Saint-Renan

Saint-Renan

Lokournan
Saint-Renan Lokournan
Commune
	Two of the oldest buildings of downtown Saint-Renan in 2010.
	Coat of arms
	show Location of Saint-Renan
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	Coordinates: 48°25′54″N 4°37′14″W / 48.4317°N 4.6206°WCoordinates: 48°25′54″N 4°37′14″W / 48.4317°N 4.6206°W
Country	France
Region	Brittany
Department	Finistère
Arrondissement	Brest
Canton	Saint-Renan
Intercommunality	Pays d'Iroise
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Gilles Mounier
Area 1	13.31 km2 (5.14 sq mi)
Population (Jan. 2018)	8,122
• Density	610/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	29260 /29290
Elevation	26–97 m (85–318 ft)
	1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Saint-Renan (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ ʁənɑ̃]; Breton: Lokournan, pronounced [loˈkurnãn]) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.

History[]

The city is named after the Irish saint "Rónán", who came in the 5th century to evangelize the area.

While Brest was a village, the city of Saint-Renan will develop throughout the Middle age. In 1276, the Duke of Brittany even established one of the court of justice there. Until the end of the 17th century, Saint-Renan is a big "Sénéchaussée" (the town of the seneschal) first ducal and then royal. It had a central place in the everyday life on inhabitants. A lot of buildings in the center town are from this period.[1]

Population[]

Inhabitants of Saint-Renan are called Renanais in French.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±%
1793	886	—
1800	908	+2.5%
1806	841	−7.4%
1821	1,043	+24.0%
1831	1,074	+3.0%
1836	1,094	+1.9%
1841	1,027	−6.1%
1846	1,010	−1.7%
1851	1,282	+26.9%
1856	1,246	−2.8%
1861	1,241	−0.4%
1866	1,277	+2.9%

Year	Pop.	±%
1872	1,307	+2.3%
1876	1,497	+14.5%
1881	1,569	+4.8%
1886	1,758	+12.0%
1891	1,806	+2.7%
1896	1,815	+0.5%
1901	1,954	+7.7%
1906	2,087	+6.8%
1911	2,218	+6.3%
1921	2,172	−2.1%
1926	2,158	−0.6%
1931	2,099	−2.7%

Year	Pop.	±%
1936	2,188	+4.2%
1946	2,860	+30.7%
1954	2,682	−6.2%
1962	3,077	+14.7%
1968	3,488	+13.4%
1975	4,550	+30.4%
1982	5,542	+21.8%
1990	6,576	+18.7%
1999	6,820	+3.7%
2008	7,341	+7.6%

Tourism[]

Old houses of 15th and 16th centuries are historical and architectural attractions.

Held every two years, the medieval festival of Saint-Renan, the biggest of the department, highlights the city's heritage. The 15th edition took place on the 15th and 16 July 2017.[2]

The Saturday morning market - one of the biggest - is the opportunity to taste local products such as "kouign amann" (cake which name means "sugar and butter" in Breton language), Kig Ha Farz, algae, crepes, cider, caramel, and chitterlings sausages etc.

The six artificial lakes are part of the industrial heritage of the city, which nickname was "the European capital of pewter" in the 60s. The two largest ones, named "Ty Colo" and "Comiren" are perfect places for long relaxing walks.

The church of the 17th century has undergone several transformations over time. Built on top of a hill, its bell tower is visible from a large part of the city. The churchyard contains a military area dedicated to the British aviators from the Royal Air Force who died for freedom and for France during the World War II.[3]

Breton language[]

In 2016, 14% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools, where Breton language is taught alongside French.^[3]

Notable natives and residents[]

Nolwenn Leroy, singer and songwriter, who rose to fame after winning the second series of the French television reality show, Star Academy.
Benoît Hamon, politician, member of both the Socialist Party (“PS”), and the Party of European Socialists, candidate for the 2017 French Presidential Election.