Langon, Ille-et-Vilaine
Encyclopedia
Langon is a commune
in the Ille-et-Vilaine
department of Brittany in north-western France
.
(the capital of Brittany), and 70 km (43.5 mi) from Nantes
and Saint Nazaire.
The Vilaine
river, which flows through Vitré
and Rennes
, borders the territory of Langon over a distance of 14 km, then flows on into the Atlantic ocean
. Langon one of the best preserved countrysides in all of Brittany.
era. By the end of the 19th century, 35 megalithic groupings had been discovered, many of which have since been razed.
The city's Roman heritage is evidenced in the Chapelle Ste Agathe, the villa de Balac, and a stretch of paved road. The first Christian communities established themselves in the area starting at the end of the 5th century. The town was built around the chapel.
Starting in the 9th century, the history of the village becomes intertwined with that of the Abbey
of Redon. It is in the records of this Abbey that the name of the parish is written using various Latin spellings ("Langedon", "Langeco", "Lanco", and "Lancon").
Langon found itself at the very edge of Britanny, when the Vilaine
river became the border between the Breton territory and the French territory.
In the 19th century, the arrival of the railroad through town brought a dynamic economic development and prosperity that had never been experienced. It was during this time that the village took on the look and feel that persists in much of the town to this day. World War II brought an abrupt end to this development.
Langonnais.
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Langon is distinctive because of its archeological heritage. Many different eras of history are represented in the surrounding area: the Neolithic
with the town's megaliths, the Roman era with the Chapelle de Sainte Agathe and a segment of a Roman road in the town, the Modern Era with its numerous mansions, the Corbinières viaduct
and, 2 kilometres to the north, the Porte de la Roche (a monument commemorating the villagers shot by the retreating German army near the end of World War II).
The chapelle Sainte-Agathe, with a history of 18 centuries, is famous for the Roman paintings on the inside. It was originally built as a Gallo-Roman spa at the end of the 2nd century, then converted to a church in the Middle Ages (6th-7th centuries). It was used as a funerary chapel in the 10th century. To this day, a Roman fresco depicting Venus emerging from the water and surrounded by all sorts of fish has survived.
There are a number of megaliths in Langon and in the surrounding area (particularly in the neighboring town of [St. Just]). One such arrangement has been named the "Demoiselles de Langon", or the "Damsels of Langon". The arrangement consists of around 20 stones, averaging around 1 meter (3 ft) in height.
The Corbinieres viaduct spans the Vilaine
river. More than 30 meters high, it links Langon to Messac. It was completed in 1861. The viaduct has distinctive skewed arches. For this reason, it is considered to be one of the most attractive viaducts in France. In addition, its pillars house an important bat colony.
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 Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine is a department of France, located in the region of Brittany in the northwest of the country.- History :Ille-et-Vilaine is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
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...
.
Geography
Langon is in the region of Brittany, close to the border with the Pays de Loire region. It is located 22 km (13.7 mi) from Redon, 60 km (37.3 mi) from RennesRennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
(the capital of Brittany), and 70 km (43.5 mi) from Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
and Saint Nazaire.
The Vilaine
Vilaine
The Vilaine is a river in Brittany, in the west of France. The river's source is in the Mayenne département , and flows out in the Atlantic Ocean at Pénestin in the Morbihan département . It is 218 km long...
river, which flows through Vitré
Vitré, Ille-et-Vilaine
Vitré is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.Vitré, a sub-prefecture until 1926, is the seat of a canton of around 17,000 inhabitants . It lies on the edge of Brittany, near Normandy, Maine, and Anjou...
and Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
, borders the territory of Langon over a distance of 14 km, then flows on into the Atlantic ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. Langon one of the best preserved countrysides in all of Brittany.
History
The earliest traces of human activity on the territory of present-day Langon date back to around 10,000 BCE, in the MesolithicMesolithic
The Mesolithic is an archaeological concept used to refer to certain groups of archaeological cultures defined as falling between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic....
era. By the end of the 19th century, 35 megalithic groupings had been discovered, many of which have since been razed.
The city's Roman heritage is evidenced in the Chapelle Ste Agathe, the villa de Balac, and a stretch of paved road. The first Christian communities established themselves in the area starting at the end of the 5th century. The town was built around the chapel.
Starting in the 9th century, the history of the village becomes intertwined with that of the Abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
of Redon. It is in the records of this Abbey that the name of the parish is written using various Latin spellings ("Langedon", "Langeco", "Lanco", and "Lancon").
Langon found itself at the very edge of Britanny, when the Vilaine
Vilaine
The Vilaine is a river in Brittany, in the west of France. The river's source is in the Mayenne département , and flows out in the Atlantic Ocean at Pénestin in the Morbihan département . It is 218 km long...
river became the border between the Breton territory and the French territory.
In the 19th century, the arrival of the railroad through town brought a dynamic economic development and prosperity that had never been experienced. It was during this time that the village took on the look and feel that persists in much of the town to this day. World War II brought an abrupt end to this development.
Demographics
Inhabitants of Langon 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...
Langonnais.
Sights
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...
with the town's megaliths, the Roman era with the Chapelle de Sainte Agathe and a segment of a Roman road in the town, the Modern Era with its numerous mansions, the Corbinières viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
and, 2 kilometres to the north, the Porte de la Roche (a monument commemorating the villagers shot by the retreating German army near the end of World War II).
The chapelle Sainte-Agathe, with a history of 18 centuries, is famous for the Roman paintings on the inside. It was originally built as a Gallo-Roman spa at the end of the 2nd century, then converted to a church in the Middle Ages (6th-7th centuries). It was used as a funerary chapel in the 10th century. To this day, a Roman fresco depicting Venus emerging from the water and surrounded by all sorts of fish has survived.
There are a number of megaliths in Langon and in the surrounding area (particularly in the neighboring town of [St. Just]). One such arrangement has been named the "Demoiselles de Langon", or the "Damsels of Langon". The arrangement consists of around 20 stones, averaging around 1 meter (3 ft) in height.
The Corbinieres viaduct spans the Vilaine
Vilaine
The Vilaine is a river in Brittany, in the west of France. The river's source is in the Mayenne département , and flows out in the Atlantic Ocean at Pénestin in the Morbihan département . It is 218 km long...
river. More than 30 meters high, it links Langon to Messac. It was completed in 1861. The viaduct has distinctive skewed arches. For this reason, it is considered to be one of the most attractive viaducts in France. In addition, its pillars house an important bat colony.