TheÎle de Sein[ildəsɛ̃] is aBretonisland in theAtlantic Ocean, offFinistère, eight kilometres from thePointe du Raz (raz meaning "water current"), from which it is separated by theRaz de Sein. ItsBreton name isEnez-Sun. The island, with its neighbouring islets, forms thecommune of Île-de-Sein in the Finistèredepartment ofBrittany in north-western France. Inhabitants of Île-de-Sein are called inFrenchSénans.

Île-de-Sein Enez-Sun
Commune
Close-up of the island
Flag
Location of Île-de-Sein
Île-de-Sein Show map of France Île-de-Sein Show map of Brittany
Coordinates:48°02′12″N4°50′58″W / 48.0367°N 4.8494°W /48.0367; -4.8494
Country	France
Region	Brittany
Department	Finistère
Arrondissement	Quimper
Canton	Douarnenez
Government
• Mayor(2020–2026)	Didier Fouquet[1]
Area 1	0.58 km2 (0.22 sq mi)
Population  (2019)[2]	260
• Density	450/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	29083 /29990
Elevation	0–9 m (0–30 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Lying on the sea routes going south from theEnglish Channel, Sein is well known for the dangers of its waters, theChaussée de Sein, a vast zone of reefs stretching more than 30 miles from east to west, requiring numerous lighthouses, beacons, andbuoys. The lighthouses near the reef includeAr Men,La Vieille andTévennec.

There are twomegalithicmenhirs on the island, which is flat and treeless.^[3]

It is mentioned by the Roman geographerPomponius Mela.^[3]

The island women used to wear a black headdress, and in the past, they had a reputation for enticing sailors onto the rocks by witchcraft. In the past, it was also known for itswreckers.^[4]

During World War II, German forces occupied the island. The Île de Sein lighthouse (Le Phare de Goulenez), built in 1839 at the north-western end was destroyed - it was later rebuilt in 1952. After hearingGeneral de Gaulle's call to resistance duringWorld War II in hisappeal to the French on 18 June 1940, every male inhabitant aged between 14 and 54^{[citation needed]} (or 60, according to the island's official website^[5]) (variously totalled as 114 to 128^{[citation needed]}) set sail in their fishing boats for Britain to join theFree French forces. For this, on 1 January 1946, the community was awarded the high honour of theOrder of the Liberation.

During the 1960s, French artistsMaurice Boitel andJean Rigaud painted on the Île de Sein.

It is featured in the 1995 French filmÉlisa.

Île de Sein has anoceanic climate (Köppen climate classificationCfb). The average annual temperature in Île de Sein is 12.9 °C (55.2 °F). The average annual rainfall is 815.0 mm (32.09 in) with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 17.8 °C (64.0 °F), and lowest in February, at around 8.4 °C (47.1 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Île de Sein was 32.3 °C (90.1 °F) on 11 July 1983; the coldest temperature ever recorded was −6.5 °C (20.3 °F) on 13 January 1987.

According toBreton legend, Île de Sein was once home to a group of virgindruid priestesses called theGallizenae. They are said to have had the power to predict the future, to calm the winds, and to take the forms of different animals.^[7]

• Communes of the Finistère department
• Parc naturel régional d'Armorique

• Queffélec, Henri,Un recteur de l'île de Sein, Éditions Bartillat, Paris, 1999,ISBN 2841001210

  Media related toÎle de Sein at Wikimedia Commons

• Base Mérimée:Search for heritage in the commune, Ministère français de la Culture.(in French)
• (in French)State Lighthouse "la VIEILLE" dated April 19, 2009
• (in French)State Lighthouse "Enez-Sun" dated April 19, 2009
• île de Sein's dolphins onYouTube
• Having defied the Nazis,Islanders take on the sea 23. July.2012The New York Times
• Mayors of Finistère Association(in French)