Dinan
Encyclopedia
Dinan is a walled Breton
town and a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor
department in northwestern France
.
, most urban development has been on the hillside, overlooking the river Rance
. The area alongside the River Rance is known as the port of Dinan and is connected to the town by the steep streets Rue Jerzual and its continuation outside the walls the Rue de Petit Fort This river has moderate turbidity
and its brownish water is somewhat low in velocity due to the slight gradient of the watercourse; pH
levels have been measured at 8.13 within the city of Dinan and electrical conductivity of the waters have tested at 33 micro-siemens per centimetre. In the centre of Dinan the Rance summer flows are typically in the range of 500 cuft/s.
For many years, the bridge over the River Rance
at Dinan was the most northerly crossing point on the river, but the tidal power station
at the mouth of the estuary, constructed in the 1960s downstream from Dinan, incorporates a 750 meter long tidal barrage which doubles as a crossing point nearer to the sea.
Major historical attractions include the Jacobins Theatre dating from 1224, the flamboyant Gothic St Malo's Church, the Romanesque
St Saviour's Basilica, Duchess Anne's Tower and the Château de Dinan
.
A major highlight in the calendar is Dinan's Fête des Remparts. The town is transformed with decoration and many locals dress up in medieval garb for this two-day festival. It occurs only every other year.
Dinan is also associated with:
Dinan was also a favourite place for artists to visit in search of picturesque views. The British artist John Everett Millais
lived there as a child. It was also painted by Edward Ward
and Horace Tuck
among others.
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
town and a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor
Côtes-d'Armor
Côtes-d'Armor is a department in the north of Brittany, in northwestern France.-History:Côtes-du-Nord was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Brittany. Its name was changed in 1990 to...
department in northwestern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Geography
Its geographical setting is exceptional. Instead of nestling on the valley floor like MorlaixMorlaix
Morlaix is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Leisure and tourism:...
, most urban development has been on the hillside, overlooking the river Rance
Rance River
The Rance is a river of northwestern France. It flows into the English Channel between Dinard and Saint-Malo.Before reaching the Channel, its waters are barred by a 750 metre long dam forming the Rance tidal power plant....
. The area alongside the River Rance is known as the port of Dinan and is connected to the town by the steep streets Rue Jerzual and its continuation outside the walls the Rue de Petit Fort This river has moderate turbidity
Turbidity
Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid caused by individual particles that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. The measurement of turbidity is a key test of water quality....
and its brownish water is somewhat low in velocity due to the slight gradient of the watercourse; pH
PH
In chemistry, pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution. Pure water is said to be neutral, with a pH close to 7.0 at . Solutions with a pH less than 7 are said to be acidic and solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic or alkaline...
levels have been measured at 8.13 within the city of Dinan and electrical conductivity of the waters have tested at 33 micro-siemens per centimetre. In the centre of Dinan the Rance summer flows are typically in the range of 500 cuft/s.
For many years, the bridge over the River Rance
Rance River
The Rance is a river of northwestern France. It flows into the English Channel between Dinard and Saint-Malo.Before reaching the Channel, its waters are barred by a 750 metre long dam forming the Rance tidal power plant....
at Dinan was the most northerly crossing point on the river, but the tidal power station
Rance tidal power plant
The Rance Tidal Power Station is the world's first tidal power station and also the world's second biggest tidal power station. The facility is located on the estuary of the Rance River, in Brittany, France. Opened on the 26th November 1966, it is currently operated by Électricité de France, and is...
at the mouth of the estuary, constructed in the 1960s downstream from Dinan, incorporates a 750 meter long tidal barrage which doubles as a crossing point nearer to the sea.
Population
Inhabitants of Dinan are called dinannais.Attractions
The medieval town on the hilltop has many fine old buildings some as early as 13th century. The town retains a large section of the city walls, part of which can be walked around.Major historical attractions include the Jacobins Theatre dating from 1224, the flamboyant Gothic St Malo's Church, the Romanesque
Romanesque architecture
Romanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
St Saviour's Basilica, Duchess Anne's Tower and the Château de Dinan
Château de Dinan
The Château de Dinan consists of a keep, in the town of Dinan, in the Côtes-d'Armor département of the Brittany region of France.The keep and the gate are part of the of medieval ramparts which still surround the old town....
.
A major highlight in the calendar is Dinan's Fête des Remparts. The town is transformed with decoration and many locals dress up in medieval garb for this two-day festival. It occurs only every other year.
Personalities
Dinan was the birthplace of:- Charles BeslayCharles BeslayCharles Victor Beslay was the oldest member of the Paris Commune.An engineer, he was councillor general of Morbihan in 1830. Later, in Paris, he founded a steam machine factory, and tried to apply the ideas of his friend Proudhon on the association of capital to work...
