It's hard to believe that a week ago we were all in Brittany. This blog makes no attempt to give a blow by blow account of things but I felt I ought to mention my first time in that part of the world and how much we enjoyed it. We had such a nice place and such great weather that we didn't do much exploring but I'm glad that we at least did a little. It was good to see Mont St Michel after often hearing about it. We also enjoyed Combourg and Dinan. The French seem to do Mediaeval very well. The Breton traditions of crepes and cider, etc, were in evidence but hardly a hint of the language where we were. General impressions of France - useless toilets and vast arable farming - are no doubt similar to those of others.
3 comments:
There were two languages in Brittany. The breton language is spoken in the Western part of the country. The language border was somewhere between Guingamp and St Brieuc. Breton is a celtic language. The other language was called Gallo. It is a latin language. It is spoken in the rest of Brittany. The part where you were never spoke Breton, or if it ever did, it was many centuries ago. That's why you wouldn't see any signs of the language.
Next time, you'll have to stay near Guingamp. The countryside is even nicer here.
Thanks for elucidating Emmanuel. My ignorance is gross. It reminds me of how south Pembrokeshire is referred to as Little England beyond Wales as they have spoken forms of English since before Mediaeval times due to Viking and Flemish/Norman influence. Welsh was no doubt spoken there at one time but not much for over a thousand years (in contrast to other parts of Wales where Welsh disappeared only 2 or 3 generations back).
I met a minister from South Pembrokshire at the Bala conference. I was amazed at how anti-welsh he was (he didn't know I speak welsh and I didn't tell him). I had been told it was the case, but had this confirmed what I had been told.
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