A Brief History of Brittany

In the middle ages Brittany became the home to Celtic tribes from Cornwall and Wales; hence the name which means “little Britain”. Cultural ties between Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland and Ireland remain strong. Although French is now the official language of Brittany there are also two regional languages (Breton and Gallo) related to Welsh and Cornish.

When the Roman Empire arrived in Brittany the occupation turned out to be a turbulent one; the history inspired the tales of Asterix.

The Celtic roots of Brittany have always set the region apart from the rest of France which has Latin or Germanic origins. Brittany remained independent until 1532 when the daughter of the duchess of Brittany married the King of France, Francois I.

During the occupation of the Second World War there was a strong resistance movement in Brittany. Today there are several museums across the region dedicated to the resistance.

Brittany 1938