Locronan

Locronan (Lokorn in Breton) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France, with a population of 800.

Locronan

Lokorn
Commune
The church square
Coat of arms
Location of Locronan
Locronan
Locronan
Coordinates: 48°06′00″N 4°12′24″W
CountryFrance
RegionBrittany
DepartmentFinistère
ArrondissementQuimper
CantonQuimper-1
Government
 • Mayor (2014–2020) Antoine Gabrièle
Area
1
8.08 km2 (3.12 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
795
 • Density98/km2 (250/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
29134 /29180
Elevation38–280 m (125–919 ft)
(avg. 145 m or 476 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Locronan is a member of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France ("The most beautiful villages of France") association.[2]

Toponymy

The village's name means the "hermitage of Ronan", from the Breton lok which means hermitage, and after the eponymous founder Saint Ronan. It has previously been known as Saint-René-du-Bois.

Saint Ronan is greatly venerated in Brittany. He was an Irish Christian missionary of the 6th century who came to the region to teach the people. As his association with Locronan is close, some of his relics are kept in the parish church.

History
The St Ronan church at Locronan.

Locronan is a small town built at the foot of a hill. It was granted town status in 1505 by Anne of Brittany, who went there on a pilgrimage.

Since the 15th century, hemp has naturally grown in the area (see Hemp in France). It was cultivated and processed in a hemp industry in the town at the time, and it was widely used. The town was quite prosperous. Its hemp was exported internationally, as it was used for rigging the ships, both commercial and military, that operated from Brittany's many ports. The Saint Ronan church was built in this period, as well as the small chapel of Penity.

Population

Inhabitants of Locronan are called in French Locronanais.

Historical population
YearPop.±%
1793768—    
1800691−10.0%
1806691+0.0%
1821664−3.9%
1831797+20.0%
1836805+1.0%
1841773−4.0%
1846865+11.9%
1851832−3.8%
1856719−13.6%
1861700−2.6%
1866638−8.9%
YearPop.±%
1872683+7.1%
1876759+11.1%
1881783+3.2%
1886766−2.2%
1891759−0.9%
1896778+2.5%
1901733−5.8%
1906720−1.8%
1911716−0.6%
1921760+6.1%
1926749−1.4%
1931924+23.4%
YearPop.±%
1936872−5.6%
1946794−8.9%
1954777−2.1%
1962715−8.0%
1968672−6.0%
1975686+2.1%
1982704+2.6%
1990796+13.1%
1999799+0.4%
2008800+0.1%

Breton language

The municipality launched a linguistic plan concerning the Breton language through Ya d'ar brezhoneg on November 23, 2007 to revive the Breton language.

Events

Troménie is a pilgrimage festival that includes a large procession, whose participants carry the banners of participating parishes.

Held every six years between the second and third Sundays in July, the Grande Troménie is a pilgrimage of about 12 km, traversing the wider sacred area around Locronan. In the intervening five years, the Petite Troménie is held on the second Sunday in July. It is based in the town and church of Locronan. These are among the major pardons or ceremonies of the traditional Breton festal calendar.

Locronan has been used as a setting in films:

  • A notable image of the Deposition of Christ in the church at Locronan.
  • The banner of St Ronan.
  • Reliquary holding relics of St Ronan at Locronan.
  • Tomb of St Ronan.
  • Scenes from the life of St Ronan on the polychrome pulpit at Locronan parish church.
  • More scenes from the life of St Ronan on the pulpit.
  • The banner of St Corentin of Quimper at Locronan.
  • Altar of the Rosary.

See also

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. List of "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France"
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