Fougères (; ;
Gallo: ''Foujerr'') is a
commune and a
sub-prefecture
A subprefecture is an administrative division of a country that is below prefecture or province.
Albania
There are twelve Albanian counties or prefectures, each of which is divided into several districts, sometimes translated as subprefectures. ...
of the
Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine (; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Ill-e-Vilaenn'', ) is a departments of France, department of France, located in the regions of France, region of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in the northwest of the country. It is named a ...
department, located in
Brittany
Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
, northwestern
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. As of 2017, Fougères had 20,418 inhabitants. The Fougères area comprises approximately 88,000 inhabitants and is currently growing, unlike the town centre.
History
Toponymy
Fougères is a town on the edge of Brittany,
Maine
Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...
and
Normandy
Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy.
Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
and is named after a
fern
The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...
(see also ''
fougère''), or from ''fous'' which means ''fossé'' ("gap").
The town of Fougères is mentioned in the chorus of the song
La Blanche Hermine by
Gilles Servat. The author uses it as a symbol of the Breton resistance where it is adjacent to the town of
Clisson ''For other uses, see Clisson (disambiguation)''
Clisson (; Gallo: ''Cliczon'', ), is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department, in the region of Pays de la Loire, western France.
It is situated at the confluence of the rivers Sèvre Nan ...
in the
Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique (; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Louére-Atantique''; ; before 1957: ''Loire-Inférieure'', ) is a departments of France, department in Pays de la Loire on the west coast of France, named after the river Loire and the Atlantic Ocean. ...
.
Fougères is historically, since the arrival of Latin in
Armorica
In ancient times, Armorica or Aremorica (Gaulish: ; ; ) was a region of Gaul between the Seine and the Loire that includes the Brittany Peninsula, and much of historical Normandy.
Name
The name ''Armorica'' is a Latinized form of the Gauli ...
, a region where
Gallo is spoken. In Gallo, Fougères translates to ''Foujerr'' while its
Breton name is ''Felger''. Entry signs to the agglomeration have carried the Breton name for several years. One of the two
bagad
A bagad (, ) is a Music of Brittany, Breton band, composed of bagpipes (, ), bombard (music), bombards and drums (including Snare drum, snare, tenor and bass drums). The pipe band tradition in Brittany was inspired by the Pipe Band, Scottish exa ...
of the city takes this name: and the Diwan school, opened in 2013, is also called ''Skol Diwan bro Felger''.
Prehistory
The presence of many
megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. More than 35,000 megalithic structures have been identified across Europe, ranging geographically f ...
ic monuments, particularly in the , suggests that the area was already inhabited in the
Neolithic
The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
era (5000 to 2000 years BC).
Middle Ages
The creation of Fougères dates back to the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
. The
Château de Fougères was first mentioned around the end of the 10th century. At the time, it was a simple wooden fortification located on a rocky ridge, whose position favourably dominated the Valley and the surrounding marshes. Fougères was at the crossing of two Roman roads, one from
Chartres
Chartres () is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir Departments of France, department in the Centre-Val de Loire Regions of France, region in France. It is located about southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 1 ...
to
Carhaix and the other from
Avranches
Avranches (; ) is a commune in the Manche department, and the region of Normandy, northwestern France. It is a subprefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called ''Avranchinais''.
History Middle Ages
By the end of the Roman period, th ...
to
Nantes
Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, sixth largest in France, with a pop ...
. From the 12th century, the population moved away from the shore of the Nançon and the city grew in size, divided into two parishes: Saint-Sulpice for the lower town and Saint-Léonard for the upper town. Since the Middle Ages, crafts developed around
tannery,
weavers
Weaver or Weavers may refer to:
Activities
* A person who engages in weaving fabric
Animals
* Various birds of the family Ploceidae
* Crevice weaver spider family
* Orb-weaver spider family
* Weever (or weever-fish)
Arts and entertainment
...
and
draper
Draper was originally a term for a retailer or wholesaler of cloth that was mainly for clothing. A draper may additionally operate as a cloth merchant or a haberdasher.
History
Drapers were an important trade guild during the medieval period ...
s in the lower town.
Built in the 11th century by the lords of Fougères, the first fortification, defended by
Raoul II (1130–1194), was taken by
Henry II of England
Henry II () was King of England
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with the ...
in 1166 and destroyed. Raoul II stubbornly rebuilt a more imposing structure and it became a stronghold defending the borders of Brittany from
Mont Saint-Michel
Mont-Saint-Michel (; Norman: ''Mont Saint Miché''; ) is a tidal island and mainland commune in Normandy, France.
The island lies approximately off France's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches and is i ...
to Nantes. However, the geographical position and the interests of the lords of Fougères often tipped in favour of the Kingdom of France. When Raoul III offered its possession to
Louis IX of France
Louis IX (25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270), also known as Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death in 1270. He is widely recognized as the most distinguished of the Direct Capetians. Following the death of his father, Louis VI ...
, the Breton prince
Pierre Mauclerc captured the city in 1231, which was re-captured by the king. The daughter of Raoul III, Jeanne de Fougères, who married
Hugh XII of Lusignan Hugh XII de Lusignan, Hugh VII of La Marche or Hugh III of Angoulême (c. 1235/1240 – after 25 August 1270). He was the son of Hugh XI of Lusignan and Yolande of Brittany. He succeeded his father as seigneur of Lusignan, Couhé, and Peyrat, Coun ...
, undertook new fortification work and beautified the city. The end of the 13th century was a period of peace and prosperity for Fougères.
