Île-aux-Moines
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| Commune of Île-aux-Moines | |
| Location | |
| Longitude | -02° 50' 36" |
| Latitude | 47° 35' 51" |
| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Bretagne |
| Department | Morbihan |
| Arrondissement | Vannes |
| Canton | Vannes-Ouest |
| Intercommunality | Communauté d'Agglomération du Pays de Vannes |
| Mayor | Jean Pressard (2001-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Altitude | -1 m–31 m (avg. 30 m) |
| Land area¹ | 3.20 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
610 |
| - Density (1999) | 190/km² |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 56087/ 56780 |
| ¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 mi² or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| ² Population sans doubles comptes: single count of residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel). | |
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Île-aux-Moines (Enizenac'h in Breton) is a commune in the département of Morbihan, Bretagne, France. It is the largest island in the Gulf of Morbihan. It is one of two island communes of the Gulf, the other being Île d'Arz.
Contents |
[edit] Geography
Île-aux-Moines lies in the Morhiban Gulf. It is 7 km by 5 km, with an area of 310 hectares. It is in the shape of cross and nowhere on the islnd lies further than 450 metres from the water.
Access from the mainland is possible from Larmor-Baden or Port-Blanc.
[edit] History
Île-aux-Moines has been inhabited since the Neolothic period, as the dolmens and other relics can attest.
In 854, the then king of Brittany, Erispoe, gave a donation to the Abbey of Saint-Conwoïon in Redon, created by his father Nominoe. This became storage space of the abbey.
After the Norman invasions of the 10th century. the island was handed back to the parish of Arradon.
In 1453, it was given status of parish.
In 1792 it became a commune of its own right.
[edit] Monuments
There are many megalithical relics on the south side:
- The cromlech of Kergonan, in the middle of the island, with a radius of more than 70 metres, is one of Europe's biggest.
- The dolmen of Penhap, 5 kilometres from the main town, is the most well-conserved on the islanf.
- Crucifices can be found at Trec'h, Brouel and Le Nioul, as well as on Kerno.
- The St Michel Chapel
[edit] References
- Translated from French Wikipedia, accessed 13 April 2006
