Morlaix (; br, Montroulez) is a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

in the

Finistère Finistère (, ; br, Penn-ar-Bed ) is a department of France in the extreme west of Brittany. In 2019, it had a population of 915,090.department Department may refer to: * Departmentalization, division of a larger organization into parts with specific responsibility Government and military *Department (administrative division), a geographical and administrative division within a country, ...

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period o ...

in northwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.

Leisure and tourism

The old quarter of the town has winding streets of cobbled stones and overhanging houses constructed of stone and timber. Many have religious and secular sculptures on their façades. One of these houses is "la Maison dite de la duchesse Anne", or the "so-called Duchess Anne’s house", which is now a museum, open to the public. This house is said to be one of the oldest in the town. Local legend has it that it derives its name from the fact that the Duchesse

Anne of Brittany Anne of Brittany (; 25/26 January 1477 – 9 January 1514) was reigning List of rulers of Brittany, Duchess of Brittany from 1488 until her death, and List of French royal consorts, Queen of France from 1491 to 1498 and from 1499 to her death. ...

visited the house during her Tro Breizh pilgrimage. This seems unlikely, though, as construction on the house started in the 1520s and

died in 1514. Th
Museum of the Jacobins
in Morlaix, housed in a former convent, traces the history of Finistère. Morlaix is a popular location for sea sports enthusiasts with a diverse array of activities on offer including surfing, sand buggying and kite flying. Visitors can also find beautiful coastal paths for walks. Inland activities include bowling, golf, horse-riding and many more. There are also a cinema and a swimming pool.

Marina

A tidal river that almost completely dries out at low tide reaches the town of Morlaix where there is a

lock Lock(s) may refer to: Common meanings *Lock and key, a mechanical device used to secure items of importance *Lock (water navigation), a device for boats to transit between different levels of water, as in a canal Arts and entertainment * ''Lock ...

into a marina.Introduction to the Port of Morlaix - Plaisance Baie de Morlaix
, Retrieved on 20 May 2013.

Transport

* Morlaix Railway Station is served by TGV on the

Paris–Brest railway The railway from Paris to Brest is a 622-kilometre long railway line in France that connects Paris and the western port city Brest, via Le Mans and Rennes. It is used for passenger (express, regional and suburban) and freight traffic. The railway ...

. Immediately adjacent to the station is the Viaduc de Morlaix, a feat of railway engineering built in 1861–1863, and now national

historic monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...

. * Morlaix airport is Morlaix Ploujean Airport.

Breton language

The municipality launched a linguistic plan concerning the

Breton language Breton (, ; or in Morbihan) is a Southwestern Brittonic language, Southwestern Brittonic languages, Brittonic language of the Celtic languages, Celtic language family spoken in Brittany, part of modern-day France. It is the only Celtic languag ...

through

Ya d'ar brezhoneg (french: Oui au breton, en, Yes to Breton) is a campaign started in the 21st century by the ( en, Office of the Breton language) to promote and stimulate the use of the Breton language in daily life in Brittany, northwestern France. Breton is a ...

on 27 June 2008. In 2008, 6.45% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools. The Diwan school in Morlaix, founded around 1988, was originally located in very old apartments. In January 2008 the mayor offered the Diwan school a move to a more suitable location, an empty school. In June 2008 the new mayor decided that the Diwan school should move location once again. The town council wanted to use their building to open a new public school. However the replacement building chosen for the Diwan school was in a very bad shape.

Population

Inhabitants of Morlaix are called in French ''Morlaisiens''.

Economy

Brit Air Brit Air (short for Brittany Air International) was a regional airline based at Morlaix Airport in Ploujean, Morlaix, Brittany, France, operating scheduled services as an Air France franchise from Lyon–Saint Exupéry Airport, Paris-Orly ...

, a regional airline and

Air France Air France (; formally ''Société Air France, S.A.''), stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the flag carrier of France headquartered in Tremblay-en-France. It is a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global ai ...

subsidiary, is at Morlaix Airport in Morlaix. In 2013 the airline merged with

HOP! Air France Hop, formerly branded HOP!, is a French regional airline operating flights on behalf of its parent company Air France. The airline was founded on 21 December 2012http://www.verif.com/societe/HOP!-790151716/ after the merger of Airlina ...

Air France Launches New Low-Cost Airline 'Hop!'
." ''

Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency was establ ...

''. 26 March 2013. Retrieved on 26 April 2013.

