Brittany

A short guide to the center of Brittany

 The Brittany region consists of 4 departements: the Finistere (departement 29), the cotes de armor (departement 22), the Morbihan (departement 56) and the  (departement 35).
Brittany’s population is 3.00 million and its surface area is 27,200 km².

An exceptional historical and artistic heritage

The Neolithic period has left a legacy of menhirs, dolmens and cromlechs of such quantity and quality that Brittany is the major site for megaliths in Europe and possibly the world. Under Plantagenet and Capetian rule numerous fortified towns and châteaux appeared. A little later, Duchess Anne and her daughter Claude contributed to Brittany’s golden age, bequeathing an extraordinary artistic and architectural heritage to the region. Small stone-built houses gave way to imposing military architecture, also in granite, testifying to the determination of the people to inhabit a historically “hostile” land. The landscapes in Brittany remain forever imprinted on the canvasses of the Impressionists of the Pont-Aven School, led by Paul Gauguin, one of many artists who travelled to the region in search of new inspiration.

Brittany has 4000 chateaux, manors and stately homes built in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and subsequent centuries. Feudal struggles throughout the Middle Ages in particular, made Brittany the site of many bloody battles for English and French invaders and as a result a defensive ring of castles was constructed. These fortresses, built in granite, are now a witness to this era and are famous for their architectural diversity.

Along the entire coastline, old maritime fortresses are witness to the eventful centuries when Brittany was forced to protect itself from attacks by the English Navy. Most constitute part of the Breton coastal defences established by Vauban under the reign of Louis XIV. From the Fort National at Saint-Malo to the Château du Taureau at Morlaix, via Fort la Latte at Frehel, the fortifications are arranged along the coast, covering every strategic point. On the southern coast , the citadel of Port Louis protects the entrance to the Lorient roadways, and the Vauban citadel at Belle Île controls entry to the port of Palais. The latter has all the traditional features of coastal fortifications with its bastions and demilunes.

the hilly Monts d’Arree in the park Armorique boast heathlands dotted with eroded rocky peaks. This wild and mysterious country is the birthplace of Breton witchcraft, and, according to Celtic folklore, the gate to Cold Hell. Themed walks take visitors in search of the mischievous korrigans around Brennilis Lake and the Yeun-Elez peat bogs. And there are also moonlit and musical walks to the sound of the biniou bagpipes and clarinet. Alternatively, for the ultimate nature experience, head for the Monts d’Arree peaks at daybreak and watch the sun rise.

Carhaix

Carhaix-Plouguer is the capital of the traditional district of Poher ( www.poher.com) in Brittany. Carhaix is located in the eastern part of the Finistère department, very close to the departments of Cotes-d'Armor and Morbihan. St Brieuc airport can be reached in 1h, Brest airport in 1h15 and St Malo ferryport can be reached in 2h.

The name of Carhaix (known as Caer Ahes in 1082) comes from the Celtic words kaer (town) and ahes, the name of King of Cornouaille Gradlon’s daughter. According to tradition this King gave the town to his daughter and so it was named Karaez, literally meaning Ahès' town.

The town was created by the Romans in 50 BC and originally called Vorgium. Several remains of this time have been found in Carhaix, including a 25-km long aqueduct. In the IVth century, Brest (then called Osismis), supplanted Vorgium as the main administrative center of western Brittany, and the decline of Vorgium started. For centuries, the town was besieged and trashed several times, during the Hundred Years' War, the War of Succession of Brittany, and the long periods of anarchy characteristic of the Duchy of Brittany at that time.

Finally in the XVIth century, things improved with Carhaix becoming the seat of a Royal Court of Justice and a known place of trade, especially for cattle. Then in 1935, the invention of the railway network in Brittany placed Carhaix it the center of one of the most important radial networks in France, which in turn triggered trade in the city and in 1956, the municipality of Carhaix-Plouguer was formed, such was the success in Carhaix.

 Carhaix is most famous for its rock festival: Les Vieilles Charrues ( www.vieillescharrues.asso.fr). Created in 1992 it last for three days every summer and attracts thousands of visitors. Some of the biggest bands in the world are combined with traditional Bretagne music and theatre productions on two main stages and there are numerous food stalls, circus acts and smaller stages. Carhaix also sponsors other cultural events such as a book fair in October, an amateur film theatre festival in May and Bagadans, a musich and dance festival every July that involves more than 2,000 musicians and dancers performing in the streets. La Tour d’Auvergne is also officially celebrated every year, on the Saturday before the 27 June (the date he died). La Tour d’Auvergne was a French soldier who fought on several battlefields all over Europe, always refusing promotion despite his considerable bravery and who wrote on the origins and grammar of Celtic. He is also known as Théophile-Malo Corret and Carhaix is his birth town.

Other sights to see in Carhaix include: the Chateau Rouge, a beautiful red-brick building which houses the library and music school, le pont de petit Carhaix, an C18th bridge leading to an area popular with artisans, la Maison du Sénéchal, a granite Renaissance building on rue Brisieux which houses the tourist office, la place de la Tour d’Auvergne, which has the heroe’s statue, le couvent des augustins, Ste Anne chapel and St Pierre church.