Île-aux-Moines

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Coordinates: 47°35′51″N 2°50′36″W / 47.5975, -2.84333

Commune of Île-aux-Moines
Enizenac'h
The island lies in the Gulf of Morbihan
Location
Coordinates	47°35′51″N 2°50′36″W / 47.5975, -2.84333
Administration
Country	France
Region	Bretagne
Department	Morbihan
Arrondissement	Vannes
Canton	Vannes-Ouest
Intercommunality	C.A. du Pays de Vannes
Mayor	Jean Pressard (2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation	-1 m–31 m
Land area¹	3.20 km²
Population² (1999)	610
- Density	191/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	56087/ 56780
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.

Île-aux-Moines (Enizenac'h in Breton; the name means island of the monk(s)) 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 1 Geography 2 History 3 Demographics 4 Monuments 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] Geography

Île-aux-Moines lies in the Morhiban Gulf. It is 7 km by 5 km, with an area of 3.1 square kilometres. It is in the shape of cross and nowhere on the island 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 Neolithic period, as attested by the dolmens and other relics.

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 the status of parish.

In 1792 it became a commune in its own right.

[edit] Demographics

Inhabitants of Île-aux-Moines are called Ilois.

As of the census of 1999, the village has a population of 610.

[edit] Monuments

There are many megalithic 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 island.
• Crucifices can be found at Trec'h, Brouel and Le Nioul, as well as on Kerno.
• The St Michel Chapel

[edit] See also

• Communes of the Morbihan department

[edit] References

• Translated from French Wikipedia, accessed 13 April 2006

[edit] External links

• Official website (French)
• French Ministry of Culture list for Île-aux-Moines (French)
• Map of Île-aux-Moines on Michelin (English)