The main traditional language of Brittany isBreton (Brezhoneg), spoken inLower Brittany (i.e., the western part of the peninsula). Breton is spoken by around 206,000 people as of 2013.[10] The other principal minority language of Brittany isGallo; Gallo is spoken only in Upper Brittany, where Breton used to be spoken as well but it has seen a decline and has been less dominant in Upper Brittany since around the year 900. Currently, most Bretons' native language isstandard French.
Historically, Brittany and its people have been counted as one of the sixCeltic nations. The actual number of Bretons in Brittany and France as a whole is difficult to assess as thegovernment of France does not collect statistics on ethnicity. The population of Brittany, based on a January 2007 estimate, was 4,365,500.[11] There is reason to believe that this number includes the department ofLoire-Atlantique, which theVichy government separated from historical Brittany in 1941.[12]
It is said that, in 1914, over one million people spoke Breton west of the boundary between the Breton and Gallo-speaking region—roughly 90% of the population of the western half of Brittany. In 1945, Breton speakers consisted about 75% of the population. In 2018, a study commissioned by theadministrative region of Brittany (Loire-Atlantique included) revealed that 5.5% of Bretons considered that they spoke the language (around 213,000 people).[13] In 2024, according to a new study, 2.7% of people surveyed said they spoke Breton very well or fairly well (around 107,000 people). However, the average age of Breton speakers has fallen from 70 in 2018, to 58.5 in 2024.[14]
In the late fourth century, large numbers of British auxiliary troops in the Roman army may have been stationed inArmorica. The ninth-centuryHistoria Brittonum states that the emperorMagnus Maximus, who withdrew Roman forces from Britain, settled his troops in the province.
Nennius andGildas mention a second wave of Britons settling in Armorica in the following century to escape the invadingAnglo-Saxons andScoti. Modern archaeology also supports a two-wave migration.[15]
It is generally accepted that the Brittonic speakers who arrived gave the region its current name as well as theBreton language,Brezhoneg, a sister language to Welsh and Cornish.
As in Cornwall, many Breton towns are named after these early saints. The Irish saintColumbanus was also active in Brittany and is commemorated atSaint-Columban inCarnac.
In the EarlyMiddle Ages, Brittany was divided into three kingdoms—Domnonée,Cornouaille (Kernev), and Bro Waroc'h (Broërec)—which eventually were incorporated into theDuchy of Brittany. The first two kingdoms seem to derive their names from the homelands of the migrating tribes in Britain, Cornwall (Kernow) andDevon (Dumnonia). Bro Waroc'h ("land ofWaroch", nowBro Gwened) derives from the name of one of the first known Breton rulers, who dominated the region ofVannes (Gwened). The rulers of Domnonée, such asConomor, sought to expand their territory, claiming overlordship over all Bretons, though there was constant tension between local lords.[citation needed]
Breton participation in the Norman Conquest of England
Bretons were the most prominent of the non-Norman forces in theNorman conquest of England. A number of Breton families were of the highest rank in the new society and were tied to the Normans by marriage.[16]
The ScottishClan Stewart and the royalHouse of Stuart have Breton origins.Alan Rufus, also known as Alan the Red, was both a cousin and knight in the retinue of William the Conqueror. Following his service at Hastings, he was rewarded with large estates inYorkshire. At the time of his death, he was by far the richest noble in England. His manorial holding atRichmond ensured a Breton presence in northern England. TheEarldom of Richmond later became anappanage of the Dukes of Brittany.
After 15 years of disputes in the French courts, the European Court of Justice recognized Breton Nationality for the six children of Jean-Jacques and Mireille Manrot-Le Goarnig; they are "European Citizens of Breton Nationality".[21] In 2015, Jonathan Le Bris started a legal battle against the French administration to claim this status.
The Breton community outside Brittany includes groups of Bretons in France and in others countries. According to data from the administrative region of Brittany, around 400 000 Bretons live in a country other than France,[22] most notably in Canada and the United States.
The Breton community outside Brittany includes groups of Bretons in the GreaterParis area,Le Havre, andToulon.In Paris, Bretons used to settle in the neighborhood around the Montparnasse train station, which is also the terminus of the Paris-Brest railway. TheParis Metro construction was co-directed by a Breton,Fulgence Bienvenüe.[23] On 30 June 1933, the "Avenue du Maine" station on the Metro was renamed "Bienvenüe" in his honor. Connected by a corridor to the Montparnasse metro station, located beneath theMontparnasse railway station, Bienvenüe station finally merged with Montparnasse station in 1942 to become Montparnasse - Bienvenüe metro station.
From 1885 to 1970, several thousand Bretons migrated to the United States, many of them leaving the Black Mountains ofMorbihan.[24] In June 2020, a replica of theStatue of Liberty was dedicated inGourin, Morbihan, to celebrate the legacy of these emigrants.
The Breton people are predominantly members of theCatholic Church, with minorities in theReformed Church of France andnon-religious people. Brittany was one of the most staunchly Catholic regions in all of France. Attendance at Sundaymass dropped during the 1970s and the 1980s; however, other religious practices, such aspilgrimages, have experienced a revival. This includes theTro Breizh, which takes place in the shrines of the seven founding saints of Breton Christianity. The Christian tradition is widely respected by both believers and nonbelievers, who see it as a symbol of Breton heritage andculture.
