Pont-l'Abbé
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Pont-l'Abbé |
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 Pont-l'Abbé
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Location within Brittany region
Pont-l'Abbé
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| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Brittany |
| Department | Finistère |
| Arrondissement | Quimper |
| Canton | Pont-l'Abbé |
| Intercommunality | Pays Bigouden Sud |
| Mayor | Daniel Couic (2008–2014) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 0–37 m (0–121 ft) |
| Land area1 | 18.21 km2 (7.03 sq mi) |
| Population2 | 8,322 (2010) |
| - Density | 457 /km2 (1,180 /sq mi) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 29220/ 29120 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
Coordinates: 47°52′05″N 4°13′19″W / 47.8681°N 4.2219°W
Pont-l'Abbé (Breton: Pont-'n-Abad, "Abbot's bridge") is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.
The self-styled capital of Pays Bigouden (roughly the region between the river Odet and the Bay of Audierne), Pont-l'Abbé was founded in the 14th century by a monk of Loctudy who built the first bridge across the river estuary, hence the name. The same monk also built the first castle.
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Population [edit]
Inhabitants of Pont-l'Abbé are called in French Pont-l'Abbistes.
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1793 | 1,698 | — |
| 1800 | 1,884 | +11.0% |
| 1806 | 1,883 | −0.1% |
| 1821 | 2,115 | +12.3% |
| 1831 | 2,785 | +31.7% |
| 1836 | 3,163 | +13.6% |
| 1841 | 3,325 | +5.1% |
| 1846 | 3,626 | +9.1% |
| 1851 | 3,810 | +5.1% |
| 1856 | 3,947 | +3.6% |
| 1861 | 4,286 | +8.6% |
| 1866 | 4,526 | +5.6% |
| 1872 | 4,739 | +4.7% |
| 1876 | 4,991 | +5.3% |
| 1881 | 5,110 | +2.4% |
| 1886 | 5,729 | +12.1% |
| 1891 | 5,536 | −3.4% |
| 1896 | 5,797 | +4.7% |
| 1901 | 6,315 | +8.9% |
| 1906 | 6,432 | +1.9% |
| 1911 | 6,652 | +3.4% |
| 1921 | 6,637 | −0.2% |
| 1926 | 6,724 | +1.3% |
| 1931 | 6,656 | −1.0% |
| 1936 | 6,563 | −1.4% |
| 1946 | 6,644 | +1.2% |
| 1954 | 6,393 | −3.8% |
| 1962 | 6,396 | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 6,791 | +6.2% |
| 1975 | 7,325 | +7.9% |
| 1982 | 7,266 | −0.8% |
| 1990 | 7,374 | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 7,846 | +6.4% |
| 2008 | 8,079 | +3.0% |
| 2010 | 8,322 | +3.0% |
Breton language [edit]
The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhoneg on February 2, 2008.
In 2008, 5.08% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools.[1]
The Fête des Brodeuses (Embroideress' Festival) in July is one of Brittany's major traditional gatherings, and includes a Breton Mass at the Notre-Dame des Carmes church.
Sights [edit]
- Pont-l'Abbé's castle spans the 14th to the 18th centuries. The "wedding" room decorated with Mathurin Méheut pieces of art (Sainte-Marine port), Henri Sollier and Jacques Godin. The structure now serves as the town hall and houses the Bigouden Museum, with its fine collection of costumes and Bigouden head-dresses,
- 'Notre-Dame des Carmes church is very old church (1383-1420) in the Gothic style, with many old statues and a very nice rose window over the high altar that is considered the loveliest in Bretagne.
- 'Lambour' church (13th-16th century) had its roof removed in 1675 in the reign of Louis XIV in reprisal against the "Bonnets Rouges" uprising.
- The Monument aux Bigoudens is a masterpiece in granite by François Bazin (1931) and shows a group of five Bigoudènes in traditional costume from the beginning of 20th century (four women and a child), all of them thinking of a son, a father, a husband or a grandson battling the elements on the high seas.
- The Manoir de Kernuz was restored c. 1850 by the historian of Brittany, Armand du Chatellier.
International relations [edit]
Pont-l'Abbé is twinned with:
Pont L'Abbe is also twinned with Bantry in Co. Cork , Ireland
Personalities [edit]
Jérôme Kerviel, the trader formerly with Société Générale in Paris that was linked with losses of approximately €4.9 billion (US$7.16 billion) stemming from fraudulent equity index futures trading, grew up in Pont-l'Abbé.
See also [edit]
References [edit]
- ^ (French) Ofis ar Brezhoneg: Enseignement bilingue
- Mayors of Finistère Association (French)
External links [edit]
- Official website (French)
- French Ministry of Culture list for Pont-l'Abbé (French)
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pont-l'Abbé |
