Pont-l'Abbé

Pont-l'Abbé (Breton: Pont-'n-Abad, "Abbot's bridge") is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France.

Pont-l'Abbé Pont-'n-Abad
Commune
The harbour of Pont-l'Abbé
Coat of arms
Motto(s):  Heb Ken
Location of Pont-l'Abbé
Pont-l'Abbé Pont-l'Abbé
Coordinates: 47°52′05″N 4°13′19″W
Country	France
Region	Brittany
Department	Finistère
Arrondissement	Quimper
Canton	Pont-l'Abbé
Intercommunality	Pays Bigouden Sud
Government
• Mayor (2014–2020)	Thierry Mavic
Area ^1	18.21 km^2 (7.03 sq mi)
Population  (2017-01-01)[1]	8,250
• Density	450/km^2 (1,200/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	29220 /29120
Elevation	0–37 m (0–121 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km^2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

The self-styled capital of Pays Bigouden (roughly the region between the river Odet and the Bay of Audierne), Pont-l'Abbé was founded in the 14th century by a monk of Loctudy who built the first bridge across the river estuary, hence the name. The same monk also built the first castle.

Population

Inhabitants of Pont-l'Abbé are called in French Pont-l'Abbistes.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1793 1,698 —     1800 1,884 +11.0% 1806 1,883 −0.1% 1821 2,115 +12.3% 1831 2,785 +31.7% 1836 3,163 +13.6% 1841 3,325 +5.1% 1846 3,626 +9.1% 1851 3,810 +5.1% 1856 3,947 +3.6% 1861 4,286 +8.6% 1866 4,526 +5.6%

Year Pop. ±% 1872 4,739 +4.7% 1876 4,991 +5.3% 1881 5,110 +2.4% 1886 5,729 +12.1% 1891 5,536 −3.4% 1896 5,797 +4.7% 1901 6,315 +8.9% 1906 6,432 +1.9% 1911 6,652 +3.4% 1921 6,637 −0.2% 1926 6,724 +1.3% 1931 6,656 −1.0%

Year Pop. ±% 1936 6,563 −1.4% 1946 6,644 +1.2% 1954 6,393 −3.8% 1962 6,396 +0.0% 1968 6,791 +6.2% 1975 7,325 +7.9% 1982 7,266 −0.8% 1990 7,374 +1.5% 1999 7,846 +6.4% 2008 8,079 +3.0% 2010 8,322 +3.0% 2011 8,432 +1.3%

Breton language

The municipality launched a linguistic plan concerning the Breton language through Ya d'ar brezhoneg on February 2, 2008.

In 2008, 5.08% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools.[2]

The Fête des Brodeuses (Embroideress' Festival) in July is one of Brittany's major traditional gatherings, and includes a Breton Mass at the Notre-Dame des Carmes church.

Sights

• Pont-l'Abbé castle dates from the 14th to the 18th centuries. The "wedding" room is decorated with Mathurin Méheut pieces of art (Sainte-Marine port), Henri Sollier and Jacques Godin. Once bigger, the castle lost its ramparts during the 19th century. Today only the bridge, the keep, and a very small part of the ramparts, in the garden nearby, can be seen. The structure now serves as the city hall, housing also the Bigouden Museum, offering a fine collection of costumes and Bigouden head-dresses,
• Church of Notre-Dame des Carmes dates from 1383-1420 in the Gothic style, with many old statues and a very fine rose window over the high altar that is considered the loveliest in Brittany.
• Church of Lambour (13th-16th century) had its roof removed in 1675 in the reign of Louis XIV in reprisal against the "Red Bonnets" uprising.
• The Monument aux Bigoudens is a masterpiece in granite by François Bazin (1931) and shows a group of four Bigoudène women and a child in traditional costume from the beginning of the 20th century, all of them thinking of a son, a father, a husband or a grandson battling the elements on the high seas.
• The Manoir de Kernuz was restored c. 1850 by the historian of Brittany, Armand du Chatellier.
• The Manoir de Kerazan located between Pont-l'Abbé and Loktudi delivers a fine art of Architecture.
• The Chapel of Treminoù (the missings in Breton) on the road to St-Jean-Trolimon, celebrates the memory of the Breton insurgents slaughtered by the French army of Louis XIV. In particular, A gathering in the last week of September and a funfair festival in the City recalls this period of Brittany's history.
• A few Menhirs still island upright around the city.
• Down to the river by the sea, lies a ria, having given its name to Loktudi (Loch Tudi, the lagoon of Saint Tudi) and Isle Tudi, which shares some beautiful sights.

• 
  Present view of the Castle's keep, south view.
• 
  the Castle's keep, north view.
• 
  the Castle's keep, from Rue Kereon, 1921.

International relations

Pont-l'Abbé is twinned with:

• Betanzos, Spain
• Schleiden, Germany

• Bantry, Ireland

Personalities

• Vincent Riou, a yacht race Sailor who distinguished himself at Vendée Globe Challenge 2004-2005 (1st) and 2008-2009 (3rd) with act of bravery, saving Jean Le Cam's life, who was sinking near of Cape Horn.
• Jérôme Kerviel, the trader formerly with Société Générale in Paris that was linked with losses of approximately €4.9 billion (US$7.16 billion) stemming from fraudulent equity index futures trading, grew up in Pont-l'Abbé.

See also

• Communes of the Finistère department
• François Bazin (sculptor)

References

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

External links

• Official website (in French)
• Official Pont-l'Abbé Tourism site
• Bigouden Museum of Pont-l'Abbé (in French)
• Ar Triskell, Cultures' House of Pont-l'Abbé (in French)
• Base Mérimée: Search for heritage in the commune, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
• Mayors of Finistère Association (in French)