Finistère (; ; ) is a department of France in the extreme west of Brittany. Its prefecture is Quimper and its largest city is Brest. In 2023, it had a population of 933,455.

{| class=wikitable

! Commune

! Population (2023)

|-

| Brest

| style="text-align: center;" | 142,346

|-

| Quimper

| style="text-align: center;" | 64,385

|-

| Concarneau

| style="text-align: center;" | 20,845

|-

| Landerneau

| style="text-align: center;" | 16,363

|-

| Guipavas

| style="text-align: center;" | 15,538

|-

| Morlaix

| style="text-align: center;" | 15,194

|}

Demographics

Economy

Agriculture, fisheries, food processing and various related industries occupy an important place in Finistère's economy.

The military presence in Finistère (Île Longue nuclear submarine base and the Naval Air base of Lanvéoc-Poulmic), as well as military-related industries, such as the Brest headquarters of DCNS, employ a significant number of the départements population.

The port of Roscoff links Brittany by ferry with Ireland and Great Britain.

Politics

Current National Assembly Representatives

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!colspan="2"|Constituency!!Member!!Party

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Finistère's 1st constituency

| Annaïg Le Meur

| Renaissance

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Finistère's 2nd constituency

| Pierre-Yves Cadalen

| La France Insoumise

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Finistère's 3rd constituency

| Didier Le Gac

| Renaissance

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Finistère's 4th constituency

| Sandrine Le Feur

| Renaissance

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Finistère's 5th constituency

| Graziella Melchior

| Renaissance

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Finistère's 6th constituency

| Mélanie Thomin

| Parti Socialiste

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Finistère's 7th constituency

| Liliane Tanguy

| Renaissance

|-

|style="background-color: " |

| Finistère's 8th constituency

| Erwan Balanant

| MoDem

|}

Culture

Finistère is the area where Breton survives most strongly as a spoken language. Breton-speaking schools are called Diwan, Divyezh and Dihun.

The Festival de Cornouaille, which takes place in Quimper, is a celebration of Breton music and traditions. One of the highlights of summer in Finistère is the "Festival des Vieilles Charrues" held in Carhaix-Plouguer. Major international stars attract tens of thousands of spectators.

The painter Raymond Wintz (1884–1956) featured many locations around Finistère.

Roland Doré was a sculptor who executed many of the calvaries in Finistère.

Tourism

<gallery mode=packed>

File:Quimper2011.png|Quimper

File:Ouessant DSC02641.jpg|Granite rocks in Ouessant

File:Phare de Pontusval 4490.jpg|Pontusval lighthouse near Brignogan-Plages

File:ND de Tronoën Chapelle et calvaire 2.jpg|Calvary in Saint-Jean-Trolimon

File:29 - Locronan.jpg|Locronan

File:Concarneau - la ville close à marée basse.jpg|Concarneau

File:Finis Terrae Finistère.jpg|Pointe du Chateau, Plougrescant

File:20110824 Pointe de Pen-Hir (10).jpg|Pointe de Pen-Hir

</gallery>

See also

  • Cantons of the Finistère department
  • Communes of the Finistère department
  • Arrondissements of the Finistère department
  • Ys
  • Calvary at Saint-Herbot near Plonévez-du-Faou and the Chapelle Saint-Herbot.
  • Notre Dame de Roscudon Church

References

  • Departmental Council website
  • Prefecture website
  • Finistère Tourisme, agence de développement touristique du Finistère