Education

Morlaix has six public primary schools, four private primary schools,Education - Jeunesse
" Morlaix. Retrieved on September 5, 2016. three public junior high schools, two public senior high schools/sixth-form colleges,Les collèges et lycées publics
" Morlaix. Retrieved on September 5, 2016. two private junior high schools, and one public senior high/sixth-form.Les collèges et lycées privés
" Morlaix. Retrieved on September 5, 2016. Public schools: * Preschools and elementary schools: Corentin-Caer, Emlie-Cloarec, Gambetta (separate preschool and elementary schools), Jean-Jaures (separate preschool and elementary schools), Jean-Piaget, and Poan Ben (separate preschool and elementary schools)Les établissements scolaires morlaisiens
" Morlaix. Retrieved on September 5, 2016. * Junior high schools: Collège du Château, College Mendes-France, College Tanguy-Prient * Senior high schools: Lycée Agricole de Suscinio and Lycée Tristan-Corbière Private schools: * Preschools and elementary schools: Diwan, Notre Dame de Loures, Notre Dame de Ploujean, and Saint-Joseph * Junior high schools: College Saint-Augustin, College Saint-Joseph * Senior high school: Ensemble Scolaire Le Porsmeur - Notre Dame du Mur

Climate

Morlaix has an

oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ( ...

( Köppen climate classification ''Cfb''). The average annual temperature in Morlaix is . The average annual rainfall is with December as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around . The highest temperature ever recorded in Morlaix was on 18 July 2006; the coldest temperature ever recorded was on 19 February 1985.

Personalities

;born in the 15th century * Jean Coatanlem (circa 1455–1492), corsair and admiral of Portugal. * Nicolas Coetanlem (1460–1519), merchant and sailor, nephew of the former. ;born in the 16th century * Albert Le Grand (1599-1641), hagiographer ;born in the 18th century * Lannux de la Chaume family, merchants, shipowners, financiers, mayor of Morlaix, consulates of Spain in France before the Revolution. * Nicolas Anthon (1714-v.1753), corsair of the port of Morlaix born in

Roscoff Roscoff (; br, Rosko) is a commune in the Finistère département of Brittany in northwestern France. Roscoff is renowned for its picturesque architecture, labelled (small town of character) since 2009. Roscoff is also a traditional departure ...

, captain of the Comtesse de La Marck and the Comte de Saint Pern. * Charles Cornic (1731–1809), corsair. * Michel Behic (1736–1827), merchant, financier, revolutionary, mayor of Morlaix. * Joseph Gueguen (1741–1825), domestic, secretary, interpreter, translator, merchant and justice, born in Morlaix, died in Cocagne (New-Brunswick). * Armand Joseph Dubernad (1743–1799), merchant, financier, revolutionary. * Louis-Alexandre Expilly de la Poipe (1743–1794), French first constitutional bishop, bishop of Cornwall, guillotined on 22 May 1794 in Brest with . * Jean Nicolas Anthon (1747–1790), privateer corsair, captain of the Count of Guichen (1781, shipowner Jean Diot), captured by the English, imprisoned in Falmouth, escaped, resumed activity as captain of the ''Éclipse'' based in

Dunkirk Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.Jean Augustin Masson (1749–1808), general of the armies of the Republic and the Empire, who died in this city. * Yves-Joseph Le Denmat de Kervern (1751–1794), a lawyer in the Parlement de Bretagne, mayor of Morlaix in 1790, guillotined on 22 May 1794 in Brest with 26 directors of Finistère. *

Jean Victor Marie Moreau Jean Victor Marie Moreau (, 14 February 1763 – 2 September 1813) was a French general who helped Napoleon Bonaparte to power, but later became a rival and was banished to the United States. Biography Rise to fame Moreau was born at Morla ...

(1763–1813), born in Morlaix, General of the Revolution, winner of

Hohenlinden Hohenlinden (meaning "high linden trees"; colloquially: ''Linden''; in the Bavarian dialect: ''Hea-lin'') is a community in the Upper Bavarian district of Ebersberg. The city of Lynden, Washington is named after it, as is Linden, Alabama. Ho ...

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

of Russia posthumously,

marshall of France Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...

posthumously. * Joseph Marie Moreau (1764–1849), born and died in Morlaix, brother of the general, lawyer,

tribun Tribune () was the title of various elected officials in ancient Rome. The two most important were the tribunes of the plebs and the military tribunes. For most of Roman history, a college of ten tribunes of the plebs acted as a check on the ...

