Quiberon (Kiberen in Breton) is a commune of the Morbihan département, in the région of Bretagne. It's situated on the peninsular of Presqu'île de Quiberon. It is primarily known as a seaside resort for the French during summer, and for its history of sardine production.

History

In the 19th century, Nicolas Appert, a chemist, tuned a technique that permited the sterilization of food. Thanks to this process, Quiberon became the leading harbour for sardine fishing and the production of canned sardines in France. Many families from the Finistère département migrated to Quiberon for the fishing season (May to October). When the men put out to sea, the women worked in the sardine can factories.

The railway between Auray and Quiberon was inaugurated in 1882. It deeply changed Quiberon's inhabitants' way of life. Fishing, canning and the exploitation of seaweed has been replaced by tourism. At that time, some famous people went to Quiberon for a stay, including the writer Gustave Flaubert, Anatole France and Sarah Bernhardt. The year 1924 was important for the peninsula because it was classified as health resort. Now, the main resources for Quiberon come from tourism.

Monuments

• Église Notre-Dame de Locmaria, 19th century chapel
• Chapelle Fort Penthièvre, 19th century
• Prehistoric site
• Musée de la mer (Museum of the sea)

External links

• City website (in French)
• Tourism Office website

Communes of Morbihan | Coastal towns in Brittany

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