Carnac
Encyclopedia
Carnac is a commune
beside the Gulf of Morbihan
on the south coast of Brittany
in the Morbihan
department in north-western France
.
Its inhabitants are called Carnacois. Carnac is renowned for the Carnac stones
– one of the most extensive Neolithic menhir
collections in the world – as well as its beach
es, which are popular with tourists.
Located on a narrow peninsula halfway between the medieval town Vannes
and the seaside resort Quiberon
, Carnac is split into two centres - Carnac-Ville and Carnac-Plage (the beachfront). In total there are five beaches, including la Grande Plage, and further to the east, Plage Men Dû and Beaumer.
s. The stones were hewn from local rock
and erected by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany
. Local tradition claims that the reason they stand in such perfectly straight lines is that they are a Roman legion
turned to stone by Merlin
(Brittany has its own local versions of the Arthurian
cycle).
The Carnac stones were erected during the Neolithic
period which lasted from around 4500 BC
until 2000 BC
. The precise date of the stones is difficult to ascertain as little dateable material has been found beneath them, but the site's main phase of activity is commonly attributed to c.
3300 BC. One interpretation of the site is that successive generations visited the site to erect a stone in honour of their ancestors.
In 1864, La Trinité-sur-Mer
and its port were separated from the commune to create their own commune and parish. The fishermen found the church in Saint-Cornély to be too far from the port, and had one built in a more convenient location. La Trinité-sur-Mer thus became both a parish and a separate commune.
In 1903, a seaside resort
was created on the old salt flats, developing extensively through the 1950s to create the split Carnac of today: Carnac-ville and Carnac-plage. In 1974, a renowned hydrotherapy centre was sponsored by champion cyclist Louison Bobet
, retiring after having won the Tour de France
three times from 1953 to 1955.
. During the months of July and August, the number of people in the town swells from the influx of tourists and summer home residents. The beaches of Brittany are rarely able to offer warm waters on par with those of their southern cousins; however local factors have ensured that Carnac continues to be a touristic boom town. Wind and waves in the region attract day and cruise sailors. The Standing Stones and other monuments in the vicinity provide a modest degree of cultural attraction while Carnac-Plage's variety of bars and clubs ensures that a younger set can amuse themselves at night.
There are a number of camping grounds
in the woods around Carnac, some clustered around various lakes such as the Étang du moulin du lac which is immediately to the west of the river Crac'h.
Carnac is home to "École de Voile de Carnac" which provides sailing and windsurfing lessons and rentals to sailors of all experience levels. The geography of the Bay of Quiberon
provides ideal conditions for sailing. The Peninsula of Quiberon provides protection from Atlantic waves and turbulence while allowing the Gulf Winds to enter the bay.
For windsurfers
, the Saint-Colomban beach located in Carnac-Plage. The beach is very popular with windsurfers, as its position allows for the best exploitation of strong winds from the West. Other beaches in the area provide equal access to the winds of the bay but windsurfers may find themselves frustrated the areas of dead air close to their shores.
A local myth holds that a unicorn
lives in the waters off of the city and in a cave near St. Malo
.
to the east by road and by a shared pedestrian/bike path along the beach. The other neighbouring communes are Crac'h
, Erdeven
, Ploemel
and Plouharnel
.
As of the census
of 1999, the town has a population of .
In 2009, 11,03% of children attended bilingual schools in primary education
.
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...
beside the Gulf of Morbihan
Gulf of Morbihan
The Gulf of Morbihan is a natural harbour on the coast of the Département of Morbihan in the south of Brittany, France. This English name is taken from the French version: le golfe du Morbihan...
on the south coast 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...
in the Morbihan
Morbihan
Morbihan is a department in Brittany, situated in the northwest of France. It is named after the Morbihan , the enclosed sea that is the principal feature of the coastline.-History:...
department 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...
.
Its inhabitants are called Carnacois. Carnac is renowned for the Carnac stones
Carnac stones
The Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuli and single menhirs. The more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people...
– one of the most extensive Neolithic menhir
Menhir
A menhir is a large upright standing stone. Menhirs may be found singly as monoliths, or as part of a group of similar stones. Their size can vary considerably; but their shape is generally uneven and squared, often tapering towards the top...
collections in the world – as well as its beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es, which are popular with tourists.
Located on a narrow peninsula halfway between the medieval town Vannes
Vannes
Vannes is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2000 years ago.-Geography:Vannes is located on the Gulf of Morbihan at the mouth of two rivers, the Marle and the Vincin. It is around 100 km northwest of Nantes and 450 km south west...
and the seaside resort Quiberon
Quiberon
Quiberon is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.It is situated on the southern part of the Quiberon peninsula, the northern part being the commune of Saint-Pierre-Quiberon...
, Carnac is split into two centres - Carnac-Ville and Carnac-Plage (the beachfront). In total there are five beaches, including la Grande Plage, and further to the east, Plage Men Dû and Beaumer.
Standing stones
Carnac is famous as the site of more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stoneStanding stone
Standing stones, orthostats, liths, or more commonly megaliths are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in many different varieties....
s. The stones were hewn from local rock
Rock (geology)
In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. In general rocks are of three types, namely, igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic...
and erected by the pre-Celtic people 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...
. Local tradition claims that the reason they stand in such perfectly straight lines is that they are a Roman legion
Roman legion
A Roman legion normally indicates the basic ancient Roman army unit recruited specifically from Roman citizens. The organization of legions varied greatly over time but they were typically composed of perhaps 5,000 soldiers, divided into maniples and later into "cohorts"...
turned to stone by Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
(Brittany has its own local versions of the Arthurian
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
cycle).