, deputy head of the Post, député for

Ille-et-Vilaine Ille-et-Vilaine (; br, Il-ha-Gwilen) is a department of France, located in the region of Brittany in the northwest of the country. It is named after the two rivers of the Ille and the Vilaine. It had a population of 1,079,498 in 2019.

. * Charles Yves César Cyr du Coëtlosquet (1783-1837), general of the armies of the Republic and the Empire. * Luc Urbain de Bouëxic, comte de Guichen (1790), admiral. * Édouard Corbière (1793–1875), sailor, writer, journalist and shipowner. * Joseph Coat (1798–1858), born in Saint-Mathieu (Morlaix) and died in Morlaix; worker and author of a large amount of original Breton tragedies. Founded in Morlaix a troupe of folk theater, father of the poet-worker Vincent Coat (1845-1908), born in Morlaix. * Auguste Barchou de Penhoën, (1799–1855), born in Morlaix, Staff Captain, man of letters, deputy of Finistère. *

Jean-Louis Le Loutre Abbé Jean-Louis Le Loutre (; 26 September 1709 – 30 September 1772) was a Catholic priest and missionary for the Paris Foreign Missions Society. Le Loutre became the leader of the French forces and the Acadian and Mi'kmaq militias during King ...

(1709-1772), Catholic priest and leader of

Acadians The Acadians (french: Acadiens , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Most Acadians live in the region of Acadia, as it is the region where the des ...

during

Father Le Loutre's War Father Le Loutre's War (1749–1755), also known as the Indian War, the Mi'kmaq War and the Anglo-Mi'kmaq War, took place between King George's War and the French and Indian War in Acadia and Nova Scotia. On one side of the conflict, the Britis ...

and the

Acadian Exodus The Acadian Exodus (also known as the Acadian migration) happened during Father Le Loutre's War (1749–1755) and involved almost half of the total Acadian population of Nova Scotia deciding to relocate to French controlled territories. The thre ...

. ;born in the 19th century Plaque Louis Le Guennec

Émile Souvestre Émile Souvestre (April 15, 1806July 5, 1854) was a Breton novelist who was a native of Morlaix, Brittany. Initially unsuccessful as a writer of drama, he fared better as a novelist (he wrote a sci-fi novel, ''Le Monde Tel Qu'il Sera'') and as a ...

(1806–1854), writer born in Morlaix, Prix de l'Académie française in 1854. * Arthur-Marie Le Hir (1811–1868), born in Morlaix,

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the s ...

and

Hebraist A Hebraist is a specialist in Jewish, Hebrew and Hebraic studies. Specifically, British and German scholars of the 18th and 19th centuries who were involved in the study of Hebrew language and literature were commonly known by this designation, ...

Ernest Renan Joseph Ernest Renan (; 27 February 18232 October 1892) was a French Orientalist and Semitic scholar, expert of Semitic languages and civilizations, historian of religion, philologist, philosopher, biblical scholar, and critic. He wrote influen ...

's master. *

Marie Bracquemond Marie Bracquemond (1 December 1840 – 17 January 1916) was a French Impressionist artist. She was one of four notable women in the Impressionist movement, along with Mary Cassatt (1844-1926), Berthe Morisot (1841-1895), and Eva Gonzales (1847-1 ...

, impressionist artist (1840–1916). *

Tristan Corbière Tristan Corbière (18 July 1845 – 1 March 1875), born Édouard-Joachim Corbière, was a French poet born in Coat-Congar, Ploujean (now part of Morlaix) in Brittany, where he lived most of his life before dying of tuberculosis at the age of 2 ...

(1845–1875), poet, Édouard Corbière's son. His bust, by Cyril de La Patellière is in the Bibliothèque des Amours Jaunes. * Vincent Coat (1845–1908), born in Morlaix. Breton poet and worker at the Tobacco Factory, son of Joseph Coat (1798-1858), born and died in Morlaix, author of many tragedies and worker. *

Gabriel Pierné Henri Constant Gabriel Pierné (16 August 1863 – 17 July 1937) was a French composer, conductor, pianist and organist. Biography Gabriel Pierné was born in Metz. His family moved to Paris, after Metz and part of Lorraine were annexed to Germ ...

(1863–1937), composer and organ player. *

Paul Sérusier Paul Sérusier (9 November 1864 – 7 October 1927) was a French painter who was a pioneer of abstract art and an inspiration for the avant-garde Nabis movement, Synthetism and Cloisonnism. Education Sérusier was born in Paris. He studied ...

