Local traditions and culture in Bretagne

every year there is big festival in Bretagne yes it is at Lorient near me. There all the celtic background countries get together to showcase their language, music, food, and tradition. It is a big event and huge crowds come in.

I saw on local TV last year,and I am planning to see this year in person with the family. A great way to know the area if you are around those dates in August 2012.

All is set up to get you here, by car on the N165 road direction Lorient and the festival will be well posted. See Viamichelin for directions.

Bus by CTRL and Morbihan regional council, boats by LD Lines and Brittany Ferries, and the local train TER have special rates for festivals here is the info in FRench
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/bretagne/Fr/Idees_Loisirs/Coup_de_coeur_TER/DetailCoupCoeur.aspx?URI=tcm%3a16-32050-2

And all the area airports,
Aéroport de Lorient 02 97 87 21 50 - www.lorient.aeroport.fr
Aéroport Brest Bretagne - 02 98 32 86 00 - www.brest.aeroport.fr
Aéroport Nantes- 02 40 84 80 00 - www.nantes.aeroport.fr
Aéroport Rennes- 02 99 29 60 00 - www.rennes.aeroport.fr
Aéroport Quimper- 02 98 94 30 30 - www.quimper.cci.fr

The site is in French or Breton, but if need help let me know.

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well Brittany is boat heaven, welcome to my new part of the world ::)
Yes Brest is the Fetes Maritime in 2012. http://www.lestonnerresdebrest2012.fr/

Douarnenez july 2012
http://www.tempsfete-dz.com/

Morlaix
http://www.entreterreetmer2011.com/

and you should check this site for more
www.festival-bretagne.fr

hope it helps and happy sails ::)

Did you know that Bretagne is the homeland of the typical French and European gesture of kissing on the cheeks (se faire la bise)? It was introduced in the countryside of this region and then exported to the rest of France. Bretagne is probably also the region where the number of kisses to be exchanged vary the most and the most often. People exchange from one to four kisses when they meet. One kiss should be the most typical, but there's absolutely no rule. I have visited many villages and observed how many kisses people exchanged. So, in a village the most common number was two but in the closest one it was one or four (you will find more specific information in some of my Breton pages). I haven't been able to understand on what the number depends, if there ever is a rule. However, in Rennes and Morlaix, I only saw people exchanging one or maximum two kisses.

It's from the département Finistère (29) in Breizh. As you can see, this numberplate hasn't got the blue strip with the European flag and the letter "F" for France, but the symbol of Bretagne and the letters BZH for Breizh. This proves another confirmation that Bretagne belongs to France only politically.

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The Calvary, a form of cross in an outdoor site, is a testimonial to the plethora of granite stonecarvers in Brittany during the 16C-17C. There were at that time thousandsof them (to ward off the plague?). Most are just simple stone crosses set at intersections or sites of reverence, but a few are elaborately figured like this one. The elaborate ones are usually next to churches (in Closes). (see Tip>Things to Do; also the Close towns: Guilmiliau, St. Thegonnec, Lampaul-Guimiliau, Pleyben, etc). This one was encountered on the road from Lampaul-Guimiliau to Guimiliau (junction of D11 and D111?). Miraculously there was a picnic table set in front of it to fill our need.

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The great fight between St. Michel and Satan began at Mount Dol (Dol Mound) a hill outside of Dolde Bretagne (see Tips there). Satan was thrown down compessing the rock; he scratched them heavily as he struggled to get up and away. Michel created a deep cleft with his sword and threw Satan into it. He disappeared there, but reappeared laughing on top of Mont St.-Michel. In one bound Miechel leaped over to the Mount to continue the battle compressing more rock from the thrust-force of his jump. (Did he use a rocket?). The rest of the story took place in Normandy so it cannot be a custom here. You need a map. imagination and possibly guidance to se the rocky remains. We do not guarantee their accuracy.

Breizh is the name of Bretagne in the Breton language or brezhoneg. Breton is a language belonging to the Celtic group, so it is close to Irish, Welsh and Scottish and has nothing in common with French, apart from the pronunciation.
Breton is still very important unlike the other regional languages, since Breizh has been independent from France much longer than the other regions. You find Breton words in almost every geographical name.
Brezhoneg is spoken in three departements: Finistère (which is the most Breton of all), Côtes d'Armor and Morbihan (this variety, called vannetais is different from the one spoken in the two other departements). Only in Ille-et-Vilaine people speak exclusively French.

The Festoù Noz was traditionally the feast which took place after a communal chore in Breton villages and towns as a means of relaxation after a hard day’s work. Nowadays it has become a great excuse to listen to traditional music, eat, dance and make merry!

The Fest Noz dance, with it’s infectious music played on violins, flutes, guitars and drums, is for everybody to join in, with simple steps and hands linked. They are held all through the summer months particularly in all villages and towns. The music has recently undergone a huge revival.
Try looking in AngloINFO Whats on for more details of fest noz in your area.