In 1307,
Philip IV of France
Philip IV (April–June 1268 – 29 November 1314), called Philip the Fair (), was King of France from 1285 to 1314. Jure uxoris, By virtue of his marriage with Joan I of Navarre, he was also King of Navarre and Count of Champagne as Philip&n ...
bought the domain but the Kingdom of France was not interested and did not maintain it. After various fights and reversals of alliances,
Bertrand du Guesclin
Bertrand du Guesclin (; 1320 – 13 July 1380), nicknamed "The Eagle of Brittany" or "The Black Dog of Brocéliande", was a Breton knight and an important military commander on the French side during the Hundred Years' War. From 1370 to his ...
entered in 1373, but the situation did not improve. Abandoned and ravaged by pillaging, the population of Fougères requested assistance from the
Duchy of Brittany
The Duchy of Brittany (, ; ) was a medieval feudal state that existed between approximately 939 and 1547. Its territory covered the northwestern peninsula of France, bordered by the Bay of Biscay to the west, and the English Channel to the north. ...
and the town joined the duchy in 1428, sold by
John II of Alençon
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second Ep ...
. However, in 1449, a man named
François de Surienne, an
Aragonese mercenary
A mercenary is a private individual who joins an armed conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any other official military. Mercenaries fight for money or other forms of payment rather t ...
at the service of the
English, captured and sacked the town in an attempt to force
Brittany
Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
to ally with
England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
. There were many massacres, which caused a reaction from
Francis I, Duke of Brittany, determined to get rid of the English. The Duke of Brittany allied with
Charles VII of France
Charles VII (22 February 1403 – 22 July 1461), called the Victorious () or the Well-Served (), was King of France from 1422 to his death in 1461. His reign saw the end of the Hundred Years' War and a ''de facto'' end of the English claims to ...
and attacked the south of
Normandy
Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy.
Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...
, laying siege to Fougères. Surienne and his men were, however, able to resist and surrendered on the condition of being able to walk free. This episode announced the
Battle of Formigny
The Battle of Formigny, fought on 15 April 1450, took place towards the end of the Hundred Years' War between England and France. It was a decisive French victory that destroyed the last significant English field army in Normandy, and paved th ...
. Finally, the French general
La Trémoille seized Fougères in 1488, during the
Mad War
The Mad War () was an Early Renaissance conflict between a coalition of feudal lords and the French monarchy. It occurred during the regency of Anne of Beaujeu in the period after the death of Louis XI and before the majority of Charles VIII. Th ...
.
Early modern
In the 16th century, the town lost its defensive role. Crafts continued to develop, including the craft of tin (''in Rue de la Pinterie''). During the
Wars of Religion, the town remained Catholic while
Vitré was affected by clashes with the
Huguenot
The Huguenots ( , ; ) are a Religious denomination, religious group of French people, French Protestants who held to the Reformed (Calvinist) tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, ...
s.
Until 1775, Fougères was barely mentioned. The
Marquis de La Rouërie, a young man of high standing, then moved to the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
to fight with American insurgents. Back in France, after having been imprisoned for a month for leading the , he was greeted as a hero in his homeland.
French Revolution

During the
French Revolution, the province of Brittany disappeared along with its privileges. The first changes were originally welcomed by the population. However, over time the
Civil Constitution of the Clergy
The Civil Constitution of the Clergy () was a law passed on 12 July 1790 during the French Revolution, that sought the Caesaropapism, complete control over the Catholic Church in France by the National Constituent Assembly (France), French gove ...
of the priests and the
Levée en masse
''Levée en masse'' ( or, in English, ''mass levy'') is a French term used for a policy of mass national conscription, often in the face of invasion.
The concept originated during the French Revolutionary Wars, particularly for the period fo ...
triggered a rebellion, the
Chouannerie
The Chouannerie (; from the Chouan brothers, two of its leaders) was a House of Bourbon, royalist uprising or counter-revolutionary, counter-revolution in twelve of the western departments of France, ''départements'' of France, particularly in ...
. In 1793, during the
Virée de Galerne, the
Vendéens and
Chouan
Chouan (, "the silent one", or "owl") is a French nickname. It was used as a nom de guerre by the Chouan brothers, most notably Jean Cottereau, better known as Jean Chouan, who led a major revolt in Bas-Maine against the French Revolution. Part ...
s seized the town which was taken a few weeks later by the Republicans. For eight years, the town and its region passed from hand to hand, with many massacres and looting occurring. The leader of the Chouans of the Fougères area was the young general
Aimé du Boisguy.
The Organization of the reflected a favourable feeling from the population to the new regime:
* The victories of the Republican armies were celebrated, including the
Siege of Toulon
The siege of Toulon (29 August – 19 December 1793) was a military engagement that took place during the Federalist revolts and the War of the First Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. It was undertaken by forces of the French Re ...
against the Anglo-royalists
* The feast of 26 messidor (14 July), established in 1794, was celebrated in Fougères
* The anniversary of the
execution of Louis XVI
Louis XVI, former Bourbon King of France since the Proclamation of the abolition of the monarchy, abolition of the monarchy, was publicly executed on 21 January 1793 during the French Revolution at the ''Place de la Révolution'' in Paris. At Tr ...
, accompanied by an and anarchy, was celebrated (from 1795)
*Other Republican festivals followed, such as the anniversary of the Republic up to the year VIII (22 September, 1
Vendémiaire), the celebration of youth (10 Germinal, on 30 March), and the Festival of Recognition (the 10 prairial)
[Dubreuil, Fêtes…, p. 406] or the Festival of Agriculture (the 10 messidor).
20th century
Early 20th century industry

Little by little, industry replaced crafts and Fougères saw the establishment of shoe manufacturers. In the winter of 1906–07, workers went on strike in the shoe factories and in response, managers organised a
lockout. Solidarity was very strong in the city ("Communist" soups to feed the strikers without family income) but also beyond: Children were welcomed by Rennes and Parisian families during conflicts.
