Brittany

:This article is about the historical duchy and French province, as well as the cultural area of Brittany. For the current French administrative region of Bretagne, see Bretagne. For other meanings, see Brittany (disambiguation).

Sights

Brittany is famous for its megalithic monuments, which are scattered over the peninsula, the largest alignments are near Carnac. The purpose of these monuments is still unknown, and many local people are reluctant to entertain speculation on the subject. The words dolmen and menhir come from the Breton language, even though they are hardly used in Breton.

Related Topics:
Megalith - Peninsula - Carnac - Dolmen - Menhir

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Brittany is also known for the calvaires (calvaries), elaborately carved sculptures of crucifixion scenes, to be found in churchyards of villages and small towns, especially in Western Brittany.

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Besides the two historic capitals, significant urban centres include:

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• Brest
• Lorient
• Quimper
• Vannes
• Redon
• Saint-Brieuc
• Saint-Nazaire

The walled city of Saint-Malo, a popular tourist attraction, is also an important port linking Brittany with the United Kingdom and the Channel Islands. It also was the birthplace of the acclaimed author Chateaubriand. The town of Roscoff is served by ferry links with the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

Related Topics:
Saint-Malo - Port - United Kingdom - Channel Islands - Chateaubriand - Roscoff - Ferry - Republic of Ireland

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The island of Ushant (French Ouessant, Breton Enez Eusa) is the north-westernmost point of France, and marks the entrance of the English Channel. Other islands off the coast of Brittany include:

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• Bréhat
• Batz
• Molène
• Sein
• Glénan islands
• Groix
• Belle-Ile
• Houat
• Hoëdic
• Ile-aux-Moines
• Ile d'Arz