"freed after Operation Cobra in August 1944. However, the areas around Saint-Nazaire and Lorient only surrendered on 10 and 11 May 1945, several days after the German capitulation. The two port towns had been virtually destroyed by Allied air raids, like Brest and Saint-Malo, and other towns, such as Nantes and Rennes, had also suffered. In 1956, Brittany was legally reconstituted as the Region of Brittany, although the region excluded the ducal capital of Nantes and the surrounding area. Nevertheless, Brittany retained its cultural distinctiveness, and a new cultural revival emerged during the 1960s and 1970s. Bilingual schools were opened,"
"Rennes Rennes (; , ; Gallo: ""Resnn""; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France at the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department. Rennes's history goes back more than 2,000 years, at a time when it was a small Gallic village named Condate. Together with Vannes and Nantes, it was one of the major cities of the ancient Duchy of Brittany. From the early sixteenth century until the French Revolution, Rennes was a parliamentary, administrative and garrison city of the"
"However, such a reunification raises other questions: first, what to do with the remainder of the present region of Pays de la Loire, and second, which city should be chosen as the capital of such a reunified Brittany. Brittany, lying in the northwest corner of France, is one of the great historic provinces of France. The most Atlantic of France's regions, Brittany is proud of its Celtic heritage, that sets it apart from the rest of France. It enjoys a mild climate somewhat warmer though not necessarily drier than the climate of the southwest of England. The name ""Brittany"" derives"
"Rome-Fiumicino, Southampton, Dublin, Exeter, Manchester, Amsterdam Schiphol, Madrid Barajas, Birmingham, London-City, London-Gatwick</small> and daily flights to London Southend Airport with Flybe. Rennes is twinned with: ""(These twinned towns save one are inscribed on the bridge over the central canal of Rennes)"" Within France Pacts of cooperation Sponsorship Rennes also has the only Institut Franco-Américain in France. Rennes Rennes (; , ; Gallo: ""Resnn""; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France at the confluence of the Ille and the Vilaine. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department. Rennes's"
"a black one; its quarters have Breton ermines except for the upper left, which has the city's coat of arms. The black and white crosses are historic symbols of Brittany and France, respectively. Nantes and the Loire-Atlantique ""département"" were part of the historic province of Brittany, and the city and Rennes were its traditional capitals. In the 1789 replacement of the historic provinces of France, Brittany was divided among five ""départements"". The administrative region of Brittany did not exist during the 19th and early 20th centuries, although its cultural heritage remained. Nantes and Rennes are in Upper Brittany (the Romance-speaking"
"Flag of Brittany The unoffical flag of Brittany, a region in the northwest of France. The flag of Brittany is called the Gwenn-ha-du, pronounced , which means ""white and black"" in Breton. It is also unofficially used in the ""département"" of Loire-Atlantique although this now belongs to the Pays de la Loire and not to the région of Brittany, as the territory of Loire-Atlantique is historically part of the province of Brittany. Nantes (Naoned), its ""préfecture"", was once one of the two capital cities of Brittany. It was created in 1253 The flag's dimensions are not fixed and may vary"
"Quimper Quimper (; Breton: ""Kemper"", Latin: ""Civitas Aquilonia"" or ""Corisopitum"") is a commune and capital of the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. Quimper is the prefecture (capital) of the Finistère department. The city was built on the confluence of the Steir, Odet and Jet rivers. Route National 165, D785, D765 and D783 were constructed to intersect here, northwest of Lorient, west of Rennes, and west-southwest of Paris. The name ""Quimper"" comes from the Breton ""kemper"", meaning ""confluent"". Quimper is the ancient capital of Cornouaille, Brittany’s most traditional region, and has a distinctive Breton Celtic character. Its name is"
"Upper Brittany Upper Brittany (; ; Gallo: ""Haùtt-Bertaèyn"") is the eastern part of Brittany France, which is predominantly of a Romance culture and is associated with the Gallo language. The name is in counterpoint to Lower Brittany, the western part of the ancient province and present-day region, where the Breton language has traditionally been spoken. However, there is no certainty as to exactly where the line between 'Upper' and 'Lower' Brittany falls. In many regards, Upper Brittany is dominated by the industrial and cathedral city of Rennes, seat of the University of Rennes 1 and the University of Rennes 2."
