Île-aux-Moines

French commune
nomcommune=Île-aux-Moines
native_name=Enizenac'h


caption=The island lies in the Gulf of Morbihan


x = 43
y = 104
lat_long=coord|47|35|51|N|2|50|36|W|region:FR_type:city
insee=56087
cp=56780
région=Bretagne
département=Morbihan
arrondissement=Vannes
canton=Vannes-Ouest
maire=Jean Pressard
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=C.A. du Pays de Vannes
alt mini=-1 m
alt maxi=31 m
km²=3.20
sans=610
date-sans=1999
dens=191
date-dens=1999|

Île-aux-Moines ("Enizenac'h" in Breton; the name means "island of the monk(s)") is a commune in the "département" of Morbihan, Bretagne, France. It is the largest island in the Gulf of Morbihan. It is one of two island communes of the Gulf, the other being Île-d'Arz.

Geography

Île-aux-Moines lies in the Morhiban Gulf. It is 7 km by 5 km, with an area of 3.1 square kilometres. It is in the shape of cross and nowhere on the island lies further than 450 metres from the water.

Access from the mainland is possible from Larmor-Baden or Port-Blanc.

History

Île-aux-Moines has been inhabited since the Neolithic period, as attested by the dolmens and other relics.

In 854, the then king of Brittany, Erispoe, gave a donation to the Abbey of Saint-Conwoïon in Redon, created by his father Nominoe. This became storage space of the abbey.

After the Norman invasions of the 10th century. the island was handed back to the parish of Arradon.

In 1453, it was given the status of parish.

In 1792 it became a commune in its own right.

Demographics

Inhabitants of Île-aux-Moines are called "Ilois".

As of the census of 1999, the village has a population of formatnum:610.

Monuments

There are many megalithic relics on the south side:
* The cromlech of Kergonan, in the middle of the island, with a radius of more than 70 metres, is one of Europe's biggest.
* The dolmen of Penhap, 5 kilometres from the main town, is the most well-conserved on the island.
* Crucifices can be found at Trec'h, Brouel and Le Nioul, as well as on Kerno.
*The St Michel Chapel

ee also

*Communes of the Morbihan department

References

* Translated from French Wikipedia, accessed [http://fr.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C3%8Ele-aux-Moines&oldid=6697882 13 April 2006]

External links

* [http://www.ileauxmoines.fr Official website] fr icon
* [http://www.culture.gouv.fr/public/mistral/merimee_fr?ACTION=CHERCHER&FIELD_98=INSEE&VALUE_98=56087 French Ministry of Culture list for Île-aux-Moines] fr icon
* [http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/viamichelin/gbr/dyn/controller/mapPerformPage?strAddress=&strCP=56780&strLocation=Île-aux-Moines&strCountry=1424&image2.x=28&image2.y=7 Map of Île-aux-Moines on Michelin] en icon