Lorient

Coordinates: 47°45′N 3°22′W / 47.75°N 3.36°W / 47.75; -3.36
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the city of Lorient in Brittany, France. For other uses, see Lorient (disambiguation).
"Keryado" redirects here. For the fishing vessel and later vorpostenboot, see German trawler V 423 Keryado II.

Lorient
An Oriant
Subprefecture and commune
Aerial view of the harbour of Lorient
Aerial view of the harbour of Lorient
Flag of Lorient
Flag
Coat of arms of Lorient
Coat of arms
Location of Lorient
Map
Lorient is located in France
Lorient
Lorient
Lorient is located in Brittany
Lorient
Lorient
Coordinates: 47°45′N 3°22′W / 47.75°N 3.36°W / 47.75; -3.36
CountryFrance
RegionBrittany
DepartmentMorbihan
ArrondissementLorient
CantonLorient-1 and 2
IntercommunalityLorient Agglomération
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Fabrice Loher[1]
Area
1
17.48 km2 (6.75 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
57,846
 • Density3,300/km2 (8,600/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
56121 /56100
Elevation0–46 m (0–151 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Lorient (French: [lɔʁjɑ̃] ⓘ; Breton: An Oriant) is a town (commune) and seaport in the Morbihan department of Brittany in western France.

History

Main article: History of Lorient

Prehistory and classical antiquity

Beginning around 3000 BC, settlements in the area of Lorient are attested by the presence of

Gallo-Roman
presence.

Founding

Lorient in the 18th century

In 1664,

French East Indies Company scrapped its base in Le Havre since it was too exposed during wartime, and transferred its infrastructures to l'Enclot, out of which Lorient grew. The company then erected a chapel, workshops, forges, and offices, leaving Port-Louis permanently.[5]

The city's name is derived from Le Soleil d'Orient, the first ship constructed at the site, in 1669. Workers gave the site the name of the ship, which, by contraction, became simply L'Orient and finally Lorient.[6]

The

Colbert de Seignelay, who inherited his father's position as Secretary of State of the Navy. At the same time, privateers from Saint-Malo took shelter there.[5] In 1700, the town grew out of l'Enclot following a law forcing people to leave the domain to move to the Faouédic heath. In 1702, there were about 6,000 inhabitants in Lorient, though activities slowed, and the town began to decline.[7]

Growth under the Company of the Indies

L'Enclos at the end of the 18th century

The town experienced a period of growth when

Atlantic triangular slave trade. From 1720 to 1790, 156 ships deported an estimated 43,000 slaves.[9] In 1732, the Company decided to transfer its sales headquarters from Nantes to Lorient, and asked architect Jacques Gabriel to raise new buildings out of dimension stones to host these new activities, and to embellish the L'Enclos domain.[8] Sales began in 1734, peaking up to 25 million livres tournois.[10] In 1769, the Company's monopoly ended with the scrapping of the company itself, under the influence of the physiocrats.[11]

Until the Company's closure, the city took advantage of its prosperity. In 1738, there were 14,000 inhabitants, or 20,000 considering the outlying villages of Kerentrech, Merville, La Perrière, Calvin, and Keryado, which are now neighbourhoods within the present-day city limits. In 1735, new streets were laid out and in 1738, it was granted city status. Further work was undertaken as the streets began to be paved, wharves and slipways were built along the Faouédic river, and thatched houses were replaced with stone buildings following 18th-century classical architecture style as it was the case for l'Enclos.[10] In 1744, the city walls were erected, and proved quickly useful as Lorient was raided in September 1746.[12] Following the demise of the Company, the city lost one-seventh of its population.[13]

In 1769, the city evolved into a full-scale

privateers hailed from Lorient. When the war ended, transatlantic lines opened to the United States, and in 1785, a new commercial company started under Calonne's tutelage (then Controller-General of Finances) with the same goal as the previous entities, i.e. conducting trade in India and China, with again Lorient standing as its operative base.[13]

The

Napoleonic wars put an end to trade for nearly two decades.[14]

19th and early 20th centuries

The Harbor at Lorient, 1869 painting by Berthe Morisot.
Cours de la Bôve (1907)

Maritime activities slowed at the start of the 19th century. Activity at the shipyards and naval base reached a low that would last until the July Monarchy. During this period, the city was more of an administrative center.[15] The first secondary school opened in 1822, a lazaretto in 1823, and barracks in 1839.[16]

The city began to modernize in the second quarter of the century; in 1825, a roofed slipway and a

cannery[17] opened the same year. The first gasworks was built in 1845.[18]

In the second half of the 19th century, the

ironclad Couronne was built on a design directly inspired by the Gloire class, though unlike her wooden-hull predecessors, she was entirely made of iron. She was followed in 1876 by the ironclad Redoutable
, the first ship in the world with a steel structure.