"58,148, Vannes, 52,983, Saint-Malo, 48,211, and Saint-Brieuc, 45,879. All the other communes had under 20,000 inhabitants. Brittany is also characterised by a great number of small towns, such as Vitré, Concarneau, Morlaix or Auray. Loire-Atlantique has two major cities, Nantes, with 283,288 inhabitants and an urban area encompassing 873,133, and Saint-Nazaire, with 67,031 inhabitants. Loire-Atlantique's population is more rapidly growing than Region Brittany's and it is the 12th most populated French département. Nevertheless, since the 1990s, Rennes has consistently ranked as one of France's fastest growing metropolitan areas. In 1851, Brittany had around 2.7 million inhabitants and the demographic growth"
"Brittany Brittany (; ; , pronounced or ; Gallo: ""Bertaèyn"", pronounced ) is a cultural region in the northwest of France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period of Roman occupation. It became an independent kingdom and then a duchy before being united with the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province governed as if it were a separate nation under the crown. Brittany has also been referred to as ""Less"", ""Lesser"" or ""Little"" Britain (as opposed to ""Great Britain"", with which it shares an etymology). It is bordered by the English Channel"
"to accommodate upwards of 220,000 inhabitants, helping it become the second fastest-growing city in France, after Toulouse (1999 census). History of Rennes Rennes, France, is the administrative capital of the French department of Ille-et-Vilaine. Before the French Revolution, prior to the integration of the Duchy of Brittany into the Kingdom of France, Rennes was the capital of the duchy, with the other historical capitals of Brittany's Ducal period being Nantes and Vannes. It has a long history due to its location at the confluence of two rivers and its proximity to the bordering regions from which arose various challenges to"
"Châteaubriant Châteaubriant (; ; Gallo: ""Châtiaoberiant"") is a town in western France, about southwest of Paris, and one of the three sous-préfectures of the Loire-Atlantique department. Châteaubriant is also situated in the historical and cultural region of Brittany, and it is the capital of the Pays de la Mée. Its inhabitants are called ""Castelbriantais"", and the commune of Châteaubriant proper had 12,022 inhabitants in 2010, while its small metropolitan area numbered 24,125 inhabitants in 2009. A part of the traditional province of Brittany, Châteaubriant also lies on the threshold of Anjou, and it was an important stronghold in northwestern France"
"administrative region of Brittany is controversial. Nantes was identified during classical antiquity as a port on the Loire. It was the seat of a bishopric at the end of the Roman era before it was conquered by the Bretons in 851. Although Nantes was the primary residence of the 15th-century dukes of Brittany, Rennes became the provincial capital after the 1532 union of Brittany and France. During the 17th century, after the establishment of the French colonial empire, Nantes gradually became the largest port in France and was responsible for nearly half of the 18th-century French Atlantic slave trade. The"
"Pacé, Ille-et-Vilaine Pacé (, Gallo: ""Paczaé"") is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in northwestern France. Pacé is on the banks of the , itself a tributary of the River Vilaine. Neighbouring municipalities include Gévezé to the north, La Mézière to the north-east, with La Chapelle-des-Fougeretz and Montgermont in the east. The capital of Brittany, Rennes lies to the south-east of Pacé. The little town is positioned along the main road linking the coastal resort of Saint-Brieuc with Rennes. The road has recently (2013) been upgraded, which has significantly improved access. Inhabitants of Pacé are called in French"
"to the north, the Celtic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and the Bay of Biscay to the south. Its land area is 34,023 km² . Brittany is the site of some of the world's oldest standing architecture, home to the Barnenez, the Tumulus Saint-Michel and others, which date to the early 5th millennium BC. Today, the historical province of Brittany is split among five French departments: Finistère in the west, Côtes-d'Armor in the north, Ille-et-Vilaine in the north east, Loire-Atlantique in the south east and Morbihan in the south on the Bay of Biscay. Since reorganisation in"
"Pays de la Mée The Pays de la Mée () (Breton: ""Bro-Vaez""; Gallo: ""Paeyi de la Mée"") is a historical region of France which was part of the Duchy of Brittany before the French Revolution. It was then split between Loire-Atlantique and Ille-et-Vilaine department. Its capital is Châteaubriant, and the dialect traditionally spoken there is the Gallo language. The area lies on the eastern border of Brittany, facing Anjou (nowadays Maine-et-Loire departement). Most of the territory is part of Loire-Atlantique, but several villages in Ille-et-Vilaine are usually included in the Pays de la Mée. Moreover, its limits are not very"
