Brittany (Breizh) is France's westernmost peninsula — a Celtic heartland thrust into the Atlantic where granite cliffs, prehistoric megaliths, medieval walled cities, and 2,800 kilometres of coastline combine into one of Europe's most distinctive travel destinations.
Brittany's history is a 6,000-year story of cultural layering: Neolithic megalith builders who left the world's largest concentration of standing stones at Carnac; Bronze Age and Iron Age Celtic peoples who gave the peninsula its distinct character; Roman occupation under the name Armorica; the arrival of Celtic monks and missionaries from Britain (5th–6th centuries AD), who named the peninsula 'Brittany' (Little Britain) and established the first Christian communities; Viking raids and Norse settlements along the north coast; the Duchy of Brittany (939–1532), a sovereign state that at its height rivalled the Kingdom of France; the Treaty of Union with France in 1532; the Wars of Religion; and the long modern story of a region that has preserved its language, festivals, and identity against all pressures of French centralism. Brittany joined France as a nominally equal partner — the Perpetual Union of 1532 — but was progressively absorbed. The Breton language, once spoken by the entire population, was systematically suppressed after the French Revolution. Today approximately 200,000 people speak Breton, a Celtic language closely related to Welsh and Cornish.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Brittany.
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1
Neolithic megalith builders construct the Carnac alignments, dolmens, and tumuli — the largest prehistoric monument complex in the world
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2
Celtic Iron Age peoples settle the peninsula; the tribe known as the Veneti dominate Morbihan and build an Atlantic seaborne trading network
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3
Julius Caesar defeats the Veneti fleet in the Gulf of Morbihan — the first recorded naval battle in Atlantic waters — and brings Armorica under Roman control
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4
Mass Celtic migration from Britain (fleeing Anglo-Saxon invasion) establishes the 'Breton' population; seven founding saints (Brieuc, Tugdual, Pol, Malo, Samson, Corentin, Patern) give names to Brittany's bishopric cities
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5
Viking incursions devastate coastal Brittany; the peninsula temporarily loses its identity under Norse occupation
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6
Duke Alain Barbe-Torte expels the Vikings and establishes the independent Duchy of Brittany
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7
Breton knights cross the Channel with William the Conqueror and receive major fiefdoms in England
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8
The War of the Breton Succession — a proxy war between France and England fought across Brittany — ends with the Treaty of Guérande restoring Breton sovereignty
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9
Battle of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier: the Duchy's last independent army is crushed by French royal forces
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10
Duchess Anne of Brittany marries French King Charles VIII — the beginning of Brittany's absorption into France
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11
Treaty of Union: Brittany formally joined to France, retaining its parliament, laws, and tax privileges
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12
The Révolte du Papier Timbré — a popular Breton uprising against new royal taxes; brutally suppressed by Louis XIV
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13
The Chouannerie — royalist and Catholic insurgency against the Revolutionary government, concentrated in eastern Brittany and the Vendée
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14
The Breton nationalist movement begins; the Gorsedd of Brittany is founded in Guingamp
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15
Brittany suffers disproportionate casualties in World War I — memorials in every Breton village testify to the region's losses
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16
German occupation; Saint-Malo is 80% destroyed in August 1944 during its liberation by American forces; Brest is entirely demolished in a 47-day siege
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17
The first bilingual (French-Breton) Diwan school opens in Finistère — the beginning of the modern Breton language revival
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18
The Breton fest-noz night festival is inscribed on the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Historical eras
The chapters of Brittany's past.
Neolithic and Bronze Age
Celtic and Roman Armorica
Early Medieval (Celtic Christianity)
Duchy of Brittany
Union with France and Royal Brittany
World War II
Historical sites
Places where Brittany's past comes alive.
Carnac Megalith Alignments
Where: Carnac, Morbihan
Admission: Outdoor walking access: Free; Guided tour (required to enter fenced sections): €6/adult (~$6.50), €4/reduced (~$4.30)
Saint-Malo: The Corsair City
Where: Saint-Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine
Admission: Ramparts: Free; Château museum: €7/adult (~$7.60), €3.50/reduced (~$3.80)
Château de Fougères
Where: Fougères, Ille-et-Vilaine
Admission: €8/adult (~$8.70), €4/reduced (~$4.30)
Tumulus Saint-Michel (Carnac)
Where: Carnac, Morbihan
Admission: External: Free; Guided interior tour (Jul–Aug only): €4 (~$4.30)
Fort La Latte
Where: Plévenon, Côtes-d'Armor
Admission: €8/adult (~$8.70), €5/reduced (~$5.40)
Basilique Sainte-Anne-d'Auray
Where: Sainte-Anne-d'Auray, Morbihan
Admission: Free
Cathédrale Saint-Corentin de Quimper
Where: Quimper, Finistère
Admission: Free
Abbaye de Daoulas
Where: Daoulas, Finistère
Admission: €6/adult (~$6.50), €3/reduced (~$3.25)
Museums
Curated collections that tell Brittany's story.
Musée de Bretagne
Admission: €6/adult (~$6.50); free first Sunday of each month
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rennes
Admission: €5/adult (~$5.40); free Sundays
Musée des Mégalithes de Carnac (Maison des Mégalithes)
Admission: Free (entry to the guided tours is charged separately)
Musée de la Mer (Musée National de la Marine), Brest
Admission: €8/adult (~$8.70), €5/reduced (~$5.40)
Musée de la Pêche, Concarneau
Admission: €8/adult (~$8.70), €5/reduced (~$5.40)
Historical tours
Guided experiences that bring history to life.
Saint-Malo Rampart and Corsair History Walk
Self-guided walk along the 17th-century ramparts of Saint-Malo. The circuit of approximately 3 km includes 11 towers and views over the tidal estuary and offshore islands. A free PDF guide is available at the Saint-Malo tourist office (Esplanade Saint-Vincent, open Mon–Sat 09:00–18:30) or download the Saint-Malo app for guided commentary.
Guided Carnac Megalith Tour
The only way to access the fenced sections of the Carnac alignments (Kermario, Ménec, Kerlescan) is on a guided tour departing from the Maison des Mégalithes. Tours run daily in French and English (Jul–Aug); French only (Apr–Jun, Sep). Duration: 1.5 hours. Booking: Maison des Mégalithes, Route des Alignements, Carnac. Phone: +33 2 97 52 29 81. Online: menhirs-carnac.fr.