In 1889, fishing expanded following the creation of the municipal fish market,

steam-powered fishing trawlers
in 1900. The Keroman fishing port construction started in 1920.

World War II

In 1941, the

largest U-boat base, which would house the 2nd and the 10th U-boat flotillas for the bulk of the Battle of the Atlantic. Karl Dönitz, then supreme commander of the U-boat Arm, moved his staff into the Kernevel villa, just across the water from Keroman, in Larmor-Plage
.

In 1943–1944, Lorient was nearly razed to the ground by Allied

incendiary bombs
were dropped on Lorient.

After the

Croix de guerre 1939–1945
.

Reconstruction

Lorient city hall

In April 1945, the Reconstruction Ministry advocated the use of temporary wooden shacks. These shelters were shipped as a kit to be built on site. In 1948, there were 28 settlements under the city's authority, and 20 more in the urban area, distributed among the neighboring towns of Ploemeur, Lanester, Hennebont and Quéven. Each of these neighbourhoods could hold up to 280 houses.

This temporary housing would stand from 10 to 40 years depending on the location. The last shack in the largest settlement, Soye, was torn down in 1991. Today, only a few buildings dating to the 18th century still stand.

Geography

Location

Map of Lorient

Lorient is located on the south coast of Brittany, where the rivers Scorff and Blavet join to form the roadstead of Lorient, before discharging into the Atlantic Ocean. The river Ter used to flow into the estuary to the south of the city, however, a dam was constructed in 1967, stopping the flow. The city is 503 kilometres (313 mi) south-west of Paris, 153 kilometres (95 mi) south-west of Rennes and 158 kilometres (98 mi) north-west of Nantes.

The city comprises different neighbourhoods:

Adjacent towns:

Climate

Under the Köppen climate classification, Lorient experiences an oceanic climate (Cfb), with mild winters and cool to warm summers. Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year. Frost is rare in winter, as are days over 30 °C (86 °F) during summer.

Climate data for Lorient (Lann-Bihoué Airport) 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1952–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 16.8
(62.2) 		18.4
(65.1) 		23.3
(73.9) 		27.1
(80.8) 		29.8
(85.6) 		35.9
(96.6) 		37.6
(99.7) 		37.5
(99.5) 		31.0
(87.8) 		27.2
(81.0) 		19.6
(67.3) 		16.4
(61.5) 		37.6
(99.7)
Mean maximum °C (°F) 13.5
(56.3) 		14.2
(57.6) 		17.5
(63.5) 		21.3
(70.3) 		25.3
(77.5) 		28.9
(84.0) 		29.7
(85.5) 		29.1
(84.4) 		26.5
(79.7) 		21.0
(69.8) 		17.0
(62.6) 		13.9
(57.0) 		31.4
(88.5)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 9.7
(49.5) 		10.4
(50.7) 		12.6
(54.7) 		15.0
(59.0) 		18.1
(64.6) 		20.8
(69.4) 		22.5
(72.5) 		22.6
(72.7) 		20.7
(69.3) 		16.8
(62.2) 		13.0
(55.4) 		10.4
(50.7) 		16.1
(60.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 6.9
(44.4) 		7.1
(44.8) 		8.8
(47.8) 		10.7
(51.3) 		13.7
(56.7) 		16.4
(61.5) 		18.0
(64.4) 		18.1
(64.6) 		16.1
(61.0) 		13.3
(55.9) 		9.8
(49.6) 		7.5
(45.5) 		12.2
(54.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 4.0
(39.2) 		3.8
(38.8) 		5.0
(41.0) 		6.4
(43.5) 		9.3
(48.7) 		11.9
(53.4) 		13.6
(56.5) 		13.5
(56.3) 		11.5
(52.7) 		9.7
(49.5) 		6.6
(43.9) 		4.6
(40.3) 		8.3
(47.0)
Mean minimum °C (°F) −3.5
(25.7) 		−2.7
(27.1) 		−1.0
(30.2) 		0.4
(32.7) 		3.5
(38.3) 		6.3
(43.3) 		8.9
(48.0) 		8.0
(46.4) 		6.0
(42.8) 		2.8
(37.0) 		−0.1
(31.8) 		−2.6
(27.3) 		−4.9
(23.2)
Record low °C (°F) −13.1
(8.4) 		−11.0
(12.2) 		−7.4
(18.7) 		−4.1
(24.6) 		−1.1
(30.0) 		1.6
(34.9) 		3.4
(38.1) 		4.1
(39.4) 		1.0
(33.8) 		−1.8
(28.8) 		−5.0
(23.0) 		−8.7
(16.3) 		−13.1
(8.4)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 109.0
(4.29) 		82.5
(3.25) 		66.2
(2.61) 		67.5
(2.66) 		66.0
(2.60) 		52.0
(2.05) 		55.2
(2.17) 		53.3
(2.10) 		65.7
(2.59) 		103.8
(4.09) 		107.6
(4.24) 		114.5
(4.51) 		943.3
(37.16)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1 mm) 14.3 11.6 10.9 10.6 9.8 8.0 8.3 7.7 8.3 12.6 13.8 14.2 130.1
Average
relative humidity
(%) 		88 85 82 79 81 80 80 81 84 87 87 88 83.5
Mean monthly sunshine hours 71 99 144 191 214 224 232 219 193 120 87 72 1,866
Source: Météo France,[21] Infoclimat (humidity, 1961–1990),[22] and Meteociel [23]

