Lesneven
| Lesneven | ||
|---|---|---|
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The church of Saint-Michel, in Lesneven | ||
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  Lesneven | ||
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Location within Brittany region  Lesneven | ||
| Coordinates: 48°34′20″N 4°18′53″W / 48.5722°N 4.3147°WCoordinates: 48°34′20″N 4°18′53″W / 48.5722°N 4.3147°W | ||
| Country | France | |
| Region | Brittany | |
| Department | Finistère | |
| Arrondissement | Brest | |
| Canton | Lesneven | |
| Intercommunality | Pays de Lesneven et de la Côte des Légendes | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor (2014–2020) | Claudie Balcon | |
| Area1 | 10.27 km2 (3.97 sq mi) | |
| Population (2008)2 | 6,794 | |
| • Density | 660/km2 (1,700/sq mi) | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 29124 / 29260 | |
| Elevation | 14–79 m (46–259 ft) | |
| Website | http://www.lesneven.bzh | |
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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. | ||
Lesneven (Breton: Lesneven) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.
It lies 24 km (15 mi) northeast of Brest, about 12 km (7.5 mi) from the English Channel in the middle of the Leon plateau.
History
Lesneven has its origins in the immigration from southwest Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries, and the name (Les-an-Even) means "court of Even" in Common Brittonic (Llys-Ifan in Welsh) after an alleged military leader of that period.[1] Lesneven was the castle-town controlling Léon during the Middle Ages. The castle is now gone, but many buildings of the 15th-18th centuries are still to be found in the centre. The Museum of Léon is here. The town now functions as a market and service centre for the surrounding rural district.
Population
Inhabitants of Lesneven are called of in French Lesneviens.
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1793 | 3,200 | — |
| 1800 | 1,860 | −41.9% |
| 1806 | 2,178 | +17.1% |
| 1821 | 2,314 | +6.2% |
| 1831 | 2,404 | +3.9% |
| 1836 | 2,664 | +10.8% |
| 1841 | 2,832 | +6.3% |
| 1846 | 2,847 | +0.5% |
| 1851 | 2,847 | +0.0% |
| 1856 | 2,663 | −6.5% |
| 1861 | 2,662 | −0.0% |
| 1866 | 2,759 | +3.6% |
| 1872 | 2,978 | +7.9% |
| 1876 | 2,905 | −2.5% |
| 1881 | 2,950 | +1.5% |
| 1886 | 3,028 | +2.6% |
| 1891 | 3,284 | +8.5% |
| 1896 | 3,488 | +6.2% |
| 1901 | 3,496 | +0.2% |
| 1906 | 3,375 | −3.5% |
| 1911 | 3,776 | +11.9% |
| 1921 | 3,899 | +3.3% |
| 1926 | 3,969 | +1.8% |
| 1931 | 4,111 | +3.6% |
| 1936 | 4,300 | +4.6% |
| 1946 | 4,825 | +12.2% |
| 1954 | 5,181 | +7.4% |
| 1962 | 5,071 | −2.1% |
| 1968 | 5,626 | +10.9% |
| 1975 | 6,083 | +8.1% |
| 1982 | 6,145 | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 6,250 | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 6,347 | +1.6% |
| 2008 | 6,794 | +7.0% |
Breton language
The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhoneg 18 July 2007.
In 2008, 19.08% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools.[2]
International relations
Twin towns — Sister cities
Lesneven is twinned with:
Kežmarok, Slovakia (friendship pact)[3]
Carmarthen, Wales
As Pontes de García Rodríguez, Spain.
See also
References
- ↑ Cotes des Legendes
- ↑ (French) Ofis ar Brezhoneg: Enseignement bilingue
- ↑ "Oficiálne stránky mesta Kežmarok". kezmarok.sk. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lesneven. |
- Official website (French)
- Kernouës Near Lesneven, the small town of Kernouës
- French Ministry of Culture list for Lesneven (French)