Jean Jaurès
Auguste Marie Joseph Jean Léon Jaurès (3 September 185931 July 1914), commonly referred to as Jean Jaurès (; ), was a French socialist leader. Initially a Moderate Republican, he later became a social democrat and one of the first possibi ...
came to Fougères to support the movement.
Glassware production had also existed in the Fougères area since the arrival of Italian glass masters in the 16th and 17th centuries. The installation of this industry is explained by the presence of a sandy soil (since sand is the main component of glass), a forest (since sand needs to be melted) and
fern
The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...
s (soda-rich plants). A glass factory existed on the outskirts of the town (Laignelet), which flourished in the 19th century. However, following social demands in 1921, religious unionism was mobilized and a new Fougères glass factory: ''La Cristallerie Fougeraise'', was founded by , as well as a working town later in 1922, designed by the architect , to accommodate staff.
The 20th century was marked by the British and American bombings on 8 June 1944, during
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The ope ...
, which killed 300 people, injured twice as many, and destroyed most of the public and industrial facilities. This bombing was in preparation to liberate France after surrendering to Nazi Germany on June 22 1940. Since then, the town has largely been open to tourism, thanks to its medieval castle and its historic districts. From the 1970s, industry has been diverse: food processing, furniture, mechanical, glass, electronics, computing, and robotics.
Fougères also organizes an important cattle market.
World War I
640 names are engraved in a monument to commemorate the death of soldiers from Fougères that fought for France during
World War I
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
. Fougères also welcomed many war wounded soldiers in its hospital and the monument mention 148 additional names of soldiers that died in Fougères but were not originating from the city.
Recent sports events
On 11 July 2013, Fougères hosted the
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...
as a departure town. When the Tour de France returned on 10 July 2015, Fougères was the finish town for stage 7 (Livarot-Fougères). It was a stage victory for the British cyclist
Mark Cavendish
Sir Mark Simon Cavendish (born 21 May 1985) is a Manx people, Manx retired professional cyclist. As a Track cycling, track cyclist he specialised in the Madison (cycling), madison, points race, and scratch race disciplines; as a road racer he ...
. Cyclism came back to the town on 4 July 2016, where Fougères was a race-through town in the stage Granville-Angers.
Fougères is also one of the control points for the
Paris–Brest–Paris (PBP) bicycle event. PBP is an ultra-marathon event where cyclists are expected to complete the course in under 90 hours, and occurs the year before a Summer Olympic year. Fougères is a control point both out bound to Brest as well as back to Paris.
Emblems
Heraldry
Visual identity (logo)
Pays de Fougères
Located northeast of
Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine (; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Ill-e-Vilaenn'', ) is a departments of France, department of France, located in the regions of France, region of Brittany (administrative region), Brittany in the northwest of the country. It is named a ...
, the has 83,000 inhabitants. This population continues to grow and represents 11.77% of the population of the Department covering 977,449 inhabitants and seven Pays. The Pays is composed of 58 communes, divided into five communities:
*
*
*
*
*
Heritage
Fougères is classified as a
town of art and history since 1985. It houses 24
historical monuments and 87 buildings surveyed.
Fougères has the label ''
tourisme et handicap'', since July 2011.
Castle
Fougères' most visited attraction is the
Château de Fougères, a medieval
stronghold built atop a
granite
Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...
ledge, which was part of the
Duchy of Brittany
The Duchy of Brittany (, ; ) was a medieval feudal state that existed between approximately 939 and 1547. Its territory covered the northwestern peninsula of France, bordered by the Bay of Biscay to the west, and the English Channel to the north. ...
's ultimately unsuccessful defence against French aggression, and part of a tripartite with
Vitré.

The castle is one of the most impressive French castles, occupying an area of , or even for some "the largest medieval fortress of Europe." It consists of three enclosures whose walls have been preserved. Although the seigniorial is ruined, the thirteen towers still rise with majesty. Some of these towers can be visited (the Hallay Tower and Tower of the Hague (12th century), Raoul Tower (15th century) and the
Mélusine Tower, erected in 1242 by Hugues of Lusignan
). At the entrance, is a triple
watermill
A watermill or water mill is a mill that uses hydropower. It is a structure that uses a water wheel or water turbine to drive a mechanical process such as mill (grinding), milling (grinding), rolling, or hammering. Such processes are needed in ...
. Access to the west curtain wall allows observation of the upper town ().
The castle and its surroundings has been classified as a
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, historical ...
by list of 1862, by order of 4 July 1928 and by order of 26 February 1953.
A representing the castle was issued on 18 January 1960.
The belfry
This was the first to be built in
Brittany
Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...
, in 1397, and also one of only three belfries in Brittany. The location serves as the centre of the weekend market. It symbolised the dynamism of a small-scale civil society seeking independence. Funded by local merchants, it allowed ordinary people access to timekeeping, previously the preserve of the church and nobility. Its architecture was inspired by the Flemish models which the drapers of Fougères discovered during their travels in Flanders. Engraved on the Bell is the inscription: ''In 1397 the market town of Fougères made me and my name is Roland Chapelle''.
The belfry was classified as a
historical 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, historical ...
by Decree of 1 September 1922.
The Notre-Dame Gate
A sizable section of the town wall survives, stretching from the château in the lower town, up the hill to surround the upper town. Medieval citizens in the lower town were outside the fortifications and had to retreat into the fortress in times of trouble. The gate of the 15th century with a double drawbridge presents many defenses including moats,
embrasure
An embrasure (or crenel or crenelle; sometimes called gunhole in the domain of Age of Gunpowder, gunpowder-era architecture) is the opening in a battlement between two raised solid portions (merlons). Alternatively, an embrasure can be a sp ...
s,
machicolation
In architecture, a machicolation () is an opening between the supporting corbels of a battlement through which defenders could target attackers who had reached the base of the defensive wall. A smaller related structure that only protects key ...
s, etc., and a protective Virgin turned outwards. It is the only fortified town gate which is left.