(1864–1927), post-impressionist painter and

Nabi Nabi may refer to: People * Adil Nabi (born 1994), English footballer * Heiki Nabi (born 1985), Estonian wrestler *Isadore Nabi, satirical pseudonym of Richard Levins and Richard Lewontin, scientists in the 1960s *Mohammad Nabi (born 1985), Afghan ...

. * Joseph Pleyber (1866-1947), architect. *

Maxime Weygand Maxime Weygand (; 21 January 1867 – 28 January 1965) was a French military commander in World War I and World War II. Born in Belgium, Weygand was raised in France and educated at the Saint-Cyr military academy in Paris. After graduating in ...

(1867–1965), general, had a manor in Morlaix and is buried at St. Charles Cemetery. *

Jules Boucherit Jules Boucherit (29 March 1877 – 1 April 1962) was a French violinist and renowned violin pedagogue. Jules Boucherit was born in Morlaix. He attended the Conservatoire de Paris, studying under Jules Garcin. Later he taught at the same conserva ...

(1877–1962), violinist, born in Morlaix, professor at the Paris Conservatory, named "Just" by the State of Israel for harboring his students between 1941 and 1944. * Guillaume Seznec (1878–1954), lived in Morlaix,

Lurs Lurs () are an Iranian people living in the mountains of western Iran. The four Luri branches are the Bakhtiari, Mamasani, Kohgiluyeh and Lur proper, who are principally linked by the Luri language. Lorestan Province is named after the Lur ...

sawmill master. * Magdeleine Boucherit Le Faure (1879–1960), his sister, pianist and composer. * Louis Le Guennec (1878–1935), writer and artist. * Nina Ricci (1882–1970), couturière from Italy * Francis Gourvil (1889–1984), writer and resistant. * Léon Le Janne, (1894–1976), MD, resistant ("Commandant Noël"), auxiliary doctor in the 2nd Colonial Infantry Regiment in 1914–1918, commander of the secret army Libé Nord Morlaix and its region during World War II. * Jean Marie Colcanap (1896) Born in Morlaix. Officer French Colonial Army. Distinguished career in Madagascar. Amateur naturalist who made significant geological and paleontological discoveries. Source: Archives of Societe Historique de la Defense, Chateau Vincennes, Paris. ;born in the 20th century *

Jean Nicolas Jean Édouard Marie Nicolas (9 June 1913 – 8 September 1978) was a French international footballer who played as a striker. Born in Nanterre, Nicolas played club football for FC Rouen, and appeared in the 1934 and 1938 World Cup The 193 ...

, (1901–1984), born in Morlaix, Catholic priest and missionary in the Soviet Union. * Henri Rol-Tanguy (1908–2002), communist resistant, colonel commanding the FFI during the

Liberation of Paris The liberation of Paris (french: Libération de Paris) was a military battle that took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the German garrison surrendered the French capital on 25 August 1944. Paris had been occupied by Nazi Ger ...

. * Joseph Kerharo (1909–1986),

pharmacologist Pharmacology is a branch of medicine, biology and pharmaceutical sciences concerned with drug or medication action, where a drug may be defined as any artificial, natural, or endogenous (from within the body) molecule which exerts a biochemica ...

and

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek w ...

, born in Morlaix. * Michel Mohrt (1914–2011), writer, born in Morlaix,

Grand prix du roman de l'Académie française Le Grand Prix du Roman is a French literary award, created in 1914, and given each year by the Académie française. Along with the Prix Goncourt The Prix Goncourt (french: Le prix Goncourt, , ''The Goncourt Prize'') is a prize in French litera ...

in 1962 and member of the

Académie française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membership). The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, ...

from 1985 to his death. * Pierre Le Gourierec (1920–1942), born in Morlaix, KIA in Bir Hakeim, Compagnon de la Libération. *

Julien Guiomar Julien Guiomar (3 May 1928 in Morlaix, Finistère, Brittany – 22 November 2010 in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine), was a French film actor. The actor had retired to the Dordogne at Monpazier. The person who incarnated Colonel Vincent in ...

(1928–2010), actor born in Morlaix, died in Monpazier (Dordogne). * Jean Roudaut (1929–), writer born in Morlaix. *

Paco Rabanne Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo (born 18 February 1934), more commonly known under the pseudonym of Paco Rabanne (; ), is a Spanish fashion designer who became known as an ''enfant terrible'' of the 1960s French fashion world. Early life and educati ...

(1934–), stylist, spent part of his childhood in Morlaix. *

Jean-Loup Chrétien Jean-Loup Jacques Marie Chrétien (born 20 August 1938) is a French retired ''Général de Brigade'' (brigadier general) in the ''Armée de l'Air'' (French air force), and a former CNES spationaut. He flew on two Franco-Soviet space missions a ...

