be eaten with either sweet or savory fillings. And last but not least, the local canning factories continue to produce an ever more extensive range of sardines which are on sale everywhere.
Transport and access
Douarnenez is about five and a half hours' drive from Paris via Rennes, Lorient and Quimper. Rennes ( Gallo: Resnn, Roazhon Condate Condate Riedonum is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern Lorient, or L'Orient, (An Oriant is a commune and a Seaport in the Morbihan département, of Brittany. Quimper ( Breton: Kemper, Latin: Corspotium) is a commune and capital of the Finistère department in Quimper is also the best destination for air and rail connections to the region. There are regular bus connections between Quimper and Douarnenez, taking about 35 minutes[8]. From Quimper, there are high-speed trains to Paris (4 hours) and to other parts of Frence.
Quimper airport[9], about 20 minutes by taxi from Douarnenez, has flights to Paris while Brest airport connects to Paris, Lyon, Birmingham, Southampton and other destinations. Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city ||-||} Lyon, also known as Lyons in English is a city in east-central France. Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Southampton ( IPA /ˌsaʊθˈhæmptən/ is the largest city in the county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England
It is, of course, also possible to reach Douarnenez by sea although there are no regular passenger services. Those arriving by pleasure boat will find berthing facilities in Douarnenez.
There is a ferry service [10] from Plymouth to Roscoff, less than two hours from Douarnenez by road. Plymouth ( is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England about south west of London. Roscoff ( Breton: Rosko) is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France.
Douarnenez has a number of municipal bus routes. [11]
Sights and points of interest
Douarnenez itself
One of the best ways of visiting Douarnenez is to follow the Sardine Route or Chemin de la Sardine, a walk through the town based on 19 panels (in French, English and Breton) at key points along the route explaining the history of the town with special emphasis on the sardine trade.
In the summer, there are also boat trips from Douarnenez around the bay with views of the sea caves on the north coast. The best way to see the caves themselves is to take a boat trip from Crozon which actually takes you inside the caves. Crozon ( Kraozon in Breton) is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France
At low tide, it is possible to walk across to Tristan Island which is now increasingly open to the public. The island has several attractions including a harbour, a lighthouse, a walled garden, an orchard and an art gallery.
The surrounding area
The coast itself stretching westwards to the Pointe du Raz and northwards to Crozon is best visited on foot. The Pointe du Raz is a promontory that extends into the Atlantic from western Brittany, in France. Crozon ( Kraozon in Breton) is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France There are signposted footpaths which will lead you to all the rocky inlets and headlands, providing breathtaking views of the emerald sea. There are also a number of long, sandy beaches to the east of Douarnenez. A particularly attractive spot is Locronan, only a few kilometers from Douarnenez, which is a beautifully preserved Breton village with a number of interesting monuments. Locronan ( Lokorn in Breton) is a commune in Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France Last but not least, the historic city of Quimper has a great deal to offer: historic buildings, narrow streets, porcelain factories and the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Quimper ( Breton: Kemper, Latin: Corspotium) is a commune and capital of the Finistère department in
Coat of arms
The new coat of arms[12] of the town of Douarnenez consists of a golden anchor topped by a key on a blue background, symbolising the growth of the town from the surrounding sea, and citing the motto Dalc'h mad meaning keep it up. The far more popular stylised Dz [13], based on the shipping registration symbol is however far more widely used, not just in connection with the maritime festivals but also by the municipality itself.
Climate
Douarnenez enjoys a mild, if rather wet climate. The prevailing winds are from the south west, bringing fairly frequent periods of light rain, particularly in the winter months. The summer months are much drier with temperatures averaging about 20°C and sometimes climbing above 30°C. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. It rarely freezes in winter and there is practically no snow. As a result, palm trees can be found in parks and gardens. Arecaceae or Palmae (also known by the name Palmaceae, which is taxonomically invalid or commonly palm tree) the palm family is a family of Flowering In February and March, mimosa trees are in full blossom. Mimosa is a Genus of about 400 species of herbs and shrubs in the subfamily Mimosoideae of the legume family Fabaceae. There are strong tides, particularly in the spring. Characteristics A tide is a repeated cycle of sea level changes in the following stages Over several hours the water rises or advances up a beach in the flood Winds blowing in from the Atlantic occasionally reach gale force. Details, including past averages, are available from Météo France.
Twinning
Famous citizens
Living citizens
- Ronan Pensec, born 1963, a professional cyclist from 1985 to 1997
- Yvon Le Bot, sociologist
Historical citizens
- René Laennec (1781–1826), doctor and inventor of the stethoscope
- Georges Perros (1923–78), writer
External links
- (French) Official website
- (French) Douarnenez Tourist Office
- (French) Extensive set of resources, links and documents on Douarnenez compiled by José Chapalain
- (French) Street Plan of Douarnenez, includes churches and points of interest
- (French) Cultural Heritage
- (English) Guide to Douarnenez and Property in the Area
Footnotes
- ^ Road map from Google Maps
- ^ Bulletin de la Société Archéologique du Finistère, 1905 (French)
- ^ Etymologie et Histoire de Douarnenez (French)
- ^ Ligne de Quimper à Dounarnenez (French)
- ^ Le Youtar, article by Serge Duigou (French)
- ^ Breton education in France
- ^ TV Breizh (French), originally created to support the Breton language
- ^ Viaoo 29, long-distance bus routes and timetables for Finistère
- ^ Quimper Chamber of Commerce, provides information and timetables on the Aéroport de Quimper Cornouaille
- ^ Brittany Ferries
- ^ Information in French on Tud buses with timetables
- ^ History of the coat of arms of Douarnenez (French)
- ^ Dz, the shipping registration symbol
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