The was listed a
historical 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, historical ...
by Decree of 9 December 1946, with the south and west of the city walls.
The Saint-Sulpice Church
The dates in part from the 15th century.
It was classified as a historical monument by Decree of 26 September 1910. There are two remarkable medieval altarpieces of monumental granite with carved decoration: The altarpiece of the Tanners and the altarpiece of Notre-Dame-des-Marais.
The Church of Saint-Léonard
The Church of Saint-Léonard also dates from the 15th century.
It was listed a historical monument by Decree of 15 March 1949. Located at the top of the upper town, it offers a panoramic view of the city.
File:Eglise Saint Léonard à Fougères (35).jpg, The Church of Saint-Léonard at Fougères
File:Fougères (35) Église Saint-Léonard Flanc nord.jpg, The Church of Saint-Léonard, north side
File:Bretagne Ille Fougeres10 tango7174.jpg, Stained-glass windows of the Church of Saint-Léonard
Religious and civil heritage
File:Fougères - Hôtel de ville façade.jpg, Façade of the town hall
File:Fougères - Musée de la Villéon02.jpg, The museum of Emmanuel-de-la-Villéon
File:Couvent des Clarisses Urbanistes de Fougères 07.jpg, The convent of the Clarisses Urbanists
File:Hôtel La Belinaye.jpg, Belinaye Hotel
File:Fougères_-_théâtre_façade.jpg, Façade of the municipal theatre
* One part of the medieval fortifications, when the town was one of the strongest places on the Normandy frontier, is a 15th century gateway known as the Porte St Sulpice.
* The town hall was built in the 15th century. It was listed by order of 14 October 1926.
* The ; house porch built in the 16th century near the Saint-Léonard Church. It has been listed by order of 13 May 1929.
* The former , built in 1680 and partly destroyed by fire in 1794, now houses a cultural centre after being used as a prison and then as barracks. Scored by order of 15 July 1965.
* The , built in 1740, is the birthplace of the marquis
Armand Tuffin de La Rouërie. It now houses the city court. Its front garden was listed by order of 3 February 1928.
* The , one of the last Italian theatres, built in 1888 by , listed by order of 1 June 1988; its façade was ranked by order of 1 March 1990.
The , place where the plot of the novel ''
Les Chouans'' by
de Balzac unravels.
* Abbey of Saint-Pierre de Rillé. Originally a collegiate church of Augustinian regular canons. It was founded in 1143 and in the seventeenth century became the Abbey of Sainte-Geneviève. It was rebuilt once between 1724 and 1750, and again in the 19th century. Of the former building, visible in its entirety on the 1756 plan, it remains the only stair tower topped by an imperial roof.
* Crystal glass factory built in 1922 by architect , restored, now houses administrative buildings.
*
*
* Hotel Marigny
Geography
Geology
Fougères is situated in the
Cadomian chain. The oldest buildings use readily available stone: ''la cornéenne''. A
metamorphic rock
Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock to new types of rock in a process called metamorphism. The original rock ( protolith) is subjected to temperatures greater than and, often, elevated pressure of or more, caus ...
, difficult to cut and of very different appearance, it is very solid. Later came the use of Louvigné
granite
Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...
, which is more homogeneous. Most of the buildings of the town are built with these local materials. It took the arrival of the railway to import other stones (late 19th century). In military strategy, note that the castle is not on high, but on a deposit of ''la cornéenne'', which prevents the risk of attacks by mining and from underground.
Neighbouring communes
Location
Fougères is situated:
* from
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
* from
Rennes
Rennes (; ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in Northwestern France at the confluence of the rivers Ille and Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the Brittany (administrative region), Brittany Regions of F ...
* from
Mont-Saint-Michel
Mont-Saint-Michel (; Norman: ''Mont Saint Miché''; ) is a tidal island and mainland commune in Normandy, France.
The island lies approximately off France's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches and is in ...
* from
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo (, , ; Gallo language, Gallo: ; ) is a historic French port in Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany (administrative region), Brittany.
The Fortification, walled city on the English Channel coast had a long history of piracy, earning much wealth ...
* from
Brest
* from
Nantes
Nantes (, ; ; or ; ) is a city in the Loire-Atlantique department of France on the Loire, from the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast. The city is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, sixth largest in France, with a pop ...
* from
Caen
Caen (; ; ) is a Communes of France, commune inland from the northwestern coast of France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Calvados (department), Calvados. The city proper has 105,512 inha ...
* from
Angers
Angers (, , ;) is a city in western France, about southwest of Paris. It is the Prefectures of France, prefecture of the Maine-et-Loire department and was the capital of the province of Duchy of Anjou, Anjou until the French Revolution. The i ...
* from
Laval
* from
Avranches
Avranches (; ) is a commune in the Manche department, and the region of Normandy, northwestern France. It is a subprefecture of the department. The inhabitants are called ''Avranchinais''.
History Middle Ages
By the end of the Roman period, th ...
* from
Alençon
Alençon (, , ; ) is a commune in Normandy, France, and the capital of the Orne department. It is situated between Paris and Rennes (about west of Paris) and a little over north of Le Mans. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alen� ...
Climate
Politics and administration
Political trends and outcomes
List of mayors
International relations
Fougères is
twinned with:
*
Ashford,
Kent
Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...
,
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,
since 1984
*
Bad Münstereifel,
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
, since 1967
These two towns have also been paired together since 1964.
*
Ouargaye,
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...
*
Somoto,
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
*
Åšrem
Åšrem () is a town on the Warta river in central Poland. It is the seat of Åšrem County in the Greater Poland Voivodeship. As of 1995, the population of Åšrem was 29,800.