"""pacéens"" . Pacé, Ille-et-Vilaine Pacé (, Gallo: ""Paczaé"") is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in northwestern France. Pacé is on the banks of the , itself a tributary of the River Vilaine. Neighbouring municipalities include Gévezé to the north, La Mézière to the north-east, with La Chapelle-des-Fougeretz and Montgermont in the east. The capital of Brittany, Rennes lies to the south-east of Pacé. The little town is positioned along the main road linking the coastal resort of Saint-Brieuc with Rennes. The road has recently (2013) been upgraded, which has significantly improved access. Inhabitants of Pacé are called"
"History of Rennes Rennes, France, is the administrative capital of the French department of Ille-et-Vilaine. Before the French Revolution, prior to the integration of the Duchy of Brittany into the Kingdom of France, Rennes was the capital of the duchy, with the other historical capitals of Brittany's Ducal period being Nantes and Vannes. It has a long history due to its location at the confluence of two rivers and its proximity to the bordering regions from which arose various challenges to the borders of Brittany. By the 2nd century BC the Gallic tribe known as the Redones had occupied a"
"de Châteaubriant"", a group of 33 communes. Pays de la Mée The Pays de la Mée () (Breton: ""Bro-Vaez""; Gallo: ""Paeyi de la Mée"") is a historical region of France which was part of the Duchy of Brittany before the French Revolution. It was then split between Loire-Atlantique and Ille-et-Vilaine department. Its capital is Châteaubriant, and the dialect traditionally spoken there is the Gallo language. The area lies on the eastern border of Brittany, facing Anjou (nowadays Maine-et-Loire departement). Most of the territory is part of Loire-Atlantique, but several villages in Ille-et-Vilaine are usually included in the Pays de la"
"trade. Tro Breizh (Breton for ""Tour of Brittany"") is a Catholic pilgrimage that links the towns of the seven founding saints of Brittany, including Tréguier, Saint Tudwal's town. The Pardon of Saint Yves is a major event. As Yves is patron saint of the legal profession, it attracts Catholic lawyers and judges from all over the world. Tréguier was the birthplace of: Tréguier Tréguier () is a port town in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. It is the capital of the province of Trégor. Tréguier is located 36 m. N.W. of Saint-Brieuc by road. The port is"
"historic province of Brittany of the Kingdom of France. Since the 1950s, Rennes has grown in importance through rural flight and its modern industrial development, partly automotive. The city developed extensive building plans to accommodate upwards of 200,000 inhabitants. During the 1980s, Rennes became one of the main centres in telecommunication and high technology industry. It is now a significant digital innovation centre in France. In 2015, the city was the tenth largest in France, with a metropolitan area of about 720,000 inhabitants. With more than 66,000 students in 2016, it is also the eighth-largest university campus of France. The"
"ghostly procession would walk in the castle at the death anniversary, every 16 October at midnight. Châteaubriant is twinned with: Châteaubriant Châteaubriant (; ; Gallo: ""Châtiaoberiant"") is a town in western France, about southwest of Paris, and one of the three sous-préfectures of the Loire-Atlantique department. Châteaubriant is also situated in the historical and cultural region of Brittany, and it is the capital of the Pays de la Mée. Its inhabitants are called ""Castelbriantais"", and the commune of Châteaubriant proper had 12,022 inhabitants in 2010, while its small metropolitan area numbered 24,125 inhabitants in 2009. A part of the traditional"
"Europe. TGV train services link the region with cities such as Paris in 1h27 thanks the LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire, Lyon, Lille and the largest French cities. TER Bretagne is the regional rail network serving Brittany in order to link the cities of Brittany to each other. OUIBUS coach services link the region with the largest cities in France at low cost. In addition there is Brittany Ferries that take passengers, vehicles and freight to the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the Spain and Condor Ferries to the Channel Islands. Brittany comprises four departments : Morbihan, Finistère, Côtes-d'Armor,"
"Brest, France Brest (; ) is a city in the Finistère département in Brittany. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbor and the second French military port after Toulon. The city is located on the western edge of continental Europe. With 142,722 inhabitants in a 2007 census, Brest is at the centre of Western Brittany's largest metropolitan area (with a population of 300,300 in total), ranking third behind only Nantes and Rennes in the whole of historic Brittany, and the 19th"
"Langon, Ille-et-Vilaine Langon (, Gallo: ""Langon"") is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in northwestern France. Langon is in the region of Brittany, close to the border with the Pays de Loire region. It is located from Redon, from Rennes (the capital of Brittany), and from Nantes and Saint Nazaire. The Vilaine river, which flows through Vitré and Rennes, borders the territory of Langon over a distance of 14 km, then flows on into the Atlantic ocean. Langon has one of the best preserved pastoral countrysides in all of Brittany. The earliest traces of human activity on the"
