One of France’s main music festivals at risk of closure ‘If nothing changes the 2024 edition could be the last’ say organisers of Les Vieilles Charrues
Mystery of 130 dead seabirds found on France’s Atlantic beaches A lack of fish, climate change and accidental capture has been cited as possible reasons
Nine words and phrases from Brittany Yec’hed mat, trugarez, Ma Doué - find out how to use these typically Breton expressions Brittany is the region which has most newcomers in France VIDEO: Hunters believe this clip shows a wolf in Brittany Brittany villagers rescue lighthouse and find it was built by Eiffel
Some tap water catchment areas close in west France due to pesticide The measure in La Rochelle is precautionary and the water is not deemed dangerous
MAP: stubborn Bretons and other regional stereotypes around France Patriotic, arrogant, like Germans, welcoming, indecisive… we look at the clichés French people use for those from other regions
Brittany regional president bids for autonomy in wake of Corsica move Local official criticised ‘backward-looking centralism’ and demands parity with the deal promised to Corsica
‘House price anger’ cause of Brittany arson attacks not nationalism Letter to Breton media claims nationalist FLB is back, but local expert explains why recent attacks are different
EU Council confuses Mont Saint-Michel as being in Brittany The European Union body has apologised for any confusion
Cider, crêpes and monuments: What fuels the Normandy-Brittany rivalry? We take a look at the tension between the two neighbouring French regions
Brittany menhir stone row: Police protect mayor after death threats The historical value of the stones is disputed. But their destruction has sparked an argument
39 ancient menhirs moved to make way for a Mr. Bricolage in Brittany Confusion has arisen over how planning permission was granted for the DIY store with a local archaeologist saying the move is ‘totally illegal’
Brittany woman's nightmare scenario after home deemed 'uninhabitable' A woman from Brittany faces thousands in expenses after the insurance company was absolved of responsibility
Eight key takeaways from French study into second homes in Brittany From the number of owners resident abroad to the size of the properties, we look at the most interesting findings Windy, welcoming Saint-Malo: my trip to city that blows visitors away Largest ever Brittany flag displayed in call for more local power Celtic nations descend on France to celebrate shared ancestry
French property watch: Bag Ille-et-Vilaine bargains away from the sea Boasting the fabulous Côte d’Emeraude, it is no wonder this Brittany beauty spot commands high house prices – but it’s a lot cheaper inland Fire in Brittany’s mythical ‘King Arthur forest’ has been halted Private gardens created with passion to visit in Brittany and Provence Brittany beaches find way to measure levels of green algae toxicity Brittany's new 'Stonehenge' site will reconnect us to roots Brittany votes to ask for autonomy from France after Corsica statement
Mysteriously skewed Brittany cathedral continues to confound experts Archeological excavations suggest that the Cathedral of Saint Corentin was the third to be built on the site, leaving numerous riddles for archeologists to solve
Property watch: Côtes-d’Armor - France’s very own Cornwall Popular among Britons for its relative closeness to the UK, this department offers a huge variety of properties with a seaview to enjoy
From France’s Eurovision entry to Harvard: Five Breton language facts We also give you two phrases in Breton with pronunciation tips to have a go
A new Stonehenge-like site set to be built in central Brittany ‘Megalithic practices must come back to where they originated,’ the co-founder of the association behind the project told The Connexion .
