Penmarch
Encyclopedia
Penmarc'h or Penmarch is a commune
in the Finistère
department of Brittany in north-western France
. It lies 18 km south-west of Quimper by road.
-banks, the disappearance of which together with the discovery of the Newfoundland cod-banks and the pillage of the place by the bandit La Fontenelle
in 1595 contributed to its decline.
The church of Saint Nouna, a Gothic
building of the early 16th century at Penmarc'h, and the church of St. Guénolé, an unfinished tower, and the church of Kerity are of interest. The coast is very dangerous. On the Pointe de Penmarc'h stands the Phare d'Eckmühl
, with a light visible for 60 miles. There are numerous megalithic monuments in the vicinity.
Penmarchais. The commune has a greater population than Guilvinec
.
's The Franklin's Tale
, has a name similar to this, which may symbolise her obduracy..
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Finistère
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
department of Brittany in north-western 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...
. It lies 18 km south-west of Quimper by road.
History
On the extremity of the peninsula on which it is situated are fortified remains of a town which was of considerable importance from the 14th to the 16th centuries and included, besides Penmarc'h, Saint-Guénolé and Kerity. It owed its prosperity to its codCod
Cod is the common name for genus Gadus, belonging to the family Gadidae, and is also used in the common name for various other fishes. Cod is a popular food with a mild flavor, low fat content and a dense, flaky white flesh. Cod livers are processed to make cod liver oil, an important source of...
-banks, the disappearance of which together with the discovery of the Newfoundland cod-banks and the pillage of the place by the bandit La Fontenelle
Guy Éder de La Fontenelle
Guy Éder de Beaumanoir de la Haye, also known by his nicknames La Fontenelle or Ar Bleiz , was born in 1573 in the former parish of Bothoa, today called Saint-Nicolas-du-Pélem....
in 1595 contributed to its decline.
The church of Saint Nouna, a Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
building of the early 16th century at Penmarc'h, and the church of St. Guénolé, an unfinished tower, and the church of Kerity are of interest. The coast is very dangerous. On the Pointe de Penmarc'h stands the Phare d'Eckmühl
Phare d'Eckmuhl
The Phare d'Eckmühl, also known as Point Penmarc'h Light or Saint-Pierre Light, is an active lighthouse in Penmarc'h, Finistère department, Brittany, France. At a height of it is one of the tallest lighthouses in the world...
, with a light visible for 60 miles. There are numerous megalithic monuments in the vicinity.
Population
Inhabitants of Penmarc'h are called in FrenchFrench language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
Penmarchais. The commune has a greater population than Guilvinec
Guilvinec
Guilvinec or Le Guilvinec is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.-Population:Inhabitants of Guilvinec are called in FrenchGuilvinistes.-Breton language:...
.
Literary references
Dorigen, the female protagonist in Geoffrey ChaucerGeoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer , known as the Father of English literature, is widely considered the greatest English poet of the Middle Ages and was the first poet to have been buried in Poet's Corner of Westminster Abbey...
's The Franklin's Tale
The Franklin's Prologue and Tale
"The Franklin's Tale" is one of The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer. It focuses on issues of providence, truth, generosity and gentillesse in human relationships.- Structure of the Tale :...
, has a name similar to this, which may symbolise her obduracy..
Further reading
- Couliou, Jean-René (1997) La Pêche bretonne. 446 p. Rennes: Presses Universitaires de Rennes
- Foyer de l'enseignement (1950) Grandeurs ... au pays de Penmarc'h: terre et mer. 58 p. Les Amitiés de Lorraine et d'Alsace
- Le Gallo, Yves (ed.) (1991) Le Finistère de la Préhistoire à nos jours. Ed. Bordessoules
- Quaghebeur, Joëlle (2001) La Cornouaille du IXe au XIIe siècle. Société archéologique du Finistère
- Dubois, Xavier (2002) « La Crise sardinière et les Mutations de la conserverie », in: Humbert, M., ed. La Bretagne à l'heure de la mondialisation. Rennes: Presses Universitaire de Rennes; pp. 27–33
- Duigou, Serge, et al. (2003) Histoire du Pays bigouden. Ed. Palantines
- Dreyer, Francis & Fichou, Jean-Christophe (2005) L'histoire de tous les phares de France. 316 p. Ouest-France ISBN 2-7373-3704-6; pp. 179–182