Śrem is to the south of Poznań, a local road junction on the road from ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...
Map of twin towns
Demography
Fougères is an industrial town and its typical demographic trends show very well. In the 1850s, the Brittany town was "moving in the manufacture of leather shoes to solve a crisis in the shoe industry." Success followed (the Cordier factory, for example) and Fougères saw its population increase by 124% from 9,344 inhabitants in 1856 to 20,952 in 1901, an increase of 11,608 people in less than 50 years (or more than the population of
Vitré). At the beginning of the 20th century, Fougères became the capital of female footwear: ''"...more than 12,000 workers are distributed in 40 factories. In 1946, they manufacture 10.7% of French production for town and fancy use and 7% of work shoes"'' (Jérôme Cucarull). The crisis of the 1930s put what must be called an
industrial district
Industrial district (ID) is a place where workers and firms, specialised in a main industry and auxiliary industries, live and work. The concept was initially used by Alfred Marshall to describe some aspects of the industrial organisation of nat ...
into difficulty, (Florent Le Bot). The mass-closure of SMEs and the concentration of employment into fewer companies (mainly Réhault, JB Martin and Morel et Gâté) provided a second wind to the Fougères industry (4,500 employees in 1966). The slowdown in growth during the second half of the 1960s, then the oil shock in 1973, caused a massacre in the footwear sector, particularly in February–March 1976, with the closure of three companies (Réhault, Morel et Gâté and Maunoir) and the dismissal of 1,140 employees. Since 2008 and the closure of Hasley, only the JB Martin company maintains the tradition of footwear production in Fougères (F. Le Bot, Laurence Héry).
In 2017, the commune had 20,418 inhabitants.
[
Since the end of World War II, the ]Trente Glorieuses
''Les Trente Glorieuses'' (; 'The Thirty Glorious (Years)') was a thirty-year period of economic growth in France between 1945 and 1975, following the end of the Second World War. The name was first used by the French demographer Jean Fourast ...
boosted Fougères and the town increased its population until the 1975 census, arriving at almost 27,000 inhabitants.
By 1975, the town had suffered deeply from the oil crisis of 1973 and had been hit. The town was devastated by successive closures of factories from a crisis in the shoe sector, and refused the implantation of the Citroën company on its territory. The city struggled to recover and saw its population fall. The town went from a population of 26,610 in 1975 to 19,820 in 2008, a 26% decline in population in 34 years, although suburbanisation offset this decline. Today the shoe sector has a few hundred jobs in the town: For example, the JB Martin company remains in Fougères, even though it has completely relocated its production to Asia. The town is growing in relation to Rennes since the inauguration of the ''Autoroute des Estuaires'' in 2000, which provides access to Rennes in 30 minutes, and has achieved a satisfactory development based on the growth of more diversified economic activities. More than of business parks, between the motorway and the city centre, give an economic attractiveness to the area.
The has 20 communes gathering 42,818 inhabitants (2009) including 46% of this population which is in the town centre. This makes the Fougères urban area
An urban area is a human settlement with a high population density and an infrastructure of built environment. Urban areas originate through urbanization, and researchers categorize them as cities, towns, conurbations or suburbs. In urbani ...
the 164th of 241 large urban areas of France.
Inhabitants of Fougères are called ''Fougerais'' (male) and ''Fougeraise'' (female) in French.
Economy
There used to be an important shoemaking industry which is now almost extinct. There was also an important glass making industry.
During the Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, salt was heavily taxed and was imported from the Breton regions to the rest of France. Fougères was made a stronghold for "salt smugglers", who would creep along the wall of the city with confiscated salt, to sell in other regions. There is a communal garden in modern Fougères that commemorates this interesting and little-known fact.
Fougères was the seat of the until 2011, replaced since by a delegation from the after the merger of these.
In 2008, the major employers in Fougères were the Centre hospitalier de Fougères, -Safran
Safran S.A. () is a French Multinational corporation, multinational aerospace, defence industry, defence and computer security, security corporation headquartered in Paris. It designs, develops and manufactures both commercial and military airc ...
Group, , the town of Fougères, the Transports Gélin, Carrefour (Sofodis), the Association Jean-Baptiste Le Taillandier (AREP and the Notre-Dame-des-Marais, Edmond Michelet, Saint-Joseph, and Beau-site schools), the Jean Guéhenno city school, the , and Groom, as well as Otima.
Health
The central hospital of Pays de Fougères has just completed its renovation in 2013: It offers access to 13 care services, emergency, maternity, 16 specialties and 440 beds.
The elderly have two suitable facilities: The Henri Rebuffé sheltered housing, opened in 1987 in the former premises of the ''Morel et Gaté'' firm in the Bonabry quarter, and the Cotterêts sheltered housing.
Teaching
Higher education is present at Fougères, notably in the field of health:
* Institute of nursing training (hospital)
* Bertin school of hearing aids (CCI Fougères training hub)
* Fizeau graduate school of Optics (CCI Fougères training hub)
* Charles-Edouard-Guillaume School of Fine Watchmaking (CCI Fougères training hub)
* The Fougères CCI Training Institute
Planning and living environment
The town has 38 . Several of them (chestnut, tulip trees, sequoia, araucaria) are visible in a private park on boulevard Saint-Germain.
Quarters
In Fougères, five councils of quarters have been implemented:
* Centre-ville - Urbanistes
* Forairie - Cotterêts
* Paron-Orieres - Écartelée - Bonabry
* Montaubert - Rillé - Saint-Sulpice
* Madeleine - Sermandiere - Chattiere
Parks and green spaces
* The : Located in the upper town, it offers a remarkable panoramic view of the town, overlooking the castle and the medieval quarter around Saint-Sulpice church.