Population

In 2017, Lorient had a population of 57,149.

préfecture is the slightly smaller commune of Vannes
. Inhabitants of Lorient are called Lorientais.

The population data in the table and graph below refer to the commune of Lorient proper, in its geography at the given years. The commune of Lorient absorbed the former commune of Keryado in 1947.[26]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 22,318—    
1800 17,837−3.15%
1806 20,553+2.39%
1821 17,115−1.21%
1831 18,322+0.68%
1836 18,975+0.70%
1841 23,621+4.48%
1846 26,434+2.28%
1851 25,694−0.57%
1856 28,412+2.03%
1861 35,462+4.53%
1866 37,655+1.21%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1872 34,660−1.37%
1876 35,165+0.36%
1881 37,812+1.46%
1886 40,055+1.16%
1891 42,116+1.01%
1896 41,894−0.11%
1901 44,640+1.28%
1906 46,403+0.78%
1911 49,039+1.11%
1921 46,314−0.57%
1926 41,592−2.13%
1931 42,853+0.60%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1936 45,817+1.35%
1946 11,838−12.66%
1954 47,095+18.84%
1962 60,566+3.19%
1968 66,444+1.56%
1975 69,769+0.70%
1982 62,554−1.55%
1990 59,271−0.67%
1999 59,189−0.02%
2007 58,135−0.22%
2012 57,706−0.15%
2017 57,149−0.19%
Source: EHESS[26] and INSEE[24]

Breton language

The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhoneg on 25 January 2007.

In 2008, 2.71% of the children attended the bilingual schools in primary education.[27]

Economy

DCNS
shipyard in 2006
Soy being unloaded at Kergroise port

Ports

Seven Seas Voyager leaving port

Lorient is commonly referred to as La ville aux cinq ports ("the city of five ports"): military, fishing, commercial, passengers and yachting.[28] In 2010, the sector represented 9,600 direct jobs for a total 12,000 jobs (with indirect jobs accounted for), or 12% of local employment.[29]

The port and disused submarine base

Industry

From its founding,

DCNS continues the legacy of the formerly state-owned shipyards (colloquially known as l'Arsenal) that began operation in 1690. It still builds warships, mainly frigates
. There is also a substantial industrial base in Keroman to support the fishing fleet.

Transport

Lorient South Brittany Airport is situated just west of the city at Lann Bihoue, and it has direct flights to Paris. There are also direct flights to London and Porto in the Summer.

The

Gare de Lorient
is the railway station, offering connections to Quimper, Nantes, Rennes, Paris (less than three hours by TGV) and several regional destinations.

Education

Schools in Lorient belong to the Academy of Rennes.

Tertiary

Military

Commando Jaubert
storming a ship in a mock assault

Active units based near Lorient:

Lorient Submarine Base

Main article: Lorient Submarine Base
The former submarine pens at Keroman

Lorient was the location of an extensive

Head of the U-Boat Arm Karl Dönitz
decided to construct the base on 28 June 1940. Between November 1940 and January 1942 a number of gigantic reinforced concrete structures were built. including three on the Keroman peninsula. They are called K1, K2 and K3. In 1944 work began on a fourth structure. The base was capable of sheltering thirty submarines. Lorient was damaged by Allied bombing raids but the naval base survived the war. Following the German surrender the base was used by the French Navy, named for Jacques Stosskopf, a hero of the French Resistance who had worked there. The base was decommissioned in 1995 and turned over to civilian use.

Culture

Pipers during the grande parade

Events

Each year in August since 1970, Lorient hosts the Festival interceltique, bringing together artists from all the Celtic world (Brittany, Cornwall, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Galicia, Asturias, Australia, Acadia and Isle of Man). Each year, a Celtic nation is chosen as honored guest. It is one of the biggest festivals in Europe by attendance (800,000 people for the 40th edition[38])

Media

Lorient is home to TébéSud (formerly TyTélé), a local TV channel covering Morbihan through DTT.

