Being Breton

The new Brittany

With the immense growth in tourism in post-war Brittany, the clichéd perception of the typical Breton has transformed from a picture of a harsh, stubborn reticence to one of smiling openness. Up until the 20th century, the poverty of the majority of Bretons, together with the language barrier, with many western Bretons not speaking French, caused them to be seen as outlandish.

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A gritty past 

In centuries past, outsiders commonly viewed Bretons as a closed, dour, backwards race, a wild lot, living in a wild place. The divide between outward-looking ports or bustling urban centres and isolated rural parts, where neighbouring villagers were regarded with suspicion, was immense. Vast numbers joining the French army in World War I contributed to opening up the Bretons to the rest of France.

Clinging to clogs 

A Breton aristocratic and merchant elite lived very comfortably, but for the average family, the lot was extremely hard, even to quite recent times, with many children still going to school in their clogs until the war. Contrast the opulent Breton castles you can visit with recollections of simple, ordinary life gathered in local museums. While artists from outside gave a certain image of Bretons, gritty autobiographies by natives, such as those by DĂ©guignet or HĂ©lias, are far more eloquent on the lot of your average Breton.

Celtic smiles and strops 

The Bretons you encounter on holiday will, we hope, be warmly welcoming, as you’re greeted at your accommodation, watch traditional festivals, or as a sailing instructor shows you the ropes perhaps. Breton farmers occasionally make it into national news because of their protests and a tiny minority of Bretons stridently call for independence. More commonly, young Bretons struggle to find full-time work in Brittany and have to head off, while retirees from across France settle here for the good life.

Did you know ? 

Bretons achieve an exceptional success rate in French school exams – some claim they’re helped by a lot of fish in their diet !