* The Val Nançon: A landscaped garden which offers many ambiances to be discovered and measured. An exhibition of contemporary works including of has been present since 2000.
* The Orières Park: Extended more than , the stream of Groslay joins a small pond and a playground. There is also a sporting course.
* René-Gallais Park: In front of the Juliette Drouet cultural centre.
* ''La carrière du Rocher Coupé'' he quarry of cut rock nicknamed the ''Carrière de Californie'' alifornia Quarry is an exceptional place to walk near the castle. A lake now replaces the former corneal shale operation which ran until 1999 and was acquired from the town. At depth, the lake is more a place of underwater diving training.
* Pedestrian paths marked out on the ground, allow for the discovery of the upper and the lower town, as well as its many monuments. The walk along the old railway, from the bridge of the slaughterhouse, leads to the forest of Fougères.
Flowers
Fougères participates in the contest of flowery cities and villages and has the label of four flowers (220 cities rewarded in France) and five in Ille-et-Vilaine for the quality of its planning and management of the landscaped areas. The signs are located at all entrances of the city.
Transport
Public transport
Fougères is also served by the Illenoo interurban network.
* Route 9a Rennes
Rennes (; ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in Northwestern France at the confluence of the rivers Ille and Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the Brittany (administrative region), Brittany Regions of F ...
<> Liffré <> Fougères
* Route 13 Fougères <> Vitré
* Route 17b Fougères <> Pontorson
* Route 18 Fougères <> Louvigné-du-Désert <> Saint-Georges-de-Reintembault
Road
Fougères is served by the A84 autoroute linking Caen
Caen (; ; ) is a Communes of France, commune inland from the northwestern coast of France. It is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Calvados (department), Calvados. The city proper has 105,512 inha ...
to Rennes
Rennes (; ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Resnn''; ) is a city in the east of Brittany in Northwestern France at the confluence of the rivers Ille and Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the Brittany (administrative region), Brittany Regions of F ...
.
Railway
Since the cessation of regular passenger traffic between Fougères and Vitré in 1972, only freight and some special trains continued to circulate until 1991, when Fougères station closed. Subsequently, the building served as an SNCF
The Société nationale des chemins de fer français (, , SNCF ) is France's national State-owned enterprise, state-owned railway company. Founded in 1938, it operates the Rail transport in France, country's national rail traffic along with th ...
point of sale, until its demolition in 2001 to make way for a shopping complex in the town centre.
For some time, the idea of the return of trains to Fougères has risen in some minds, but eluded most of the local elected representatives.
Sports and recreation
In the former Réhault factory, renovated and renamed ''Les Ateliers'', near the glassworks factory, houses many associations as well as the Maison des associations. More than 100 associations are listed in the field of sport and recreation in particular.
The town will host the start of stage 7 of the 2018 Tour de France.
Sports facilities
The town has numerous municipal sports facilities to allow the people to practice their sport in the best possible conditions:
* Paron Sports Complex: Football fields and gymnasium
* Jean-Manfredi Sports Complex (Paron South): Football pitches, rugby, athletics track, velodrome, golf driving range, skating rings, tennis courts
* Berthelot Municipal Stadium: Football field
* Justy-Speker Gymnasium
* Madeleine Stadium: football pitch and athletics track
* The Cotterêts multi-sport gymnasium
* The Chattière Sports Centre gymnasium
Other complementing facilities:
* Aquatis aquatic centre, , inaugurated in May 2010: sports pool and ditch diving (Interior) and fun (Interior and exterior), aquaboggan, jacuzzi, Turkish bath, sauna, water games.
* Chênedet outdoor base (Fougères community) on the edge of the forest of Fougères, on the road to Louvigné-du-désert
* CRAPA (Rustic Circuit of physical activity) in Chenedet, near the pond
Private sports centres also exist:
* Montaubert equestrian centre
* Dojo of the Pays de Fougères
* Fougerais Tennis Club
* ''Salle de l'Espérance''
* Shooting range
Sports clubs
* ''AGL-Drapeau Football'' (since September 2011) is a new club born from the fusion of two historic associations of the town.
** ''AGL Football'' (until May 2011) which has been organising the Mondialito (mini World Cup bringing together 32 clubs from Brittany and neighbouring departments). These 32 clubs accounted for a weekend the 32 nations qualified for the world in Germany. They have also, for the occasion, worn the complete outfit of the country, offered by the AGL Football.
** ''Le Drapeau Football'' (until May 2011)
* ''AGL Handball''
* ''Pays de Fougères Basket'' basketball club
* ''Espérance Fougères Tennis & Tennis Club fougerais (TCF)''
* ''Fougères Volley Ball''
* ''Fougerais swimming club'' and water polo since the 1970s
* ''Fougères Rugby-Club-AGL''
* ''BCPF Badminton Club'' of the Pays de Fougères
* ''Vigilant Fougères athletics''
* ''ASPTT Fougères athletics''
International women's basketball tournament
Each year the town of Fougères invites four nations to participate in a basketball tournament. This tournament concerns U17 (under 17 years old) or U16 (under 16) female competitors. For three nights (Thursday, Friday and Saturday), each nation competes. In addition to the matches, a 3-point contest is held where the basketball players from each nation must score as many 3-point baskets as possible.
After three matches, the player who has scored the most points is titled "best scorer of the tournament".
The first tournament was in 1993, won by Russia. France has had the most wins (7) ahead of Russia (6) and Australia (3).
Culture
Fougères is a town of Art and History (''Villes et Pays d'Art et d'Histoire''), a designation assigned to historic areas by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. The town was involved in the rebellion against the French Revolution in 1793. A skirmish near Fougères was the subject of the French painter Julien Le Blant's (1851–1933) most famous work ''Le Bataillon Carré, Affaire de Fougères 1793'', which won a Gold Medal in the Exposition Universelle in 1889. This large work is now located in the United States, at the Lee Library on the campus of Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...
