Until the end of the 20th century, Brittany had been characterised by a strong Catholic and conservative influence. However, some areas such as the industrial region around Saint-Nazaire and Lorient and the surroundings of Tréguier are traditional Socialist and Communist strongholds. Left-wing parties, mainly the Socialist party and the Greens, have become more powerful after the 1970s and they have formed a majority in the Regional Council of Brittany since 2004. The Loire-Atlantique and Ille-et-Vilaine councils have also been held by the left since 2004. At the mouth of the Moros River, Concarneau is France's third largest fishing port. This historic fortified town is a called a " ville close" ("closed city") because it was a 14th-century stronghold entirely enclosed by sturdy granite walls and towers. The defenses were enlarged by Vauban in the 17th century.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, many Cornish Britons settled in western Armorica to escape the Saxons and the region started to be called Britannia, although this name only replaced Armorica in the sixth century or perhaps by the end of the fifth. [16]The Pays de Saint-Malo, around Saint-Malo, divided between Ille-et-Vilaine, Côtes-d'Armor and Morbihan. The celebrated letter-writer Madame de Sévigné stayed here between 1644 and 1690, during which time she wrote letters to her daughter (which are now well known in the French literary canon). In 1689, the son of Madame de Sévigné commissioned royal gardener André Le Nôtre to create the formal French gardens on the estate. Just north of the old town is the Plage de l'Ecluse, also called the Grande Plage ("Large Beach"), an expansive beach with a fine sand shoreline, and the Plage de Saint-Enogat in the Quarter Saint-Enogat, a good place for water sports; both of these beaches have lounge chairs and cabanas for rent. Plage de l'Ecluse, Dinard, Brittany Narrow pedestrian lanes lead to bustling public squares and side streets, with many restaurants and crêperies found at every turn. Gracing the Place Chateaubriand is the Hôtel France & Chateaubriand in a neoclassical building modeled after the grand seaside resorts of the Napoléon III era. Guest rooms feature elegant minimalist decor; some look out to the coastline. Amenities include a stylish café, brasserie, and a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views. View of the walled city of Saint Malo and its ramparts

Other notable early missionaries are Gildas and the Irish saint Columbanus. Bretons recognize more than 300 local " saints", though only a few are officially accepted by the Catholic Church. Since the 19th century at least, Brittany has been known as one of the most devoutly Catholic regions in France, together with the neighbouring Pays de la Loire region. The proportion of students attending Catholic private schools is the highest in France. The patron saint of Brittany is Saint Anne, the Virgin's mother, but Ivo of Kermartin, a 13th-century priest, called Saint-Yves in French and Sant-Erwan in Breton, can also be considered as a patron saint. His feast, 19 May, is Brittany's national day. Along the island's coastline is a ring of lighthouses, essential to the boats traveling by the island at nighttime. The Phare de Créac'h lighthouse on the northwest coast is passed by thousands of ships every year. This location marks the entrance to the English Channel. Capital cities [ edit ] The Château des ducs de Bretagne in Nantes, permanent residence of the last dukes The Château de Vitré is open to the public and houses the Musée d'Art et d'Histoire (Museum of Art and History). The museum displays artworks dating from the 16th to the 20th centuries, along with beautiful gilded reliquaries. There's also an 18th-century apothecary's shop on view. Chateau des Rochers Sevigne near Vitre

The obstacles to reunification are the same as in 1956: having Nantes in Brittany could harm the position of Rennes and create an economic imbalance between Lower and Upper Brittany. Moreover, the Pays de la Loire region could not exist without Loire-Atlantique, because it would lose its political and economic capital. Without Loire-Atlantique, the other départements would not form an efficient region any more, and would have to integrate neighbouring regions such as the Centre-Val de Loire and Nouvelle-Aquitaine. During the 19th century, Brittany remained in economic recession, and many Bretons emigrated to other French regions, particularly to Paris. This trend remained strong until the beginning of the 20th century. Nonetheless, the region was also modernising, with new roads and railways being built, and some places being industrialised. Nantes specialised in shipbuilding and food processing (sugar, exotic fruits and vegetables, fish...), Fougères in glass and shoe production, and metallurgy was practised in small towns such as Châteaubriant and Lochrist, known for its labour movements. The mutineers of Fouesnant arrested by the National Guard of Quimper in 1792 Brittany is widely known for the Breton horse, a local breed of draft horse, and for the Brittany gun dog. The region also has its own breeds of cattle, some of which are on the brink of extinction: the Bretonne Pie Noir, the Froment du Léon, the Armorican and the Nantaise.