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Scenic Brittany (Bretagne/Breiz) is surely the best known of the various French regions. It is located along France's northwestern coast. Brittany is a peninsula with rugged coastline that jutts out into the Atlantic. The approaches to the English Channel is located to the north and Bay of Biscay is found to the south. This is a geographic circumstance that has shaped the economy and people of the region. It is a region where like Ireland and Wales, Celtic culture survived into the 20th century. The destinctive Celtic culture has been the most important factor separating Brittany from the rest of France. Bretons spoke a Celtic language similar to Cornish and Welsh. It was the dominant language until after the French Revolution. About a quater of the population can still speak some Breton. After Ceasar's conquest of Gaul, the Celtic population was gradually Romanized laying the foundation for modern France. The name of the region derives from the fugitive Britons that sought refuge there from the Anglo-Saxon invaders (5th century). It continued as a Celtic duchy for more than 1,000 years. Breton history is a ongoing effort to achieve independence from the Franks (5th-9th centuries), Normans/Anjou (10th-12th centuries), and England/France (13th-18th centuries). The extentinction of the direct line of Breton (Celtic) dukes led to the War of the Breton Succession. The marrige of Anne of Breton led to a personal union with France (1491). Brittany was formally incorporated in to France (1532). The French Government granted a measure of autonomy (19th century). Brittany played a fole in World War II. DeGualle after the German invasion (1940) considered trying to hold out in Brittany that did not prove possible. More importantly, the Germans used French Atlantic ports to support the U-boat campaign. The most important port was Brest at the tip of the Brittany peninsula. The history of the region can be found in the more than 4,000 chateaux, manors and medieval homes. We note a Breton boy photographed with his family for his first communion in the 1950s. A particularly important artist noted for his genre works on Britatany was William-Adolphe Bouguereau.
Scenic Brittany (Bretagne/Breiz) is surely the best known of the various French regions. It is located along France's northwestern coast. Brittany is a peninsula with rugged coastline that jutts out into the Atlantic. The approaches to the English Channel is located to the north and Bay of Biscay is found to the south. The interior of the peminsula is arelatively barren, sometimes misty, plateau called Argoat ('country of the woods'). It is fairlt flat. Only two woodland ridges exceed 245 m (800 ft). Hedgerows datung back to medievil times surround small fields. This picturesque country scnery is know as bocage. A similar situation exists in Normandy and was a major obstacle for the Allies. The peninsula isolated Brittany for centuries, a geographic circumstance that has shaped the economy and people of the region.
Brittany It is a region where like Ireland and Wales, Celtic culture survived into the 20th century. The destinctive Celtic culture has been the most important factor separating Brittainty from the rest of France. Rennes at the foot of the peninsula is the traditional capital and Celtic cultural center. The University of Rennes is a recognized center of Celtic studies.
Bretons spoke a Celtic language similar to Cornish and Welsh. It was the dominant language until after the French Revolution. About a quater of the population can still speak some Breton. The Breton language and traditional Celtic culture are most pronounced in the more isolated west.
The early human inhabitants built stone monuments at Carnac and other sites (3500-1800 BC). The Celts subsequently settled in what became known as Gaul, including Brittany. Julius Ceasar conquered the region (56 BC) as part of his conquest of Gaul. It is unclear to what exten the region was Romanized. After Ceasar's conquest of Gaul, the Celtic population was gradually Romanized laying the foundation for modern France. The name of the region derives from the fugitive Britons that sought refuge there from the Anglo-Saxon invaders (5th-6th centuries). It continued as a Celtic duchy for more than 1,000 years. Breton history is a ongoing effort to achieve independence from the Franks (5th-9th centuries), Normans/Anjou (10th-12th centuries), and England/France (13th-18th centuries).
Nomenoe unified Brittany and won independence from Carolingian rule(9th century). This was just before the Viking raids began.
Brittany became a duchy with a capital at Rennes (10th cntury).
The Bretons for the next four centuries strove to retain their independence as the French and British wore with each other.
The extentinction of the direct line of Breton (Celtic) dukes led to the War of the Breton Succession. The marrige of Anne of Breton led to a personal union with France (1491). Brittany was formally incorporated in to France (1532). The French Government granted a measure of autonomy (19th century). Brittany played a role in World War II. DeGualle after the German invasion (1940) considered trying to hold out in Brittany that did not prove possible. More importantly, the Germans used French Atlantic ports to support the U-boat campaign. The most important port was Brest at the tip of the Brittany peninsula. The history of the region can be found in the more than 4,000 chateaux, manors and medieval homes.
We note a Breton boy photographed with his family for his first communion in the 1950s. A particularly important artist noted for his genre works on Britatany was William-Adolphe Bouguereau.
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