Lorient

Population: city: 61,844; urban area: 186,144. Lorient is the most populous commune in Morbihan, although the préfecture (capital) resides in the slightly smaller commune of Vannes.

History

At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were trading with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis. They later built additional warehouses across the bay in 1628, at the location which became known as L'Orient (the Orient in French). Later, the French East India Company, founded in 1664 and chartered by King Louis XIV, established shipyards there, thus giving an impetus to the development of the city.

In attempts to destroy German Submarine pens and their supply lines, most of the city was destroyed by Allied bombing during World War II (see section below). Thus, today's Lorient reflects an architectural style of the 1950s.

Geography

Lorient is located on the south coast of Brittany on the Atlantic Ocean. The rivers Blavet and Scorff enter the Atlantic Ocean at Lorient.

Industry

Lorient has a major fishing port, Port de Pêche (Breton: Porzh Pesketa), at Keroman and the docks area at Kergroise handle large cargo and passenger ships.

Tourism plays an important part in the cities' economy and there are several large yachting marinas around the bay. The annual Festival Interceltique de Lorient was founded in Lorient in 1971 and attracts large numbers of tourists to the area every summer.

Lorient was a former base of the French Navy but these links have now disappeared. However, many important former naval buildings remain around the quayside.

Lorient South Brittany Airport is situated 10 minutes drive to the west of the city at Lann Bihou, and has direct flights to several destinations.

Keroman Submarine Base

The former submarine base at Keroman

Lorient housed a German submarine base during World War II; although the city was heavily damaged by Allied bombing raids, the base survived through to the end of the war. As they could not destroy the base itself, the Allies decided to bomb the city, in order to cut supply lines to the U-boats. Without fuel, provisions or water, it became impossible for these submarines to return to the Atlantic. Between the 14 of January 1943 and the 17 of February 1943, as many as 500 explosive bombs and more than 60,000 incendiary bombs were dropped on the city. Lorient was almost completely destroyed, with nearly 90% of the city flattened, thousands of French civilians were killed.

Today the former submarine base of Keroman is open to the public and can be visited year-round. During the tour the submarine pens of block K3 can be seen. The roof area (3.40m to 7m thick) can be accessed, as well as a former anti aircraft defence tower high on top of the base. The tower affords an excellent view of the harbour and of the former headquarters of the German Commander Karl Dönitz across the bay at Larmor-Plage.

Miscellaneous

Lorient was the birthplace of:

Jean-Baptiste Chaigneau (1769-1832), sailor, adventurer, and Grand Mandarin in Vietnam.

Jules Simon (1814-1896), statesman and philosopher.

Lorient is the home of a major Celtic music festival, the Festival Interceltique de Lorient.
Lorient is the home of FC Lorient Bretagne Sud whose stadium, Stade du Moustoir, is in the city centre.
In the 2006 Tour de France, Lorient hosted the end of Stage 8.
In Medal of Honor: Frontline, a level takes place in Lorient.