Bretagne

Amanda Baucum Abigail Gray

Shelby Huskey
Shannon ODonoghue Demetrius Seay

Basic Information

La Bretagne is a region in northwest France. Located in the northwest peninsula of continental Europe, bordered by the English Channel, the Celtic Sea, and the Bay of Biscay. Based on the 2010 census, the population was around 4,475,295. It has a temperate climate. It rains regularly, but it also has a fair share of nice days to. The temperature is pretty mild. Its main industries are agriculture and fishing.

History

Before Roman rule, the area consisted of the Celtic tribal territories and the ancient megalith culture. After the collapse of the Roman empire, there was a migration from Great Britain which lead to the formation of British Colonies. The area eventually became its own kingdom: the Duchy of Breton. After the French Revolution, the area unified fully with France. In the 21st Century the area officially became known as the Region of Brittany.

Architecture

Home to many megalithic monuments. Brittany is home to many medieval buildings as well as Gothic church buildings. There are many castles built in this region of France, such as the Chteau de Fougres, Chteau de Vitr, the Chteau de Chteaubriant and the Chteau de Clisson.

Art

Catholicism was the main inspiration for the Breton artists. Baroque retables were emphasized between the 17th and 19th century.

Breton sculptors were most famous for their ship models and for their decorative furniture.
Out of all the pieces, the box-bed was the most famous Breton piece of furniture. This region is also famous for their needlework which is featured on headdresses. Brittany is also recognized for their pottery skills which includes bowls and plates crafted and painted by hand.

Cuisine
Famous for seafood, rumored to have the best oysters.
Common dishes include:

La Cotriade

Hearty fish stew made from monkfish and/or mackerel and mixed with onions, parsley, white wine, garlic, and potatoes.

Galettes de Sarrasin

Buckweath crepe with a well seasoned filling. The sweetened version is known as crepes.

Palourdes

Baked clams stuffed with garlic, herbs, shallots, and cooked in white wine.

Coquilles Saint-Jacques

Scallops cooked in their shells with mushrooms, cheese, potatoes, shallots, and white wine. Topped with crispy breadcrumbs.

Moules-Frites

Mussels steamed in a shallot, parsley, and white wine sauce. Usually served with french fries.

Customs

Seafood The Celtic Tradition of language and music Sailing and boating North Brittany is famous for growing artichokes.

Bretagne is the homeland of the typical French and European gesture of kissing on the cheeks when greeting.

Sources

wiki.answers.com francetravelguide.com http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Brittany Bretagne.png http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brittany

www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/France/Bretagne