Guérande

The French community Guerande ( Gwenrann in Breton ) is located in the department of Loire- Atlantique in the Pays de la Loire. Guerande, which is known for its medieval, historic city center, is located on the peninsula which is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, and is part of the historic Brittany.

Geography

The community Guerande with 15,693 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) consists of 32 villages and 72 hamlets. Your extension is 8144 ha, of which 300 ha are forested, the salt fields occupy about 2000 ha. 16 ha of the area is covered by water (ponds and canals). These are partly the Brière Regional Nature Park (French: Parc naturel régional de Brière ).

History

Gwen / guen in Breton means "white."

The wealth of the medieval Guerande was founded in the salt fields of Guerande peninsula. To this day, is recovered in the salt marshes between Guerande and Atlantic coast salt. The Fleur de Sel sea salt, which precipitates on hot days as a thin layer on the water surface and is skimmed off; the salt is recovered from the ponds is impure and cheaper.

The settlement of the Guerande peninsula dates back to the Neolithic period, which still bear witness to existing megaliths. The importance of the city does not begin until the Middle Ages. Around the year 848, the city was temporary bishopric. After 1343 was begun the massive city to fix. Work on this went on for a century. Only in 1488 the town walls by Francois II, Duke of Brittany and was father of Anne de Bretagne inaugurated.

Culture and sights

• City wall from the 14th and 15th centuries

The city wall extends over a length of 1,434 meters and has four goals on (St. Michel in the east, Vannetaise in the north, the west and Bizienne de Saillé in the south).

• The Collegiate Church of Saint- Aubin

The church was built between the 12th and 16th century and is classified as a monument historique since 1853.

• Musée du Pays de Guerande

The museum is located in St. Michel, the main gate to the medieval town center, a building from the 15th century. On three floors of regional and local history is shown.

• The salt of Guerande

The "white gold" (sea salt) in the salt marshes, the marais salants won. In the lying south of the small town of Guerande Batz- sur -Mer on the Atlantic coast of the salt extraction are presented in the Musée des Marais Salants history and technology.

Gallery

Medieval city walls

Guerande at Night

Collegiate Church of St. Aubin south side

Half-timbered house

Salt production on the Guerande peninsula

Twinning

Since 1962/63 between Guerande and the Middle Franconian city in Bavaria Dinkelsbühl twinned. The contacts go back to the 1950s. Furthermore, there are partnerships with Dolgellau in Wales and Castro Marim in Algarve (Portugal )

Film

• Barefoot in the salt - The salt farmers of Brittany. Documentary, Germany, 2001, 43 min, written and directed by Birgit Köster and Heidrun Seeger Production: interface, WDR, Synopsis and online video.