- Locronan
French commune
nomcommune=Locronan
native_name=Lokorn
caption=Town square of Locronan
x=19
y=90
lat_long=coord|48|06|00|N|4|12|24|W|region:FR_type:city
région=Bretagne
département=Finistère
arrondissement=Châteaulin
canton=Châteaulin
insee=29134
cp=29180
maire=Marcel Férec
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=
alt moy=145 m
alt mini=38
alt maxi=280 m
hectares=808
km²=8.08
sans=799
date-sans=1999
dens=99
date-dens=1999Locronan ("Lokorn" in Breton) is a commune in
Finistère department inBretagne in northwesternFrance .Locronan has been credited with being one of the most beautiful villages in France by an independent association aiming to promote tourism into rural France.Fact|date=April 2007
The place name
The village's name means the "hermitage of
Saint Ronan ". It has previously been known as "Saint-René-du-Bois".St Ronan is greatly venerated in Brittany. He was a Celtic (possibly Cornish or Irish) missionary of the 6th century. His association with Locronan is close, and his relics are kept in theparish church.History
Locronan is a small town built at the foot of a hill, and was granted town status in
1505 byAnne of Brittany , who went there on a pilgrimage.Since the 15th century,
hemp has been blossoming in Locronan's surroundings. This led to a hemp industry in the town at the time, making the town quite prosperous. Locronan's hemp used to be shipped around the world, and was also vital for rigging the shipping, both commercial and military, that operated from Brittany's many ports. It was at this time that theSaint Ronan church was built as well as the small chapel of Penity.Demographics
Inhabitants of Locronan are called "Locronanais".
Events
Troménie is a pilgrimage festival, involving a huge procession, which features thebanners of participating parishes. Held every six years between the second and third Sundays in July, the Grande Troménie is a pilgrimage of about 12km., traversing the wider sacred area around Locronan. In the intervening five years, the Petite Troménie is is held on the second Sunday in July and is focussed on the town and church of Locronan. These are among the major pardons of the Breton festal calendar.Popular culture
Locronan features in a few films:
*"Tess " byRoman Polanski
*"A Very Long Engagement " byJean-Pierre Jeunet
*"Chouans! " byPhilippe de Broca Gallery
ee also
*
Communes of the Finistère department External links
* [http://www.villdelocronan.fr/ Official site of Ville de Locronan]
* [http://www.locronan.org/ Official site of the Office de Tourisme]
* [http://en.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/France/West/Bretagne/Locronan/ Locronan gallery on Treakearth]
* [http://www.culture.gouv.fr/public/mistral/merimee_fr?ACTION=CHERCHER&FIELD_98=INSEE&VALUE_98=29134 French Ministry of Culture list for Locronan] fr icon
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