"1999 and 2000, and the growth rate reached more than 1% in Ille-et-Vilaine and Morbihan. The region around Rennes and the south are the more attractive areas, whereas the population is declining in the centre and in the westernmost parts. While most of the metropolitan areas are growing, the cities themselves tend to stagnate or regress, such as for Brest, Lorient, Saint-Brieuc and Saint-Malo. In 2008, Ille-et-Vilaine had 967,588 inhabitants, it was followed by Morbihan, 710,034 inhabitants, Finistère 890,509 inhabitants, and Côtes-d'Armor, with 581,570 inhabitants. The largest cities in Region Brittany were Rennes, with 206,655, Brest, 142,097, Quimper, 63,929, Lorient,"
"in Brittany than in the rest of France. Brittany is the largest French peninsula. It is around and stretches towards the northwest and the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered to the north by the English Channel, to the south by the Bay of Biscay and the waters located between the western coast and Ushant island form the Iroise Sea. The Breton coast is very indented, with many cliffs, rias and capes. The Gulf of Morbihan is a vast natural harbour with some forty islands that is almost a closed sea. In total, around 800 islands lie off the mainland; the"
"part of the region), and Lower Brittany in the west is traditionally Breton-speaking and more Celtic in culture. As a large port whose outskirts encompassed other provinces, Nantes has been Brittany's economic capital and a cultural crossroads. Breton culture in Nantes is not necessarily characteristic of Lower Brittany's, although the city experienced substantial Lower Breton immigration during the 19th century. In the mid-20th century, several French governments considered creating a new level of local government by combining ""départements"" into larger regions. The regions, established by acts of parliament in 1955 and 1972, loosely follow the pre-revolutionary divisions and Brittany was"
"service. The Gare de Quimper is the terminus of a TGV high-speed train line from Paris, which passes through Le Mans, Rennes and Vannes. Journey duration is approximately 04h25. In addition, the following destinations are served by the TER Bretagne (the regional train network) : Quimper – Cornouaille Airport has flights to Paris and London City. Quimper was the birthplace of: Quimper is twinned with: Quimper Quimper (; Breton: ""Kemper"", Latin: ""Civitas Aquilonia"" or ""Corisopitum"") is a commune and capital of the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. Quimper is the prefecture (capital) of the Finistère department. The city"
"Trégor Trégor (""Bro-Dreger"" in Breton) is one of the nine provinces of Brittany, in its northwestern area. It comprises the western part of the département of Côtes-d'Armor and a small part of the northeast of Finistère, as far as the river Morlaix. Its capital is Tréguier, the French translation of the Breton word ""Landreger"" (from ""lann"", holy place, and ""Dreger"", ""Treger"" with consonitic mutation, meaning Tregor). Since the Morlaix was the boundary between the Bishopric of Léon and the Bishopric of Tréguier, the town was divided between the two. On 27 January 1790, after the French Revolution, the Breton deputies"
"Loire-Atlantique Loire-Atlantique (; formerly ""Loire-Inférieure"") is a department in Pays de la Loire on the west coast of France named after the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean. Loire-Atlantique is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Originally, it was named Loire-Inférieure, but its name was changed in 1957 to Loire-Atlantique. The area is part of the historical Duchy of Brittany, and contains what many people still consider to be Brittany's capital, Nantes. However, during World War Two, the Vichy Government set up a system of regional prefectures where Loire-Atlantique was excluded"
"Sainte-Anne-d'Auray Sainte-Anne-d'Auray () is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France. Inhabitants of Sainte-Anne-d'Auray are called in French ""Saintannois"". In 2008, 10,82% of all children in the area attended bilingual schools in primary education. The most notable feature of the village is the large Basilica of Sainte-Anne d'Auray, which is a major site of pilgrimage. Saint Anne is the patron saint of Brittany. The Basilica was built in the mid-nineteenth century to replace an earlier church which had housed an ancient statue of Anne. The statue was said to have been miraculously discovered by Yves Nicolazic,"
"Cancale Cancale (; Gallo: ""Cauncall"") is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in northwestern France. It is known as the birthplace of Saint Jeanne Jugan. Inhabitants of Cancale are called ""Cancalais"" in French. Cancale lies along the coast to the east of Saint-Malo. It is a picturesque fishing port popular with visitors, many of whom are drawn by its reputation as the ""oyster capital"" of Brittany. Though a small town, it is well served by a large number of restaurants, many specialising in seafood. When not eating one can sit and watch the bustle of this busy little"