Second-home protests in Brittany: 'But we buy homes French don't want' Connexion reader Siobhán McCarthy argues that their owners contribute to the local economy and renovate homes that would otherwise go unsold
Brittany open to raising Britons’ 90-day visit limit with ministers The region’s council has expressed interest in helping find a solution to the issue of British visitors being subject to the 90 in 180 day visiting rule post-Brexit
Protests against second homes in Brittany as housing debate continues Protester demands include only allowing permanent residents to buy housing, and a limit on short-term rentals - but one local official called the stance ‘an attack on individual property’
'Paradise island' for sale for €1.5m in Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany A small island off Brittany’s north coast, accessible only by boat and described as 'a corner of paradise', is on sale for €1,575,000
Brittany cliff path ruling is win for hikers over ‘rich people’ The fight centres on a 1976 law that says there must be a public path at least three metres wide, from the point of highest water, along the French coast
Un vert galant: A French expression you may hear today Brittany has seen a substantial increase in the amount of toxic green algae on some of its beaches in 2021. We look at three expressions around the colour green in French
Brittany’s historic stones vying for World Heritage status If the Morbihan department in Brittany succeeds to have the whole area recognised, its 550 megaliths will represent the highest concentration of anywhere else in the world
French astronaut Thomas Pesquet shares photos of Brittany from space Aerial pictures of Quiberon, Saint-Malo, Dinard and Brest have been added to the astronaut’s online album of photos taken during Alpha space mission
Downton Abbey launches Brittany's 32nd British film festival next week The festival takes place in Dinard, with six films vying to win the Golden Hitchcock award. Many films will also be available to watch online
Rare gold coins found in Breton manor house to be auctioned The proceeds of the 17th century haul, estimated to be worth €300,000, will be shared between the workers and the owner of the property
Brittany Ferries reduces autumn Plymouth to Roscoff services The company’s Armorique ship, which usually sails this route, will be redirected onto the Portsmouth to St Malo route
Octopus invasion threatens lobster and livelihoods in Brittany The rising numbers are due to climate change, conservationists have said, with some fishmongers now aiming to boost octopus demand in France
Finistère brings back mandatory masks in outdoor areas in 22 towns It applies mainly to popular tourist towns and areas, and is in effect from 09:00 to 22:00
Houses in Brittany ‘should only be sold to local people’ A new councillor for the Brittany regional council has demanded a resident-only rule for house sales saying rising prices for holiday homes are preventing locals from getting on the property ladder
Tour de France: Police search for woman who caused 50-rider pile-up The unidentified woman who held the sign blocking the path of the riders risks a fine of up to €1,500 and may be sued by race organisers
France adopts historic law to protect its regional languages It opens up the possibility of teaching in schools being carried out in regional languages for the majority of the school day
Monitor Covid variants closely: France’s academy of medicine The Académie de médecine has called for fast vaccination, increased DNA sequencing and tracking of ‘challenging’ new variants, some of which may be resistant to vaccines, it said
Flying of Breton flag in Nantes inspires calls for autonomy The flag will fly above the Nantes town hall for the first two weeks of December
Tour de France 2021: First four stages in Brittany revealed The race will start in Brest and remain in Brittany until June 29, before moving to Mayenne for stage five.
Southeast France on red alert as Storm Alex wreaks havoc Southeast France is on red alert today (Friday October 2) as Storm Alex continues to wreak havoc, with rain and high winds of up to 180 kph already causing loss of power for 80,000 homes in Brittany.
Rennes naked bike ride cyclists must wear masks The cyclonudista will go ahead despite ongoing health concerns due to coronavirus, as long as the cyclists wear at least one thing: a mask.
Brittany Ferries cuts routes as UK-France quarantine hits Brittany Ferries has today confirmed changes to its schedule for August and beyond which will affect 50,000 passengers as demand drops following the UK’s decision to impose a quarantine on arrivals from France.
Coronavirus: which parts of France are seeing more cases? Health authorities in France are warning of a “worrying development” of the coronavirus, as new clusters are reported across the country, and the crucial “R” transmission rate rises above 2 in Brittany, and 1 elsewhere.
Covid affects far more Brittany residents than thought The coronavirus that causes Covid-19 has affected up to 10% of residents in Morbihan, Brittany, northwest France - a much higher percentage of people than previously thought - a new blood test study has found.
Confinement: Holiday homes targeted by French police French police in Brittany are clamping down on tourists and holiday homeowners for flouting confinement rules.
Mystery rock message in France finally ‘deciphered’ A mysterious inscription on a rock in Brittany is one step closer to being deciphered after a competition named two winners who suggested the most promising solutions.
3.8 magnitude earthquake hits Brest An earthquake with a magnitude of 3.8 hit Brest last night, Wednesday 19 February.
French company makes cassette player for 21st century Analogue music fans will soon have a new way to listen to cassette tapes on-the-go, as a French company is to start selling a modern range of “new generation” portable analogue cassette players.
Breton flag now on Twitter amid campaign push for more The Breton flag has become available - temporarily - as an “emoji” on Twitter after a long campaign, but supporters are now trying to convince online platforms to adopt the icon permanently.
French property watch: Brittany REGIONAL CAPITAL: Nantes DEPARTMENTS: Loire-Atlantique, Sarthe, Vendée, Maine-et-Loire, Mayenne MAIN CITIES: Nantes, Angers, Le Mans, Saint-Nazaire, Laval, Saumur, La Roche-sur-Yon, Cholet, Les Sables-d’Olonne
Knight’s iron giants may guard Brittany’s shores British sculptor Sir Antony Gormley, best known in the UK for his Angel of the North statue, hopes to build four giant sculptures that would sit on the coast of northern France and look towards Britain.
