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Brittany is located in the north-west part of France, a peninsula
jutting toward the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean. It
is known for it's abundant nature life and traditional culture.
There are beautiful beaches--shores of emerald or pink granite--and
a long coastline defined by high, rugged cliffs. In the interior,
visitors are fascinated by Brittany's legendary forests, the
rural landscape often featuring the ruins of an ancient windmill
or a magnificent castle.
The region produces seafood, including oysters and Homard prawns,
salted butter, beef, pork, Cidre and the like, and the special
dish is the galette, or buckwheat crepe.
The people of Brittany (Bretons) are different from many French
people who are of Latin heritage, as their ancestors are Celtic.
Indeed, although French is spoken
in the region, Bretons have also maintained their original language
and culture. Compared with the Romans who are so famous for
their city-building, and the Germanic people who are understood
to be good at forming organizations, it is said that aboriginal
Celtic people had a liberal character and fear of nature, respecting
the mystery of life. The Celtic world is hidden in the depths
of Western culture, but these days this Celtic world has attracted
attention. Why don't you travel to Brittany and feel for yourself
the culture that Bretons still cherish so deeply?
Rennes
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Rennes
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Since France annexed the Principality of Brittany during the 16th century, Rennes has been the capital city of Brittany. In 1720, for 8 days, a huge fire took place burning down around 1.000 houses. Then during the Second World War, the city was badly damaged. Unfortunately, during those two periods, many old buildings were destroyed. The part of the city which escaped the fire is called the old town and you can still admire wooden houses dating from the Middle Ages.
Rennes has two Universities with about 40.000 students. Thus, around Ste-Anne Place or the Place des Lices, you can find numerous bars, restaurants and designer shops.
Fougères
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Fougères
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From the Mont-Saint-Michel to the Loire river, fortresses from the Middle Ages are scattered all over the region. Among those fortresses, there is the Castle of Fougères built by the Duke of Brittany, Raoul II. This castle was built on a hill to look down on the Nançon river and to guard against any attack by enemies. It is recognised as being one of the biggest Middle Ages in Western Europe. Due to many battles, several parts of the castle were destroyed, however, 13 towers still remain as well as the three-meter high ramparts. This shows us the excellent building techniques used in those days.
Close to the castle, ranges of medieval houses can also be found around the Place du Marchix as well as a Gothic church, St-Sulpice.
Fougères is also the city where Balzac set his novel, "Les Chouans".
Saint-Malo
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Saint-Malo
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Located along the Rance river, Saint-Malo is proud to have been, during the 17th and 18th centuries, the biggest French harbour for merchants as well as for corsaires (private armed ships which were authorised by the King of France to intercept foreign ships and to seize the loot aboard). In 1944, about 80% of the old town was destroyed during the bombing by the German army. As a souvenir of the past, some historical buildings were restored exactly as they used to be before the bombing, but most of the houses were reconstructed in the 17th-18th century style. However, the ramparts surrounding the old town and which were built between the 12th and the 18th centuries, escaped the devastation of the war and still remain today as they used to be many centuries ago.
Cancale
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Cancale
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Located in Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, Cancale is a small harbour famous for its oysters. The speciality of Cancale is the so-called "Pied de Cheval" (horse foot) oysters. The round, flat shape of the oysters looks like a horse's hoof. In Cancale, oyster beds cover about 200 acres. The high percentage of plankton in the bay gives those oysters their unique taste.
The cultivation of mussels is also important in this region and many wooden pillars wrapped with nets containing mussels can be seen in the Bay at low tide.
You can enjoy oysters and mussels in one of the restaurants along the Quai Gambetta.
Walking on the Sentier des Douaniers, which goes along the sea-front, you can admire the beautiful landscape and contemplate the whole Mont-Saint-Michel Bay.
Quimper
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Quimper
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Quimper, now a centre of prefectural government in Finistère, grew around St-Corentin Church during the Middle Ages, and you can still admire rows of houses along the streets as a reminder of those days. Quimper is actually a great historical and artistic place. Its narrow streets covered in paving-stones, the rows of old houses and the ramparts are reminiscent of the Middle Ages. If you stroll around the town, you will be able to feel the heritage of European history and tradition.
Ceramics from Quimper and the firing technique used are famous worldwide. The pottery decorated with flowers or animals drawn inside yellow or blue lines which used to be offered as wedding gifts or kept as family treasures, are now exported around the world.
Brest
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Brest
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This part of Brittany called "the end of the land" (Finistère) is characterised by its saw-toothed coastline, where the Atlantic Ocean comes and breaks with force against the rocks. You can also feel the strength of the nature inland, among the woods, wide moors and craggy landscape. Being the meeting point of the Atlantic Ocean and the Channel, this region keeps a large heritage from the Breton culture and is an important tourist spot.
During the Second World War, as Brest was a French naval base, much damage was caused to the city. Nowadays, the city does not look the same as it used to be, but Brest developed around the fishing industry and cargo boats, becoming the main city of western Brittany.
Brittany's history can be dated back to
the New Stone Age. There are a group of huge stone's ruins
at Carnac, the southern part of Brittany, around 5,000 of
0.8 to 6.5m high standing stones line up from east to west,
these are called Menhir. It was built between 4670 B.C. to
2000 B.C. in the New Stone Age, but it remains a mystery as
to how these were carried, built and also the purpose it served.
The 6th B.C., the Celtic people were starting to live and
work the land. The Celtic Venetes people were living in the
area but they were conquered by Caesar in 56 B.C. and governed
by the Roman Empire. At the turn of the 5th B.C., When the
Western Roman Empire began to decline, the Germanic race such
as Frank race started governing this area. Gallo-Latin language
is the origin of French language formed in this period. After
the middle of this 5th B.C., the Celtic people were moved
again from Britain and this is when it became to be known
and called "Small Bretagne" (Bretagne in French).
This change continued up until the beginning of 7th B.C..
By the turn of the 9th B.C., Brittany's here Nominoe unified
Bretagne and with the approval of West Frank Kingdom made
independent the Principality of Brittany. After that they
fought off Norman's invasion several times, fighting against
both of France and England to protect their independence,
but finally under the pressure of France, in 1532, Brittany
formally became part of France. Based on this historical background,
Brittany had kept its own identity through several centuries,
Breton keeping and retaining the Breton language.
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