Douarnenez
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Commune of Douarnenez Seafront of Douarnenez |
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| Location | |
| Longitude | -4.33° |
| Latitude | 48.1° |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Région | Bretagne |
| Département | Finistère |
| Arrondissement | Quimper |
| Canton | Douarnenez (chief town) |
| Intercommunality | |
| Mayor | Monique Prévost (2001-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Altitude | 0 m–86 m (avg. 61 m) |
| Land area¹ | 24.94 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
15,827 |
| - Density (1999) | 635/km² |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 29046/ 29100 |
| ¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq. mi. or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| ² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel). | |
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Douarnenez is a fishing-port of western France, in the département of Finistère, at the mouth of the Pouldavid Estuary on the southern shore of Douarnenez Bay of the Atlantic Ocean, 15 mi. N.W. of Quimper by rail. Pop. (in 1999) 15,827. It has a large sardine fishery. Mackerel fishing, boat-building and rope and net making also occupy the inhabitants. There is a lighthouse on the small island of Tristan off Douarnenez.
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[edit] History
The legendary city of Ys, of Breton folklore, is believed to lie beneath Douarnenez Bay. The port is also associated with the medieval story of Tristan, lover of Iseult, for whom Tristan Island is named. The island was originally named Saint-Tutuarn Island for the priory founded there in 1118. Douarnenez has several 16th and 17 century churches, including the Church of Ploaré, which has a Gothic steeple (1548–86), and the chapels of Sainte-Croix, Sainte-Hélène, and Saint-Michel.
[edit] Events
Since 1986, Douarnenez has accommodated a maritime festival that joins together all types of traditional sailing, with ships coming from the four corners of the world. In 2004, one could count less than 2000 sailing ships, 17,000 sailors and 30 nations represented. With each demonstration, the culture and the know-how of a country are honored.
[edit] Births
- Ronan Pensec, cyclist
- Yvon Le Bot, sociologist
[edit] Deaths
- René Laennec (1781-1826), doctor and inventor of the stethoscope
- Georges Perros (1923-1978), writer
[edit] References
- This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
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