Roscoff

Roscoff (French pronunciation: [ʁɔskɔf]; Breton: Rosko) is a commune in the Finistère département of Brittany in northwestern France.

Roscoff
Rosko (Breton)
Commune
Center of Roscoff from Sainte Barbe chapel
Center of Roscoff from Sainte Barbe chapel
Flag of Roscoff
Flag
Coat of arms of Roscoff
Coat of arms
Location of Roscoff
Roscoff is located in France
Roscoff
Roscoff
Roscoff is located in Brittany
Roscoff
Roscoff
Coordinates: 48°44′00″N 3°59′00″W
CountryFrance
RegionBrittany
DepartmentFinistère
ArrondissementMorlaix
CantonSaint-Pol-de-Léon
IntercommunalityHaut-Léon Communauté
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Odile Thubert Montagne[1]
Area
1
6.19 km2 (2.39 sq mi)
Population
 (Jan. 2020)[2]
3,362
 • Density540/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
29239 /29680
Elevation0–58 m (0–190 ft)
(avg. 6 m or 20 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Roscoff is renowned for its picturesque architecture, labelled petite cité de caractère de Bretagne (small town of character)[3] since 2009. Roscoff is also a traditional departure point for Onion Johnnies.

After lobbying by local economic leaders headed by Alexis Gourvennec, the French government agreed in 1968 to provide a deep-water port at Roscoff. Existing ferry operators were reluctant to take on the relatively long Plymouth–Roscoff crossing so Gourvennec and colleagues founded Brittany Ferries. Since the early 1970s Roscoff has been developed as a ferry port for the transport of Breton agricultural produce and for motor tourism. Brittany Ferries link Roscoff with both Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Owing to the richness of iodine in the surrounding waters and the mild climate maintained by a sea current that varies only between 8 and 18 °C (46 and 64 °F), Roscoff is also a centre of post-cure, which gave rise to the concept of thalassotherapy in the latter half of the 19th century. A French doctor, Louis-Eugène Bagot, opened the Institut Marin in Roscoff in 1899, the first centre for thalassotherapy in Europe. Since then many important centres of thalassotherapy such as the Institut de Rockroum (originally Institut marin), the clinic Kerléna and a heliomarin hospital founded in 1900, the Perharidy Centre, can be found by the sea at Roscoff.

The nearby Île de Batz, called Enez Vaz in Breton, is a small island that can be reached by launch from the harbour.

Sights

Population

Inhabitants of Roscoff are called in French Roscovites.

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 3,339—    
1975 3,404+0.28%
1982 3,581+0.73%
1990 3,711+0.45%
1999 3,550−0.49%
2007 3,675+0.43%
2012 3,515−0.89%
2017 3,404−0.64%
Source: INSEE[4]

Breton language

The municipality launched a language plan through Ya d'ar brezhoneg on 14 November 2008.

In 2008 18.44% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools.[5]

Ferries

Brittany Ferries operate ferry services from Roscoff to Plymouth daily from February to November with occasional Christmas sailings, to Cork twice a week (Friday and Tuesday service).

Irish Ferries used to operate a ferry service from Roscoff to Rosslare from May to September but now sail to Cherbourg instead.

Preceding station   Ferry   Following station
Terminus   Brittany Ferries
Ferry		   Plymouth
    Cork

Historic events
  • In 1375 the harbour was destroyed by English forces under the Earl of Arundel. It would later be rebuilt at its current location, Kroas Batz.
  • From 1522 to 1545–1550 the construction the Church of Our Lady of Kroas Batz (see Monuments above).
  • In 1548 the six-year-old Mary, Queen of Scots, having been betrothed to the Dauphin François, disembarked at Roscoff en route from Scotland.
  • In 1790 Roscoff was raised to independent commune. Until then the town had effectively depended on Saint-Pol-de-Léon.
  • The illustrator Henry Gerbault and his wife moved to Roscoff in 1919 and lived there for the rest of their lives.

International relations
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Roscoff is twinned with:

  • Roscoff from the pier
    Roscoff from the pier
  • View of Roscoff from Île-de-Batz
    View of Roscoff from Île-de-Batz
  • Boats at low tide in Roscoff
    Boats at low tide in Roscoff
  • Roscoff Harbour at low tide
    Roscoff Harbour at low tide
  • Roscoff from Bridge to the ferry to Île-de-Batz at low tide
    Roscoff from Bridge to the ferry to Île-de-Batz at low tide
  • The Renaissance spire (1576) of Roscoff parish church Our Lady of Croaz Batz
    The Renaissance spire (1576) of Roscoff parish church Our Lady of Croaz Batz
  • The lighthouse
    The lighthouse
  • Sainte Barbe chapel
    Sainte Barbe chapel
  • Ar Vil from the sea
    Ar Vil from the sea
  • Alexandre Dumas's house during the summer 1869.
    Alexandre Dumas's house during the summer 1869.

See also

References
  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. "Populations légales 2020". The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 29 December 2022.
  3. City of Roscoff: Roscoff awarded "Petite cité de caractère de Bretagne" (small town of character) (in French)
  4. Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  5. (in French) Ofis ar Brezhoneg: Enseignement bilingue
  6. "British towns twinned with French towns". Archant Community Media Ltd. Retrieved 11 July 2013.
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