Le Faouët, Morbihan

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Commune of Le Faouët
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The covered market at Le Faouët.
Location
Longitude 03° 29' 25" W
Latitude 48° 02' 02" N
Administration
Country France
Region Bretagne
Department Morbihan
Arrondissement Pontivy
Canton Le Faouët
Intercommunality Communauté de Communes du pays du roi Morvan
Mayor Francis Le Pichon
(2001-2008)
Statistics
Altitude 53 m–202 m
(avg. 152 m)
Land area¹ 34,03 km²
Population²
(1999)
2806
 - Density (1999) 82/km²
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code 56057/ 56320
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).
France

Le Faouët (Breton: Ar Faoued) is a commune in Brittany. It is part of the Morbihan département in the Bretagne région of France.

The Breton language name of the commune means Beech forest. The sixteenth century timber market halls are a noted feature of the town and two medieval chapels lies within the boundaries of the commune.

Contents

[edit] Geography

Le Faouët/Ar Faoued lies in the historical region of Cornouaille. Traditionally a Breton-speaking area, the French language became commonly used from the 1950s. The town lies in the valley of the River Ellé

[edit] History

[edit] Administration

Le Faouët/Ar Faoued is the principal town of the Canton du Faouët. The other communes making up the canton are Berné, Guiscriff, Lanvénégen, Meslan, and Priziac.

[edit] Demographics

The population at recent censuses was:

  • 1962: 3039
  • 1968: 3048
  • 1975: 3149
  • 1982: 3177
  • 1990: 2869
  • 1999: 2806

[edit] Tourist attractions

Chapel of Saint Barbara.
Chapel of Saint Barbara.

The sixteenth century halles, or covered market, remain in use and are a rare surviving example of a large timber structure from the period.

The chapel of Saint Barbara is sited on a hilltop overlooking the Ellé. The fifteenth century chapel of Saint Fiacre was recently restored. The polychrome timber interior was highly regarded, and earned its creator, Olivier Le Loergan, a title of nobility. The stained glass is also noteworthy. Parts of the interior have suffered considerable damage from insects.

[edit] Famous residents

[edit] External links

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