Apardon is the patron saint'sfeast day of theparish. It often begins with a procession followed by mass in honour of the saint.Pardons are often accompanied by small village fairs.The three most famouspardons are:
There is an ancientpilgrimage called theTro Breizh (tour of Brittany) which involves pilgrims walking around Brittany from the grave of one of the Seven Founder Saints to another. Currently, pilgrims complete the circuit over the course of several years. In 2002, the Tro Breizh included a special pilgrimage to Wales, symbolically making the reverse journey of the Welshmen Paul Aurelian, Brioc, and Samson. According to Breton religious tradition, whoever does not make the pilgrimage at least once in his lifetime will be condemned to make it after his death, advancing only by the length of his coffin every seven years.[27]
Some pagan customs from the old pre-Christian tradition remain thefolklore of Brittany. The most powerful folk figure is theAnkou or the "Reaper of Death".[citation needed]
There are four main Breton dialects: Gwenedeg (Vannes), Kerneveg (Cornouaille), Leoneg (Leon) and Tregerieg (Trégor), which have varying degrees of mutual intelligibility. In 1908, a standard orthography was devised. The fourth dialect, Gwenedeg, was not included in this reform, but was included in the later orthographic reform of 1941.[28]
The Breton language is a very important part of Breton identity. Breton itself is one of theBrittonic languages and is closely related toCornish and more distantly toWelsh.[29] Breton is thus anInsular Celtic language and is more distantly related to the long-extinctContinental Celtic languages, such asGaulish, that were formerly spoken on the European mainland, including the areas colonised by the ancestors of the Bretons.
In eastern Brittany, a regionallangue d'oïl,Gallo, developed. Gallo shares certainareal features such as points of vocabulary, idiom, and pronunciation with Breton, but is aRomance language. Neither language has official status under French law; however, some still use Breton as an everyday language. As of the 1980s, bilingual roadsides have been placed around the department as a way to regain a sense of cultural heritage.[30]
From 1880 to the mid-20th century, Breton was banned from the French school system and children were punished for speaking it. This was similar to Britain's enforcement of English, not Welsh, being used in Welsh schools during the 18th and early 19th centuries. The situation changed in 1951 with theDeixonne Law. This law allowed Breton language and culture to be taught 1–3 hours a week in the public school system on the provision that a teacher was both able and prepared to do so. In modern times, a number of schools and colleges have emerged with the aim of providing Breton-medium education or bilingual Breton/French education.[28]
There are a number of Breton language weekly and monthly magazines.[28] Newspapers, magazines and online journals available in Breton includeAl Lanv (based in Quimper),[31]Al Liamm,[32]Louarnig-Rouzig, andBremañ.
Afest-noz is a traditional festival (essentially a dance) inBrittany. Manyfestoù-noz are held outside Brittany, taking regional Breton culture outside Brittany. Although the traditional dances of thefest-noz are old, some dating back to theMiddle Ages, thefest-noz tradition is itself more recent, dating back to the 1950s.Fest-Noz was officially registered on Wednesday, December 5, 2012, byUNESCO on the "Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity."
There are many traditional Breton dances, the most well-known beinggavottes,an dro, thehanter dro, and theplinn. During thefest-noz, most dances are practised in a chain or in a circle with participants locking little (pinky) fingers; however, there are also dances in pairs and choreographed dances with sequences and figures.
Two main types of Breton music are a chorala cappella tradition calledkan ha diskan, and music involving instruments, including purely instrumental music. Traditional instruments include thebombard (similar to an oboe) and two types ofbagpipes (veuze andbinioù kozh). Other instruments often found are the diatonicaccordion, theclarinet, and occasionallyviolin as well as thehurdy-gurdy. AfterWorld War II, theGreat Highland bagpipe (andbinioù bras) became commonplace in Brittany through thebagadoù (Breton pipe bands) and thus often replaced thebinioù-kozh. The basicclarinet (treujenn-gaol) had all but disappeared but has regained popularity over the past few years.
The traditional motto of the former Dukes of Brittany isKentoc'h mervel eget bezañ saotret in Breton, orPotius mori quam fœdari inLatin which translates to "death before dishonour".[34]
The "national day" is observed on 1 August,[35] theFeast ofSaint Erwann (Saint Yves). Although, the "Gouel Breizh" (Festival of Brittany), is the biggest Breton national event, taking place every year during the week of the 19th of May: the day Saint Yves died.
The ermine is an important symbol of Brittany reflected in the ancient blazons of the Duchy of Brittany and also in thechivalric order,L’Ordre de l’Hermine (The Order of the Ermine).
Thetriskele is also an important symbol in Breton culture. The triskele is a traditional Celtic symbol that the Bretons use to connect them to their Celtic heritage.
^Berton, Claude; Ossadzow, Alexandre; Filloles-Allex, Christiane (1998).Fulgence Bienvenüe et la construction du métropolitain de Paris. Paris: Presses des l'École nationale des ponts et chaussées.ISBN978-2-85978-296-2.
Léon Fleuriot,Les origines de la Bretagne, Bibliothèque historique Payot, 1980, Paris, (ISBN2-228-12711-6)
Christian Y. M. Kerboul,Les royaumes brittoniques au Très Haut Moyen Âge, Éditions du Pontig/Coop Breizh, Sautron – Spézet, 1997, (ISBN2-84346-030-1)
Morvan Lebesque,Comment peut-on être Breton ? Essai sur la démocratie française, Éditions du Seuil, coll. « Points », Paris, 1983, (ISBN2-02-006697-1)
Myles Dillon, Nora Kershaw Chadwick, Christian-J. Guyonvarc'h and Françoise Le Roux,Les Royaumes celtiques, Éditions Armeline, Crozon, 2001, (ISBN2-910878-13-9).
Claude Berton, Alexandre Ossadzow et Christiane Filloles,Fulgence Bienvenüe et la construction du métropolitain de Paris, Presses des Ponts, 1998, (ISBN2859782966).
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