Archipelago of Glénan

Geography

The archipelago of Glénan being composed of nine principal islands and a great number of small islands, its surface is not easily calculable just as its population which is nothing any more but temporary.

The archipelago was sometimes described like “an outline of Tahiti in Southern Brittany”. It is famous for the clearness of water of the Room , protected area by the “circle of Glénan”, often compared with a Lagon. This space extends between the islands Saint Nicolas's Day, Drénec, Bananec and Cigogne, and is used as anchorage with the yachtmen.

At the time of the spring tides, the Room can be crossed to foot and becomes the paradise of the fishermen to foot who collect ormeaux and Palourdes under the monitoring of the Coastguard.

History

One finds prehistoric burials on the Island of Loc' h.

The islands were occupied at the time Gallo-Roman, as the amphoras and other traces found on the Island with the Sheep attest some.

The king Gradlon would have given the islands of the archipelago to the monks of Saint-Gildas-with-Rhuys; they assert the property of it since year 399. It is undoubtedly Saint Tudy, founder of the monastery of Loctudy which évangélisa these islands.

At the 13th century a priory was built on Saint Nicolas's Day, thus giving the name of the saint very venerated by the sailors to the Moyen-âge.

The islands were also, as of the 17th century, the refuge of the pirates who controlled the sea traffic. They were already permanently occupied by fishermen and farmers.

Administration

The archipelago of Glénan depends on the commune of Fouesnant.

The grounds of natural reserve belong to the General advice of the Finistere and are managed by an association of environmental protection (SEPNB).

Environment

The archipelago shelters an endemic plant , the Narcisse of Glénan, Narcissus triandus ssp capax . Identified in 1803, and then presents in all the archipelago, this subspecies did not cease regressing progressively of the agricultural déprise of the islands: this Narcisse develops in close-cropped Pelouse and the abandonment of the breeding involved the appearance of broussailleuses moors. Since 1924, one noted his almost complete disappearance. In 1974, on the initiative of Alive Brittany - Company for the study and protection of nature in Brittany, part of the Saint Nicolas's Day Island was classified in Natural reserve whose access was prohibited by a fence.

This measurement failed to involve the complete disappearance of the Narcisse of Glénan: the stop of trampling and the push of the Moor to Fern S and Ajonc S were harmful with the reproduction by seeds (and not by Bulbe S) of the plant. In 1985, the reserve was cleared of undergrowth and the population of Narcisse recovered to increase. The maintenance in close-cropped lawn is assured from now on, either by clearing of undergrowth, or by animals grazing the reserve (sheep in the beginning, then ponies and asses).

The archipelago is also classified underwater fishing preserve.

Town planning

Some houses are built on the Saint Nicolas's Day island. All new construction is from now on prohibited.

Economy

The archipelago was a shelter for the fishermen a long time. At the 19th century, the fish pond of Saint Nicolas's Day was largest of France for lobsters and lobsters.

The production of Soda for the glassmakings, by burning of the algae, ceased at the beginning of the 20th century.

One exploits the Maërl there, initially with the shovel, on the small islands, then by boats sand glasses using of the dredger S: buckets in the years 1960, then sucker dredgers. The maërl of Glénan is used as amendment for the cultures but especially in the treatment of drinking water, in about fifty departments. The too intensive exploitation threatens regeneration of the maërl and the biodiversity.

The State granted, in October 2005, a last concession with the sand glasses, before the permanent closure of the site in 2011. During 6 years, for the only needs for the water treatment and in a zone of 50 hectares they are authorized to extract each year 45.000 tons from maërl.

The archipelago is attended more only by some professional fishermen who make stopover with Saint Nicolas's Day. Tourism and leisures are from now on the principal activities: connections by high-speed motorboats during the summer, schools of veil and diving, two restaurants.

The problems to be solved for the municipality of Fouesnant are the water provision, in energy and the management of the refuses: water comes from cisterns or of well and is not drinkable any more, the electric production ensured by the wind mill and the solar panels on Saint Nicolas's Day is insufficient and the refuses must be evacuated by barges during the summer.

Islands composing the archipelago

Saint Nicolas's Day island

Saint Nicolas's Day , whose coordinates are, is the principal island. It is accessible in the high-speed motorboat, during the summer, since Concarneau, Fouesnant, Bénodet or Loctudy. One finds there an important fish pond built in 1872 by the baron Fortuné Halna of Fretay, two restaurants and several houses built in the years 1960, used like residences of summer. The last permanent inhabitants left the island at the beginning of the Années 1960.

The International Center of Diving of Glénan is installed there since 1959, initially in the old farm and currently in a building pertaining to the General advice of Finistere.

Part of the island is classified since 1974 in the natural reserve, smallest of France (1,5 ha), to protect the Narcisse from Glénan, plant endemic of the archipelago.

Island of Bananec

It east is connected to Saint Nicolas's Day by a sand cord, a Tombolo, discovering with low tide. The school of veil built there in the years 1960 a modern building.

Island of Loc' H

the island of Loc' H , with an old farm and a brackish pond of water, is the property of the family Bolloré. It is largest in surface.

The baron Fortuné Halna of Fretay tried the exploitation of a pisciculture in this pond. He also modernized the techniques of burning of the Goémon while making build a genuine furnace of factory in 1874. The chimney of this old installation of manufacture of Soude is used now as Amer.

Island of Penfret

Located at the east of the archipelago, the island of Penfret shelters a headlight as well as the semaphore of the archipelago. The school of veil Glénans is tenant of the almost totality of the island where it occupies the old semaphore and of the more recent buildings.

The Navy remains owner of the majority of the grounds of the island, including the headlight, the fort, and the semaphore. The nautical center has a temporary authorization of occupation of the site of the services of the Direction of the Maritime businesses of Brest, current owner of the site. The old farm as for it is coveted by the CNG, but a certain number of steps remain to be achieved before its use is possible.

Island Stork

Island of Drénec

The island of Drénec , in the south of Saint Nicolas's Day, shelters an old farm restored in nautical Center, property of the school of veil.

Island of Brunec

This small small island of Brunec , in north, is called the prison , perhaps because a day, at the 18th century, the English who occupied Penfret unloaded there fishermen of Concarneau shown to transport vivres for the French garrison of Fort Stork.

One finds there a villa of the Années 1960

Guéotec island

This island, in the south-west of Penfret, was used as pasture to the farmers of Penfret. It is equipped with a tower being used as Amer.

Island of Quignénec

Being located at the west of Loc' H, it is made of three small islands, with a small building in ruin, cants of goémonier or old small firm.

Island with the Sheep

One also attaches to the archipelago the island with the Sheep which is located halfway between the coast and the archipelago.

A headlight is installed there since 1879.

The island is from now on an ornithological reserve where two species of terns nest: Tern pierregarin and Tern caugek. A great zone which is used as nesting box with the Sterne S is thus prohibited with the public.

Archaeological excavations were carried out there, showing a presence of the Man to the Neolithic and at the time Gallic.

External bonds

Site of natural reserve
the archipelago of Glénan with Fouesnant
Archipelago of Glénan

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