(1795–1878), member of the Council of the Paris CommuneParis CommuneThe Paris Commune was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. It existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists had taken place, and it is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution... - Théodore BotrelThéodore BotrelJean-Baptiste-Théodore-Marie Botrel was a French singer-songwriter, poet and playwright. He is best known for his popular songs about his native Brittany, of which the most famous is La Paimpolaise. During World War I he became France's official "Bard of the Armies".-Life:Born in Dinan, Botrel was...
(1868–1925), poet and singer - Yves GuyotYves GuyotYves Guyot was a French politician and economist.He was born at Dinan. Educated al Rennes, he took up the profession of journalism, coming to Paris in 1867...
(1843–1928), politicianPoliticianA politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and economistEconomistAn economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy... - Myrdhin (1950-), real name Rémi Chauvet, harpist and poet
- Auguste PavieAuguste PavieAuguste Jean-Marie Pavie was a French colonial civil servant, explorer and diplomat who was instrumental in establishing French control over Laos in the last two decades of the 19th century...
(1847–1925), explorer and diplomat - Charles Pinot DuclosCharles Pinot DuclosCharles Pinot Duclos was a French author.-Life:He was born at Dinan, in Brittany. At an early age, he was sent to study at Paris...
(1704–1772), authorAuthorAn author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:... - Jean RochefortJean RochefortJean Rochefort is a French actor, with a career that has spanned over five decades.Rochefort was born in Paris, France. He was educated at the Lycée Pierre Corneille in Rouen He was 19 years old when he entered the Centre d'Art Dramatique de la rue Blanche. Later he joined the Conservatoire National...
(born 1930), actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... - Da Silva (1976-), singer
Dinan is also associated with:
- François-René de ChateaubriandFrançois-René de ChateaubriandFrançois-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand was a French writer, politician, diplomat and historian. He is considered the founder of Romanticism in French literature.-Early life and exile:...
, writer, studied in Dinan - Bertrand du GuesclinBertrand du GuesclinBertrand du Guesclin , known as the Eagle of Brittany or the Black Dog of Brocéliande, was a Breton knight and French military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was Constable of France from 1370 to his death...
, connétableConnétableConnétables in Jersey and Guernsey are the elected heads of the Parishes. They are often called 'constables' in English. The constables are entitled each to carry a silver-tipped baton of office.- Jersey :...
of France. Born at nearby BroonsBroonsBroons is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France.-International relations:Broons is twinned with the town Neufahrn i.NB in Bavaria since 1971.-Population:Inhabitants of Broons are called Broonais....
. His heart is buried in Dinan. - Yvonne Jean-Haffen (1895–1993), painter, died in Dinan
- Danielle MitterrandDanielle MitterrandDanielle Mitterrand was the wife of French President François Mitterrand, and president of the foundation France Libertés Fondation Danielle Mitterrand.-Biography:...
, wife of President François MitterrandFrançois MitterrandFrançois Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
, educated at the Roger VercelRoger VercelRoger Vercel was a French writer.-Biography :He was fascinated by the sea and marine life .The World War I interrupted his studies of letters...
college - Jean-François PaillardJean-François PaillardJean-François Paillard is a French conductor.He was born in Vitry-le-François and received his musical training at the Paris Conservatory, where he won first prize in music history, and the Salzburg Mozarteum....
(born 1928), orchestral conductor, educated at the Cordeliers de Dinan - Henri PinaultHenri PinaultHenri-Marie-Ernest-Désiré Pinault was the Roman Catholic bishop of Chengdu from 1949 until 1983, four years before his death.-Early life :...
, (1904–1987), Roman Catholic Bishop of Chengdu, educated at the Cordeliers de Dinan - René PlevenRené PlevenRené Pléven was a notable French politician of the Fourth Republic. A member of the Free French, he helped found the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance , a political party that was meant to be a successor to the wartime Resistance movement...
, (1901–1993), politician, minister, essayist. The hospital in Dinan is named after him. - Roger VercelRoger VercelRoger Vercel was a French writer.-Biography :He was fascinated by the sea and marine life .The World War I interrupted his studies of letters...
(1894–1957), writer, winner of Prix GoncourtPrix GoncourtThe Prix Goncourt is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year"...
1934, died in Dinan. A college in the town is named after him.
Dinan was also a favourite place for artists to visit in search of picturesque views. The British artist John Everett Millais
John Everett Millais
Sir John Everett Millais, 1st Baronet, PRA was an English painter and illustrator and one of the founders of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.-Early life:...
lived there as a child. It was also painted by Edward Ward
Edward Matthew Ward
Edward Matthew Ward was an English Victorian narrative painter best known for his murals in the Palace of Westminster depicting episodes in British history from the English Civil War to the Glorious Revolution.-Early career:...
and Horace Tuck
Horace Tuck
Horace Tuck was a prolific Norfolk artist and vice-principal of Norwich School of Art.-Biography:Mainly a painter of oil and watercolour landscapes of his native Norfolk in England, Horace Tuck also travelled to France , the Lake District and other parts of Britain on painting expeditions...
among others.