(1938–), astronaut. *

Brigitte Fontaine Brigitte Fontaine, (born 24 June 1939) is a singer of avant-garde music. She has employed numerous unusual musical styles, melding rock and roll, folk, jazz, electronica, spoken word poetry, and world. She has collaborated with Stereolab, Mich ...

(1939–) singer, author, writer, poet and actress. * Dominique Lavanant (1944–), actress, born in Morlaix. * Patrick Le Roux (1943–), historian * Jean-Michel Caradec (1946–1981), singer-songwriter. * Marylise Lebranchu (1947–) woman politician born in Loudéac (22), mayor of Morlaix (1995–1997), président of

Morlaix Communauté Morlaix Communauté is the '' agglomeration community'', an intercommunal structure, centred on the city of Morlaix. It is located in the Finistère department, in the Brittany region, western France. Its area is 680.3 km2. Its population ...

(1995–2003), secrétaire d'État (1997–2000), Justice Ministry (2000–2002), vice-présidente de la région Bretagne (2004-2010), MP (1997-), ministre de la Réforme de l'État, de la Décentralisation et de la Fonction Publique (2012-). * Gérard Delahaye (1948–), singer-songwriter and singer for children. *

Miou-Miou Sylvette Herry (born 22 February 1950), known professionally as Miou-Miou (), is a French actress. A ten-time César Award nominee, she won the César Award for Best Actress for the 1979 film '' Memoirs of a French Whore''. Her other films incl ...

(1950–), actress, her grandparents lived in Plouénan. * Erril Laugier (1952–2014), pastel impressionist painter, ''Maître-Pastelliste de France'' and ''Ambassadeur Canson'', lived in Morlaix from 1978 to 1986, and died there 6 December 2014. * Jean-Philippe Quignon (1961–2012), journalist at '' Télégramme'' local newspaper and vice president of the festival des Vieilles Charrues in Carhaix-Plouguer. * Agnès Le Brun (1961–), woman politician mayor of Morlaix since 2008 and MEP since 2011. * El Globos (1964–), French designer, creator of the brand . * Françoise Jézéquel (1970–), football player * Éric Digaire (1972–), musician, member of

Matmatah Matmatah is a French rock band, established in 1995 in Brest, Brittany. History The band was established in 1995 when Tristan Nihouarn, who at the time was a student pursuing study of Advanced Mathematics in Brest (western Brittany, France), m ...

. * Clarisse Lavanant (1979–), singer-songwriter. *

Renan Luce Renan Luce (; born 5 March 1980) is a French singer-songwriter from Paris. His songs are inspired by the 20th-century singer Georges Brassens and depict everyday life with a dose of humour and poetry. He is the voice of Wirt in the French dub of ...

(1980–), singer-songwriter, youth spent in Quelern, in Plourin-lès-Morlaix. *

Énora Malagré Enora Malagré (born 20 July 1980) is a French columnist, radio and television presenter. Early life and education Enora Malagré was born in Morlaix in the department of Finistère in Brittany. She then moved in the department of Yvelines at ...

(1980–), TV and radio host. * Tepr (1980–), author of electronic music.

International relations

Morlaix is twinned with: *

Truro Truro (; kw, Truru) is a cathedral city and civil parish in Cornwall, England. It is Cornwall's county town, sole city and centre for administration, leisure and retail trading. Its population was 18,766 in the 2011 census. People of Truro ...

, Cornwall, United Kingdom; The Truro Morlaix Twinning Association was created in 1979. * Chełm, Poland *

Würselen Würselen (, Ripuarian: ) is a town in the borough of Aachen, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Geography Würselen lies north of the city of Aachen in the immediate vicinity of the tripoint of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Its neigh ...

, Germany

Gallery

File:Morlaix_Viaduc.jpg, Morlaix viaduct File:Maison_dite_de_la_duchesse_Anne_–_Morlaix.2.jpg, House known as ‘Duchess Anne’s House’ File:Morlaix-20060524-008.jpg, Pondalez house museum File:Morlaix-20060524-012.jpg, Hillside view of the viaduct File:Baie de morlaix.jpg, Bay of Morlaix with the Château du Taureau

References

External links

Official website

Morlaix Museum website

House known as ‘Duchess Anne’s House’ website
*
Morlaix Cultural heritage

Truro-Morlaix Twinning AssociationMayors of Finistère Association
{{Authority control Communes of Finistère Subprefectures in France