French toddler Fañch permitted Breton spelling of name A Breton toddler named Fañch has been officially allowed to keep the “ñ” on his name, after the French Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that it was legal.
Tour de France director defends ‘south-focused’ route The director of the Tour de France has defended the famous cycle race route against criticism that it focuses unfairly on the south, after the 2020 route was revealed yesterday (October 15).
Sculptor plans ‘Brexit sculptures’ in northern France British sculptor Sir Antony Gormley is planning to build four giant “Brexit sculptures” that would sit on the coast of northern France and look towards Britain, pending approval from French authorities.
Plant species given Breton lifeline Jane Hanks visits a unique botanical conservation centre in Brittany that is saving exotic plants from extinction
Brittany’s giant statues twinned with Easter Island Brittany's Vallée des Saints with its 130 immense granite statues has twinned with Easter Island, home of the monumental moai sculptures, some of which have stared out over the Pacific Ocean for almost 1,000 years.
France alert to beach green algae after sudden death The danger of toxic green sea algae naturally found on the Breton coast has come into renewed question after an 18-year-old oyster farmer died suddenly on a beach.
Heatwave could break records as Brittany stays cool Heatwave “canicule” temperatures across France are continuing to rise and may break records tomorrow (Thursday June 26), as Brittany escapes the peak of the heat - to much amusement.
Artichokes are top of the June crops With the artichoke season now upon us, The Connexion meets a flag-waver for the Breton delicacy with a fine reputation
Decipher Breton rock riddle and win €2,000 More than 2,000 emails from around the world have flooded in after a mairie requested help to solve a riddle carved on a seaside granite bolder.
Missing: Bald eagle from French animal park An 18-year-old bald eagle with a 2.2-metre wingspan is the subject of a major search operation in Brittany, after she became lost during a display at the Aquashow animal park in Finistère.
Pollution alert: French region cuts speed limit Air quality described as 'very bad' in three Brittany cities
Frenchman given gold after returning parcel worth €20k A man living in the French department of Morbihan has received a real gold ingot as a thank you for his honesty, after he returned a wrongly-delivered parcel that was filled with gold worth up to €20,000.
Remote Breton island seeks organic dairy farmer The Breton island l’Île d'Ouessant (Ushant), which has 800 inhabitants, is seeking a dairy farmer to produce organic milk on the island.
Wealthy villa owners in France lose coastal path fight Hikers will soon be able to walk along a pristine stretch of Brittany coastline after a 36-year legal battle with local villa owners.
French mayor returns Christmas rubbish to owners A mayor in Brittany has become the latest official to send an illegally-dumped pile of rubbish back to its owner.
Brittany offers best value on insurance in France Property owners in Brittany pay as much as €52 less for their home insurance than someone living in a similar property on the Côte d’Azur.
Remembrance of times past The village of Ménéham on Brittany’s north Finistère coast has been restored to show visitors the typical lifestyle of peasant farmers and fishermen in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Petition triggers debate on future of two regions 100,000 people sign document calling for Loire-Atlantique to become part of Brittany, triggering a complex legal process that allows departments to move from one region to another
Foxes suspected of stealing shoes in French hamlet A hamlet in the Côtes d'Armor (Brittany) has been left confused after residents’ shoes began to mysteriously go missing - with local foxes thought to be the culprits.
Buffalo mozzarella in Brittany A goat farmer has spent seven years perfecting Brittany’s first buffalo mozzarella.
Brittany wants Euroregion link with Wales and Ireland Brittany and Wales share Celtic cultural roots and have been creating closer links recently. The region’s vice president in charge of international affairs FOROUGH SALAMI-DADKHAH told Oliver Rowland they hope to build on this by forming a “Euroregion” between the two - and also now with Ireland. On a visit to Brittany earlier this year, Welsh First Minister Carwyn Jones said he was in favour of the plan and Brexit has reinforced his wish for close cooperation.
Kouign-amann in US top 40 recipes Brittany’s classic Kouign- amann gâteau has been named in the US magazine Food and Wine all-time top 40 recipes, along with mousse au chocolat and Grand Marnier soufflé.
French homeowner lays explosive traps for burglars A man in his 70s in Côtes-d'Armor (Brittany) surprised the local gendarmerie this week after laying homemade explosive traps around his property, to deter and catch potential burglars.
Rennes market celebrates rise of French female chefs The city of Rennes is celebrating female chefs this weekend (Sunday September 2), by including only restaurants and food by women in the 10th edition of its monthly food markets.