.
L'association de formation et d'animation populaire
''L'association de formation et d'animation populaire'' he association of training and popular animation- or AFAP - is an association created in 1976 whose objective is "to bring together persons wishing to experience and develop traditional cultures in the pays de Fougères (music, dance and singing)." With nearly 200 members, it annually organises the Froger-Ferron prize, whose 25th anniversary in 2011 was marked by the presence of Graeme Allwright
Graeme Allwright (7 November 1926 – 16 February 2020) was a New Zealand-born French singer and songwriter. He became popular in the 1960s and 1970s as a French language interpreter of the songs of American and Canadian songwriters such as Leona ...
.
Bagad Bro Felger
The is an ensemble of traditional Breton music from the lands of Fougères, created in the autumn of 2002 at Fougères. A member of the federation, it currently competes in 2nd category of the and is present at many festivals in France.
Bagad Raoul II
Still active to date, it is the first bagad of the town and one of the first of Brittany, created in 1954, it quickly took the name of Raoul II in honour of the founder of the town of Fougères.
Breton language
A Diwan school was opened in September 2013, where 14 children are enrolled, or 0.7% of the commune's primary schoolchildren.
Festival Voix de Pays
Every year in July, the Festival des Voix de Pays estival of the Country Voicesis held within the walls of the castle, organized by the Juliette-Drouet de Fougères Community cultural centre. This event has taken place for more than twenty years,
Media
The newspapers and journals of Fougères are:
* The daily edition of ''Ouest-France
''Ouest-France'' ( ; French for "West-France") is a daily French newspaper known for its emphasis on both local and national news. The paper is produced in 47 different editions covering events in different French départements within the régi ...
'' of Fougères.
* The weekly (most 77,000 readers) appears every Thursday and speaks mainly of Fougères news but also of all of the Pays ( Antrain, Saint-Brice-en-Coglès, Louvigné-du-Désert, Liffré, etc.) and also of the Pays de Vitré, northern Mayenne
Mayenne ( ) is a landlocked department in northwest France named after the river Mayenne. Mayenne is part of the administrative region of Pays de la Loire and is surrounded by the departments of Manche, Orne, Sarthe, Maine-et-Loire, and Il ...
, and the south of Manche
Manche (, ; Norman language, Norman: ) is a coastal Departments of France, French ''département'' in Normandy (administrative region), Normandy on the English Channel, which is known as , literally "the sleeve", in French. Manche is bordered by ...
. Founded in 1837, it has changed title several times to become ''La Chronique Républicaine'' in 1944.
* , a quarterly journal created in 1975, describes the history, economy, traditions, arts and literature of the . Published for thirty-two years, it disappeared in 2007.
There are local information magazines published on the metropolitan area, such as ''La Lettre'' of the .
Several free radio stations have existed in Fougères, namely:
* ''Radio des Marches de Bretagne'' (RMB): 20 December 1983 – 1986. Its premises were located at 41 Rue Nationale. Its slogan was ''la radio fruitée'' ruity radio At the end of the 1980s, the RMB team ended up split into two. One group decided to merge with RCV (Radio Cité Vitré) to give birth to FPB (Fréquence des Portes de Bretagne). The other team, meanwhile, created Galaxie.
* ''Fréquence des Portes de Bretagne'' (BPF): 1986–97
* ''Radio Mélusine'': 1984-1992: Its premises were located at 1 Rue Nationale, on the floor of the current Victor-Hugo theatre, abandoned at the time.
* ''Radio Galaxie'': 1986-1992: Its slogan was ''l'onde magique'' he magic wave sung by the Costa brothers who made the broadcast design of the station.
* ''Radio Mélusine Galaxie'': 1992–97
* ''Radio des Trois Provinces'' - Crystal FM - Sensation
Notable people
People from Fougères
File:Luc Urbain du Bouëxic de Guichen.jpg, Luc Urbain du Bouëxic de Guichen
File:Armand Tuffin de La Rouërie.jpg, Armand Tuffin de La Rouërie
File:François René Jean de Pommereul.jpg,
File:Gilbert de Pommereul.jpg,
File:Boisguy.jpg, Aimé Picquet du Boisguy
File:Jean-Ambroise Baston de La Riboisière.jpg, Jean Ambroise Baston de Lariboisière
File:Juliette Drouet (Noël).jpg, Juliette Drouet
File:Theresepierre6.jpg, Thérèse Pierre
* Eolia, mummy
* , intellectual and Breton professor, conducted a school in the 11th century.
* (1700–1779), religious.
* Luc Urbain de Bouëxic, comte de Guichen (1712–1790), lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
of the naval armies under Louis XV
Louis XV (15 February 1710 – 10 May 1774), known as Louis the Beloved (), was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity (then defi ...
and Louis XVI
Louis XVI (Louis-Auguste; ; 23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. The son of Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), Louis, Dauphin of France (son and heir- ...
.
* Charles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la Rouërie
Charles Armand Tuffin, marquis de la Rouërie (13 April 1751 – 30 January 1793) was a French army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He was promoted to brigadier general after the siege of Yorktown and led Chouan rebels durin ...
, known as "Colonel Armand" (1751–1793), general of the army during the American War of Independence
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...
, head of the under the French Revolution.
* (born 1751), magistrate and politician.
* Thérèse de Moëlien Trojolif (1759–1793), cousin of La Rouërie, Member of the Breton Association.
* Aimé Picquet du Boisguy (1776–1839), general of the Chouan
Chouan (, "the silent one", or "owl") is a French nickname. It was used as a nom de guerre by the Chouan brothers, most notably Jean Cottereau, better known as Jean Chouan, who led a major revolt in Bas-Maine against the French Revolution. Part ...
s of Fougères and Vitré, Maréchal de camp
''Maréchal de camp'' (sometimes incorrectly translated as field marshal) was a general officer rank used by the French Army until 1848.
