Gulf of Morbihan

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The Gulf of Morbihan is a natural harbour on the coast of the department of Morbihan in southern Brittany, France. Its English name is taken from the French version, le golfe du Morbihan, though it would be more precisely called 'the Morbihan' as its Breton name 'Ar Mor Bihan' means 'the little sea'. (Compare the Welsh y môr bychan), as opposed to the Atlantic Ocean outside, (Ar Mor Bras). Legend says that there are as many islands in the Gulf as there are days of the year. In fact the gulf has about 40, depending on the tides. Many islands are private property, except the largest two, Île-aux-Moines and Île-d'Arz. The area around the gulf features an extraordinary range of megalithic monuments. There are passage dolmens, stepped pyramids with underground dolmen chambers, stone circles, and giant menhirs, among others. The site best known to outsiders is Carnac, where remains of a dozen rows of huge standing stones run for over ten kilometers. The passage grave of Gavrinis, on a small island in the Gulf, is one of the most important such sites in Europe. Some of the ruins have been dated to at least 3300 BC — 200 years older than England's Stonehenge.

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Gulf of Morbihan
Sentier Côtier, Vannes

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Geographical coordinates (GPS)

Latitude	Longitude
N 47.6 °	E -2.8 °

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Address

Sentier Côtier

Sentier Côtier
56840 Vannes
Brittany, France
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Nearby Places

Île-d'Arz

Île-d'Arz (French pronunciation: [il daʁ]; Breton: An Arzh, pronounced [ãnars]) is an archipelago of nine islands and a commune in the Morbihan department, Brittany, northwestern France, only 6 kilometres (3.7 miles) to the southwest of Vannes. It is located in the Gulf of Morbihan. Île d'Arz and Île-aux-Moines are the only two islands of the gulf that are also communes.

Arradon

Arradon (French pronunciation: [aʁadɔ̃]; Breton: Aradon) is a commune in the Morbihan department in the Brittany region in northwestern France.

Île-aux-Moines

Île-aux-Moines (French pronunciation: [il o mwan]; Enizenac'h in Breton; the name means island of the monks) is a commune in the Morbihan department in the region of Brittany in northwestern France. It is the largest island in the Gulf of Morbihan. It is one of two island communes of the Gulf, the other being Île-d'Arz.

Canton of Vannes-2

The canton of Vannes-2 is an administrative division of the Morbihan department, northwestern France. It was created at the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015. Its seat is in Vannes.It consists of the following communes:

Stade de la Rabine

The Stade de la Rabine is a multi-purpose stadium in Vannes, France. It is currently used by Vannes OC and Rugby Club Vannes. The stadium is able to hold 9,500 spectators. The stadium was used as a venue for the 2013 IRB Junior World Championship, which was won by England. It also hosted the opening match, semifinals, third-place match, and final of the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. On February 3, 2019, it hosted a Six Nations Under 20s Championship match between France and Wales, with France winning 32–10.

Séné

Séné (French pronunciation: [sene]; Breton: Sine) is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France. The inhabitants of Séné are known in French as Sinagots.

Vannes

Vannes (French pronunciation: [van] (listen); Breton: Gwened) is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2,000 years ago.

Saint-Vincent Gate

The Saint-Vincent Gate (Porte Saint-Vincent) is a former city gate in Vannes, Brittany, France. It is listed in the Base Mérimée as a historic monument.

Hôtel de Ville, Vannes

The Hôtel de Ville (French pronunciation: [otɛl də vil], City Hall) is a municipal building in Vannes, Morbihan, western France, standing on Place Maurice-Marchais. It was designated a monument historique by the French government in 1992.

Château-Gaillard (Vannes)

The Château-Gaillard is a French hôtel particulier and an archaeological museum, built in the late Middle Ages in Vannes.

Canton of Vannes-3

The canton of Vannes-3 is an administrative division of the Morbihan department, northwestern France. It was created at the French canton reorganisation which came into effect in March 2015. Its seat is in Vannes.It consists of the following communes: Meucon Monterblanc Saint-Avé Saint-Nolff Treffléan Vannes (partly)

Ramparts of Vannes

The Ramparts of Vannes are the fortifications erected between the 3rd and 17th centuries to protect the city of Vannes in the Morbihan department in France. Founded by the Romans at the end of the 1st century BC under the reign of Augustus, the civitas Venetorum was forced to protect itself behind a castrum at the end of the 3rd century, during a major crisis shaking the Roman Empire. This first enclosure remained the city’s only protection for over a millennium. During the time of Duke John IV, at the end of the 14th century, the city’s enclosure was rebuilt and extended southward to protect the new districts. The duke wanted to make Vannes not only a place of residence but also a stronghold he could rely on in case of conflict. The area of the city intra-muros was doubled, and the duke added his Château de l’Hermine to the new enclosure. The Wars of the League at the end of the 14th century forced the city to equip itself with several polygonal bastions (Gréguennic, Haute-Folie, Brozilay, Notre-Dame). The Garenne spur was the last defensive structure built in Vannes around 1630. From 1670, King Louis XIV sold parts of the ramparts piece by piece to finance his wars. The most significant event was, in 1697, the donation to the city of Vannes of the ruins of the Château de l’Hermine, which were then used for the redevelopment of the port and the maintenance of municipal buildings. The urban developments of the 19th century led to the demolition of several segments of the northern and western walls. It was not until the partial destruction in 1886 of the Prison Gate, one of the oldest entrances to the old city, that Vannes residents attached to their heritage came together to form a heritage defense association in 1911. This led to the gradual establishment of protection for the ramparts as historical monuments between 1912 and 1958. For several decades, the city has been undertaking the restoration and enhancement of the parts of the ramparts it owns. A cornerstone of Vannes’ heritage and a quintessential tourist attraction, the Ramparts of Vannes are among the few urban fortifications still remaining in Brittany.