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

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Several drafts for French regions had been proposed since the 1920s, and the definitive regions were drawn in 1956. The new Brittany had four départements, and Loire-Atlantique formed the Pays de la Loire region together with parts of Anjou, Maine and Poitou. In 1972, the regions received their present competencies, with an elected regional council. Since then, the region of Brittany has had its own council and administrative bodies. The château was built between the 12th and 15th centuries, representing a period of feudal life in France during the Middle Ages. To immerse visitors in the historical ambience, the Château de Fougères presents spectacles that bring the medieval era to life. On Thursday evenings during summertime, the château stays open late and is illuminated by torchlight, and special events such as medieval games and festivals are held at the château on occasion throughout the year.

Just north of the old town is the Plage de l'Ecluse, also called the Grande Plage ("Large Beach"), an expansive beach with a fine sand shoreline, and the Plage de Saint-Enogat in the Quarter Saint-Enogat, a good place for water sports; both of these beaches have lounge chairs and cabanas for rent. Plage de l'Ecluse, Dinard, Brittany A formal French garden surrounds the château. Visitors will delight in wandering the perfectly manicured tree-lined lawns and rose garden with 40 different heirloom varieties. The grounds also include a romantic English garden full of lush flowering vegetation, with a picnic area and benches for relaxation. Because the départements are small and numerous, the French government tried to create wider regions during the 20th century. For the Breton nationalists, it was an occasion to recreate Brittany as a political and administrative entity, but the new region had to be economically efficient. Nantes and its département, Loire-Atlantique, raised concerns because they were off-centered, more integrated with the Loire Valley than with the Breton peninsula. The French government and local politicians also feared that Nantes, because of its population and its former Breton capital status, would have maintained a harmful competition with Rennes to get the regional institutions and investments. A peaceful, protected bay in southern Brittany, the Golfe du Morbihan is connected with the Atlantic Ocean only by a narrow channel. The bay is filled with numerous small islands featuring unspoiled natural scenery. The two largest islands Île aux Moines and Île d'Arz are popular summer vacation destinations (many tourists take a boat trip from Vannes). In response to a plea from the Roman Emperor Anthemius, Riothamus had led twelve thousand men to establish a military presence in Bourges in central Gaul, but was betrayed by Arvandus, the Praetorian Prefect of Gaul, and subsequently ambushed by Euric's army. [c] After a long battle, the Armorican survivors escaped to Avallon in Burgundy, after which they are lost to history. According to Breton king-lists, Riotham survived and reigned as Prince of Domnonia until his death sometime between 500 and 520, though this may have been a different person.Brittany also has some film festivals like the Three Continents Festival in Nantes. The Utopiales international science fiction festival is held in the same city. Brest and Douarnenez both organise large tall ship meetings (See Brest Maritime Festival). In response, the Diwan schools were founded in 1977 to teach Breton by immersion. They have taught a few thousand young people from elementary school to high school, and they have gained more fame owing to their high level of results in school exams. [52] Narrow pedestrian lanes lead to bustling public squares and side streets, with many restaurants and crêperies found at every turn. Gracing the Place Chateaubriand is the Hôtel France & Chateaubriand in a neoclassical building modeled after the grand seaside resorts of the Napoléon III era. Guest rooms feature elegant minimalist decor; some look out to the coastline. Amenities include a stylish café, brasserie, and a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views. View of the walled city of Saint Malo and its ramparts For those who would like to learn about oyster production, one of the best places to visit is the La Ferme Marine de Cancale. Located in a protected marine environment, this working oyster farm offers guided tours. 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 island has three smaller villages. The village of Bangor, on the Côte Sauvage (wildest part of the island), was founded in the 6th century by British monks. Picturesque farmlands surround Locmaria, a rural township on the highest part of the island. Sauzon is a little fishing village with narrow streets and a thriving marina in its well-sheltered harbor.Near Locronan, just eight kilometers away, is another pilgrimage destination, the Chapelle Sainte-Anne-la-Palud. The chapel boasts a painted granite statue in veneration of Saint Anne, who was executed in 1548.

Alan II totally expelled the Vikings from Brittany and recreated a strong Breton state. For aiding in removing the problem, Alan paid homage to Louis IV of France (who was Æthelstan's nephew and had returned from England in the same year as Alan II) and thus Brittany ceased to be a kingdom and became a duchy. Dinard enjoys a splendid natural setting (across from Saint-Malo) along the Rance estuary. Mimosas and camellias flourish here under the influence of the Gulf Stream. Breton political parties do not have wide support and their electoral success is small. However, Bretons have a strong cultural identity. According to a poll made in 2008, 50% of the inhabitants of the region of Brittany considered themselves as much Breton as French, 22.5% felt more Breton than French, and 15.4% more French than Breton. A minority, 1.5%, considered themselves Breton but not French, while 9.3% did not consider themselves to be Breton at all. [68]About seven kilometers southeast of Vitré is the Château des Rochers Sévigné, an elegant 15th-century Breton manor house. The château stands in an expansive parkland that includes woods with walking paths. Bretons take pride in celebrating the ancient custom of "pardons," a special type of pilgrimage when townspeople attend Mass to ask forgiveness for their sins. The pardons also include religious festivals with participants wearing historical costumes. A mayor eventually asked the university to be relocated to Rennes, more devoted to culture and science, and the faculties progressively moved there after 1735. [50] The transfer was interrupted by the French Revolution, and all the French universities were dissolved in 1793. The château, with its 14th-century dungeon, impenetrable 15th-century fortifications, and imposing towers, recalls the austereness of the Middle Ages. For a glimpse of the medieval era, the château hosts Les Soirées, evening events in which actors in historical costumes bring to life the world of Jean IV, the Duke of Brittany, his knights, and his servants. His son Erispoe secured the independence of the new kingdom of Brittany and won the Battle of Jengland against Charles the Bald. The Bretons won another war in 867, and the kingdom reached then its maximum extent: It received parts of Normandy, Maine and Anjou and the Channel Islands.