|
Roscoff |
||
| Center of Roscoff from Sainte Barbe chapel | ||
|
|
||
|
Roscoff
|
||
|
Location within Brittany region
Roscoff
|
||
| Administration | ||
|---|---|---|
| Country | France | |
| Region | Brittany | |
| Department | Finistère | |
| Arrondissement | Morlaix | |
| Canton | Saint-Pol-de-Léon | |
| Intercommunality | Pays Léonard | |
| Mayor | Joseph Seité (2008–2014) |
|
| Statistics | ||
| Elevation | 0–58 m (0–190 ft) (avg. 6 m/20 ft) |
|
| Land area1 | 6.19 km2 (2.39 sq mi) | |
| Population2 | 3,648 (2008) | |
| - Density | 589 /km2 (1,530 /sq mi) | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 29239/ 29680 | |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | ||
| 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | ||
Roscoff (Breton: Rosko) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.
The nearby Île de Batz, called Enez Vaz in Breton, is a small island that can be reached by launch from the harbour.
After lobbying by local economic leaders headed by Alexis Gourvennec, the French Government agreed in 1968 to provide a deep water port at Roscoff. Existing ferry operators were reluctant to take on the relatively long Plymouth/Roscoff crossing, so Gourvennec and colleagues founded Brittany Ferries.
Since the early 1970s, Roscoff has been developed as a ferry port for the transport of Breton agricultural produce, and for car-based tourism. Brittany Ferries' and Irish Ferries link Roscoff with the United Kingdom and Ireland which provides a boost to the local economy.
Roscoff is also a traditional departure point for Onion Johnnies.
Contents |
Inhabitants of Roscoff are called in French Roscovites.
The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhoneg on November 14, 2008.
In 2008, 18.44% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools.[1]
Brittany Ferries operate ferry services from Roscoff to Plymouth daily from February to November and to Cork once weekly (Saturday service) from March to November.
Irish Ferries operate ferry services from Roscoff to Rosslare from May to September.
Roscoff is twinned with the small North Devon (England) town of Great Torrington as well as Auxerre.