Religion

Catholic churches are among the main religious landmarks of Lorient. While the Church of Our Lady of the Assumption was built in 1850 in a revivalist neo-Gothic style, the church of Saint Joan of Arc was built in a neo-Roman style in the 1930s by French architect Jean Desbois and a few years later in 1955, and the modernist church of Notre-Dame-de-Victoire is the highest point of Lorient with its 4-meter-high concrete bell tower though the population never really accepted this new style.[39] Major Catholic festivals such as Christmas, Carnaval, Easter and the Pardon are celebrated as major feasts of the city.

Sports

Football

The most popular club in Lorient is FC Lorient, which currently play in Ligue 1, after winning Ligue 2 in 2020. They are nicknamed les Merlus. They play their home fixtures at Stade du Moustoir. Christian Gourcuff has managed the team for over 20 years (aggregate years).

Sailing

The converted submarine base has been home port to several skippers and their sailing teams:

Lorient was also a staging port during the

2011–12 Volvo Ocean Race, as well as the starting point of la Solitaire du Figaro
(2009 edition).

Eric Tabarly built three out of his six Pen Duick boats in Lorient.[41]

Notable Lorientais

See also: List of people from Lorient

Arts and literature

Sailors

Politics

Sports

Sciences

Others

  • Compagnon de la Libération
    .
  • Élisabeth Le Port (1919-1943) WWII French Resistance member.
  • Jacques Stosskopf (1898–1944), naval engineer, résistant. Mistaken for being a traitor, in 1946 the submarine base was renamed "Base Ingénieur Général Stosskopf" in his honour.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Lorient is

twinned with:[42]

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ "Maires du Morbihan" (PDF). Préfecture du Morbihan. 7 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  4. doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  5. ^
    doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  6. ^ "L'Origine du nom de Lorient". 11 September 2012.
  7. doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  8. ^
    doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  9. ^ René Estienne, « Les archives des compagnies commerciales et la traite : l'exemple de la Compagnie des Indes », Service historique de la Défense, Lorient, janvier 2009
  10. ^
    doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  11. ^
    doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  12. doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  13. ^
    doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  14. doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  15. ^
    doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  16. ^
    doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  17. ^
    doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  18. ^
    doi:10.3406/abpo.1939.1788
    .
  19. ^ Lagarrigue, Max (2007). "Comment les Français vivent-ils les bombardements alliés?". Arkheia. Archived from the original on 3 July 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2013.
  20. ^ Hans, Goebeler (2008). Steel Boats, Iron Hearts. Savas Beatie LLC.
  21. ^ "Données climatiques de la station de Lorient" (PDF) (in French). Météo France. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  22. ^ "Normes et records 1961-1990: Lorient-Lann Bihoué (56) - altitude 42m" (in French). Infoclimat. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  23. ^ "Normales et records pour Lorient-Lann Bihoue (56)". Meteociel. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  24. ^ a b Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  25. ^ "Comparateur de territoire, Intercommunalité-Métropole de CA Lorient Agglomération (200042174)". INSEE. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  26. ^ a b Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Lorient, EHESS (in French).
  27. ^ (in French) Ofis ar Brezhoneg: Enseignement bilingue
  28. ^ "Lorient-ports". Archived from the original on 9 October 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  29. ^ Josse, Charles (25 March 2011). "Lorient : Actualités et infos en direct, sorties, agenda, images, 56100 - Ouest-France". Ouest-France. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  30. ^ "26 000 tonnes de poisson au port de pêche de Lorient". Ouest-France. 7 January 2011. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  31. ^ "Lorient - Ports". Archived from the original on 11 January 2012. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  32. ^ "Ports - Pays de Lorient". Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  33. ^ "Tout savoir sur la vie des campus". www.univ-ubs.fr. 6 April 2023.
  34. ^ "Accueil du site de l'ENSIBS - Université Bretagne Sud". www-ensibs.univ-ubs.fr. 3 May 2021.
  35. ^ "École Supérieure d'Art". Archived from the original on 4 March 2013. Retrieved 27 March 2013.
  36. ^ École Nationale de Musique et de Danse Archived 12 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  37. ^ In the French Navy nomenclature, commandos are understood as units, not individuals
  38. ^ "Record d'affluence au Festival interceltique de Lorient". Le Monde. 16 August 2010. Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  39. ISBN 978-2-900791-77-6
    .
  40. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Voile news". Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  41. ^ "Cité de la voile". Retrieved 25 March 2013.
  42. ^ "Jumelages". lorient.bzh (in French). Lorient. Retrieved 17 November 2019.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lorient.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Lorient.
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