Plouzané

Plouzané (Breton: Plouzane) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.

Plouzané Plouzane
Commune
Petit Minou Lighthouse
Coat of arms
Location of Plouzané
Plouzané Plouzané
Coordinates: 48°22′59″N 4°37′08″W
Country	France
Region	Brittany
Department	Finistère
Arrondissement	Brest
Canton	Brest-3
Intercommunality	Brest Métropole
Government
• Mayor (2014–2020)	Bernard Rioual
Area ^1	33.14 km^2 (12.80 sq mi)
Population  (2017-01-01)[1]	12,822
• Density	390/km^2 (1,000/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	29212 /29280
Elevation	0–102 m (0–335 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km^2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

History

The shores south of Plouzané are in a strategic location for the defense of the Goulet de Brest strait and were fortified by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. Defensive strongholds include Fort de Bertheaume, Fort du Mengant, and Fort du Dellec.

Population

Inhabitants of Plouzané are called Plouzanéens in French.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1793 2,050 —     1800 2,325 +13.4% 1806 2,242 −3.6% 1821 2,175 −3.0% 1831 2,209 +1.6% 1836 2,341 +6.0% 1841 2,353 +0.5% 1846 2,370 +0.7% 1851 2,312 −2.4% 1856 1,977 −14.5% 1861 2,264 +14.5% 1866 2,240 −1.1%

Year Pop. ±% 1872 2,229 −0.5% 1876 2,293 +2.9% 1881 2,255 −1.7% 1886 2,326 +3.1% 1891 2,299 −1.2% 1896 2,267 −1.4% 1901 2,424 +6.9% 1906 2,401 −0.9% 1911 2,399 −0.1% 1921 2,132 −11.1% 1926 2,206 +3.5% 1931 2,104 −4.6%

Year Pop. ±% 1936 2,166 +2.9% 1946 2,075 −4.2% 1954 2,172 +4.7% 1962 2,026 −6.7% 1968 3,002 +48.2% 1975 5,167 +72.1% 1982 8,845 +71.2% 1990 11,400 +28.9% 1999 12,054 +5.7% 2008 11,662 −3.3% 2011 11,928 +2.3% 2016 12,763 +7.0%

Breton language

In 2008, 4.09% of primary-school children attended Breton/French bilingual schools.[2] The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhoneg on 15 December 2008.

International relations

Plouzané has twinning arrangements with:

• Kilrush, Republic of Ireland
• Pencoed, United Kingdom
• Stelle, Germany
• Ceccano, Italy

See also

• Communes of the Finistère department
• Phare du Petit Minou

References

1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
2. (in French) Ofis ar Brezhoneg: Enseignement bilingue

External links

• Official website (in French)
• Base Mérimée: Search for heritage in the commune, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
• Mayors of Finistère Association (in French)