Alexis Gourvennec
Encyclopedia
Alexis Gourvennec was a Breton
pig farmer and economic leader who played a major role in the regeneration of Brittany
after World War II
. In the early 60s he was a leading militant in the Young Farmers' Movement, and in 1961 he helped found and led SICA (Societe d'Interet Collectif Agricole) St-Pol-de-Leon.
He was a leader of a group of leading Bretons who pressed 5 key demands (from the regional structure plan) on the French administration in the late 1960s
The French government agreed to these demands in October 1968.
Gourvennec saw a place for Brittany as part of a 'Celtic arc', stretching down the entire Atlantic coastline of Europe, and was keen to develop a service from Roscoff to Plymouth
. However, no existing ferry company viewed the route as worthwhile, and so Gourvennec and colleagues founded Brittany Ferries
.
When Prince Charles visited Finistère
in 1988, the local media apparently headlined his meeting with Gourvennec as 'Prince of Wales at the home of the Prince of Brittany' (see article by Peter Forde)
Breton people
The Bretons are an ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Brythonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain in waves from the 3rd to 6th century into the Armorican peninsula, subsequently named Brittany after them.The...
pig farmer and economic leader who played a major role in the regeneration of Brittany
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...
after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In the early 60s he was a leading militant in the Young Farmers' Movement, and in 1961 he helped found and led SICA (Societe d'Interet Collectif Agricole) St-Pol-de-Leon.
He was a leader of a group of leading Bretons who pressed 5 key demands (from the regional structure plan) on the French administration in the late 1960s
- A modern road network, between the region and Paris
- The setting up of a state of the art telecommunications network
- A strengthing of educational provision especially Brest University
- Improving industrial development at BrestBrest, FranceBrest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
- The construction of a deep-water port at RoscoffRoscoffRoscoff is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.The nearby Île de Batz, called Enez Vaz in Breton, is a small island that can be reached by launch from the harbour....
The French government agreed to these demands in October 1968.
Gourvennec saw a place for Brittany as part of a 'Celtic arc', stretching down the entire Atlantic coastline of Europe, and was keen to develop a service from Roscoff to Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
. However, no existing ferry company viewed the route as worthwhile, and so Gourvennec and colleagues founded Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries
Brittany Ferries is a French ferry company that runs ships between France, the UK, Ireland and Spain.-1970s and 1980s:Following the provision of the deep-water port at Roscoff, the company commenced in January 1973 at the instigation of Alexis Gourvennec, when existing ferry companies showed...
.
When Prince Charles visited 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...
in 1988, the local media apparently headlined his meeting with Gourvennec as 'Prince of Wales at the home of the Prince of Brittany' (see article by Peter Forde)