The rank originated from the older rank of sergeant major general ( French: ''sergent-major général'') ...
under the Restoration.
* (1774–1804), Chouan officer, brother of the former.
* (1772–1795), Chouan officer, brother of previous.
* Jean Ambroise Baston de Lariboisière (1759–1812): general
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
and baron of the Empire, inspector-general of artillery
Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...
under the First Empire.
* (1745–1823): general and baron of the Empire, , then under the First Empire.
* (1774–1860), general of the Empire, son of the former.
* Jean-Marie Bachelot La Pylaie (1786–1856), botanist and explorer.
* Juliette Drouet (1806–1883), actress, mistress of Victor Hugo. She gave her name to the Juliette-Drouet cultural centre.
* (1814–1876), poet.
* Pierre Heude (1836–1902), zoologist.
* (1851–1927), architect.
* (1852–1927), magistrate, vice-président of the Mixed Courts of Alexandria, Egypt 1884-1902.
* (1858–1944), painter.
* Lucien Haudebert (1877–1963), composer
* The Abbé (1880–1933).
* (1882–1941), nationalist Breton and Breton language poet.
* (1885–1962), first French military parachutist.
* Jean Guéhenno (1890–1978), writer, journalist and academic. He has given his name to two public schools.
* (1891–1956), poet.
* Charles Berthelot (1901–1940), professional football player.
* Thérèse Pierre (1908–1943), resistant, responsible for the Arrondissement of Fougères where it participated actively in the Organization of the , she was captured by the Gestapo
The (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, abbreviated Gestapo (), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe.
The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of F ...
and killed at the in Rennes. A public college bears her name in Fougères.
* Georges Franju
Georges Franju (; 12 April 1912 – 5 November 1987) was a French filmmaker. He was born in Fougères, Ille-et-Vilaine.
Biography Early life
Before working in French cinema, Franju held several different jobs. These included working for an ins ...
(1912–1987), filmmaker
Filmmaking or film production is the process by which a Film, motion picture is produced. Filmmaking involves a number of complex and discrete stages, beginning with an initial story, idea, or commission. Production then continues through screen ...
and director
Director may refer to:
Literature
* ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine
* ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker
* ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty
Music
* Director (band), an Irish rock band
* ''D ...
.
* (born 1939), author of children's literature.
* (born 1942), politician.
* (born 1955), Breton independence of Emgann.
* (born in 1963), comic writer and artist.
* Pascale Fonteneau (born 1963), journalist and novelist.
* (born in 1965), basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
coach.
* Laurent Huard (born 1973), former professional football player for Stade Rennais, AS Saint-Étienne
Association Sportive de Saint-Étienne Loire (), abbreviated as A.S.S.E. () and commonly known as Saint-Étienne, is a French professional football club based in Saint-Étienne, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. The club was founded in 1933 and competes ...
and CS Sedan Ardennes
Club Sportif Sedan Ardennes, commonly referred to as CS Sedan or simply Sedan (), is a football club based in Sedan, France. The club was formed in 1919 and plays its home matches at the Stade Louis Dugauguez located within the city. Despite ...
. He is now a coach at Stade Rennais training centre.
* (born 1976), illustrator.
* (born 1977), journalist, founder of the Pan-African media .
* Frédéric Molas (born 1982) and Sébastien Rassiat (born 1982), creators of the Joueur du Grenier
Le Joueur du Grenier (literally "The Attic Gamer") is the main character and title of a web television series of farcical retrogaming video reviews created by French filmmakers Frédéric Molas () and Sébastien Rassiat () in 2009, starring them ...
YouTube web series
* Fabien Lemoine (born 1987), professional football player trained at Stade Rennais, evolving from 2011 at AS Saint-Étienne.
People who have stayed in Fougères
* François-René de Chateaubriand
François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand (4 September 1768 – 4 July 1848) was a French writer, politician, diplomat and historian who influenced French literature of the nineteenth century. Descended from an old aristocratic family from Bri ...
: he often came to Fougères where one of his sisters lived. He did not keep a very good memory of the place:
* Balzac: After having discovered Fougères in 1828, he wrote the novel '' Les Chouans''. ( Read the novel in French on Wikisource). A hotel on ''Rue Nationale'' bears his name.
* Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo, vicomte Hugo (; 26 February 1802 – 22 May 1885) was a French Romanticism, Romantic author, poet, essayist, playwright, journalist, human rights activist and politician.
His most famous works are the novels ''The Hunchbac ...
stayed in Fougères with his mistress Juliette Drouet in June 1836.
*Joueur du grenier
Le Joueur du Grenier (literally "The Attic Gamer") is the main character and title of a web television series of farcical retrogaming video reviews created by French filmmakers Frédéric Molas () and Sébastien Rassiat () in 2009, starring them ...
is living in Fougères with his staff.
Gallery
File:Bretagne Fougeres 04024.jpg, A view of the château
File:Fougeres Schloss.jpg, The château
File:Château de Fougères.jpg, Tour Nichot and the ramparts of the upper town
File:Fougères - Bretagne, France 02.jpg, Upper town: Public garden and Church of Saint-Léonard
File:Bretagne Fougeres 2005 099a.jpg, The Church of Saint-Léonard
File:Bretagne Fougeres 04021.jpg, A view from the Church of Saint-Léonard
See also
*
* The works of Jean Fréour. Sculptor of Armand Tuffin de La Rouërie statue
*
*
*
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
References
External links
Official website
Fougères Office of Tourism
Virtual Visit to Fougères
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fougeres
Communes of Ille-et-Vilaine
Subprefectures in France