The Carnac stones were erected during the Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
period which lasted from around 4500 BC
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
until 2000 BC
20th century BC
The 20th century BC is a century which lasted from the year 2000 BC to 1901 BC.-Events:* 2000 BC: Arrival of the ancestors of the Latins in Italy.* 2000 BC: Town of Mantua was presumably founded.* 2000 BC: Stonehenge is believed to have been completed....
. The precise date of the stones is difficult to ascertain as little dateable material has been found beneath them, but the site's main phase of activity is commonly attributed to c.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
3300 BC. One interpretation of the site is that successive generations visited the site to erect a stone in honour of their ancestors.
History
La Trinité-sur-Mer
La Trinité-sur-Mer , is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany, in north-western France.It is located east of Carnac. The town is primarily a port, with a seaside quay dotted by numerous seafood restaurants...
and its port were separated from the commune to create their own commune and parish. The fishermen found the church in Saint-Cornély to be too far from the port, and had one built in a more convenient location. La Trinité-sur-Mer thus became both a parish and a separate commune.
In 1903, a seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
was created on the old salt flats, developing extensively through the 1950s to create the split Carnac of today: Carnac-ville and Carnac-plage. In 1974, a renowned hydrotherapy centre was sponsored by champion cyclist Louison Bobet
Louison Bobet
Louis 'Louison' Bobet was a French professional road racing cyclist. He was the first great French rider of the post-war period and the first rider to win the Tour de France in three successive years, from 1953 to 1955...
, retiring after having won the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
three times from 1953 to 1955.
Tourism
Since the end of World War II, Carnac has become a popular site for tourists seeking a break from the traditional destinations on the Côte d'AzurFrench Riviera
The Côte d'Azur, pronounced , often known in English as the French Riviera , is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France, also including the sovereign state of Monaco...
. During the months of July and August, the number of people in the town swells from the influx of tourists and summer home residents. The beaches of Brittany are rarely able to offer warm waters on par with those of their southern cousins; however local factors have ensured that Carnac continues to be a touristic boom town. Wind and waves in the region attract day and cruise sailors. The Standing Stones and other monuments in the vicinity provide a modest degree of cultural attraction while Carnac-Plage's variety of bars and clubs ensures that a younger set can amuse themselves at night.
There are a number of camping grounds
Camping
Camping is an outdoor recreational activity. The participants leave urban areas, their home region, or civilization and enjoy nature while spending one or several nights outdoors, usually at a campsite. Camping may involve the use of a tent, caravan, motorhome, cabin, a primitive structure, or no...
in the woods around Carnac, some clustered around various lakes such as the Étang du moulin du lac which is immediately to the west of the river Crac'h.
Carnac is home to "École de Voile de Carnac" which provides sailing and windsurfing lessons and rentals to sailors of all experience levels. The geography of the Bay of Quiberon
Quiberon Bay
The Baie de Quiberon is an area of sheltered water on the south coast of Brittany. The bay is in the Morbihan département.-Geography:The bay is roughly triangular in shape, open to the south with the Gulf of Morbihan to the north-east and the narrow peninsular of Presqu'île de Quiberon providing...
provides ideal conditions for sailing. The Peninsula of Quiberon provides protection from Atlantic waves and turbulence while allowing the Gulf Winds to enter the bay.
For windsurfers
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
, the Saint-Colomban beach located in Carnac-Plage. The beach is very popular with windsurfers, as its position allows for the best exploitation of strong winds from the West. Other beaches in the area provide equal access to the winds of the bay but windsurfers may find themselves frustrated the areas of dead air close to their shores.
A local myth holds that a unicorn
Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
lives in the waters off of the city and in a cave near St. Malo
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
.
Neighboring communes
Carnac is connected to La Trinité-sur-MerLa Trinité-sur-Mer
La Trinité-sur-Mer , is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany, in north-western France.It is located east of Carnac. The town is primarily a port, with a seaside quay dotted by numerous seafood restaurants...
to the east by road and by a shared pedestrian/bike path along the beach. The other neighbouring communes are Crac'h
Crac'h
Crac'h is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-External links:* * * -References:* *...
, Erdeven
Erdeven
Erdeven is a commune in the Morbihan department in the region of Brittany in north-western France.Its main industry is tourism. Attractions include a seven kilometre-long beach beside the Atlantic and many prehistoric sites featuring megaliths...
, Ploemel
Ploemel
Ploemel is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-See also:*Communes of the Morbihan department* * -External links:* * *...
and Plouharnel
Plouharnel
Plouharnel is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Plouharnel are called in French Plouharnelais.-References:* * -External links:* * *...
.
Demographics
Inhabitants of Carnac are called Carnacois.As of the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 1999, the town has a population of .
Breton language
The municipality recently launched a linguistic plan and signed a document to encourage and facilitate the translation of municipal documents and news materials into the Breton language.In 2009, 11,03% of children attended bilingual schools in primary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
.
See also
- Standing stoneStanding stoneStanding stones, orthostats, liths, or more commonly megaliths are solitary stones set vertically in the ground and come in many different varieties....
s - Carnac stonesCarnac stonesThe Carnac stones are an exceptionally dense collection of megalithic sites around the French village of Carnac, in Brittany, consisting of alignments, dolmens, tumuli and single menhirs. The more than 3,000 prehistoric standing stones were hewn from local rock and erected by the pre-Celtic people...
- Communes of the Morbihan department
- List of archaeoastronomical sites sorted by country
- List of megalithic sites