A kite surfer in front of the Fort de Penthièvre on the west coast of the Presqu'île de Quiberon (in English: "Quiberon Peninsula"), seen from Plage d'Isthme (in English: "Beach at the Isthmus") Saint-Pierre-Quiberon, Brittany, France
Some background information:
The Presqu'île de Quiberon is a peninsula located in the department of Morbihan in Brittany, France. It has a length of roughly eight kilometres (five miles), but isn’t wider than two kilometres (1.2 miles) at its widest point. The peninsula is home to approximately 8,000 residents, which spread among two main settlements and a few smaler ones. The main settlements are the little towns of Quiberon (with roughly 5,000 residents) and Saint-Pierre-Quiberon (with roughly 2,250 residents).
A long time ago, Quiberon used to be an island at the Atlantic coast, but in the 11th century, the sea formed a tombolo, which connects the former island with the French mainland since then. This tombolo is named the Isthmus of Penthièvre. The isthmus is only 100 metres wide and if you pass it, you can see the Atlantic ocean on both sides of the road. On the eastern side of the road there’s not much space for a beach as the road runs near the water, but on its western side there’s a long sandy beach, the Plage d'Isthme.
The western and the eastern coastlines of the Presqu'île de Quiberon are completely different: The east coast is protected from the prevailing winds. It opens up to a large, tranquil bay, the Baie de Quiberon, which extends from the Carnac coast. However, the east coast is battered by wind and waves. That’s why it is named the Côte Sauvage (in English: "Wild Coast"). Hence, while the eastern coast is bustling with swimmers and sunbathers, the western coast is a popular spot for kite surfers.
As already mentioned before, the current Presqu'île de Quiberon was an island until the 11th century. Over time and due to massive deforestation, the sand gradually moved towards the bay, creating a tombolo between the island of Quiberon and the mainland. It was during this period that the island transformed into a peninsula. In the Middle Ages, Saint-Pierre-Quiberon, where this photo was taken, was part of the Armorican parish of Plouharnel, then of that of Quiberon, which depended on the deanery of Pou-Belz.
In 1653, Saint-Pierre, although not yet a commune in the proper sense, but a parish, was detached from that of Quiberon. In 1746, the peninsula saw the landing of the English squadron of Admiral Lestock, composed of forty ships. The English soldiers pillaged the peninsula, but the French governor refused to surrender. However, the French army was defeated, and the inhabitants were forced to flee. Due to the damage caused by the battles, the Duke of Penthièvre had redoubts built on the peninsula.
In 1748, the construction of the Fort de Penthièvre began. It was the most impressive of the peninsula’s new defence works and it was built on the cliff La Palice at the Isthmus of Penthièvre to protect the route between the peninsula and the mainland. In 1759, the Battle of Quiberon Bay took place between 23 English and 21 French battleships. The French lost seven battleships while the English lost only two. The result of the battle was that the English could still maintain their naval blockade of the French Atlantic ports and hence, continue weakening the French economy.
In 1795, in the further course of the French Revolution, the royalists who had landed, besieged the Fort de Penthièvre. It eventually fell after four days, because its defenders ran out of supplies. However, shortly afterwards, it was retaken by General Hoche's troops, signaling the end of the royalist expedition. After laying abandoned for a few years, the fort was reinforced and extensively expanded according to the Vauban system in 1800, at the suggestion of First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte and Armand de Marescot, his general of engineering.
In the 19th century, Quiberon became the leading sardine port in France by erecting sardine factories. In 1882, the Auray-Quiberon railway line was inaugurated. Actually, its purpose was to transport ammunition to the batteries along the coast, but from its opening, tourists attracted by the new craze for sea bathing also used it. During World War I, German prisoners were held at the Fort de Penthièvre. And during World War II, the Quiberon Peninsula was occupied by the German army. In July 1944, fifty resistance fighters were executed by the Germans at the fort.
Today, the Presqu'île de Quiberon is again a peaceful spot of land, but also a rather bustling one. It is popular among visitors, mainly coming from the French mainland, and there are several camping and caravan sites on the peninsula. Furthermore, Quiberon is the ferry port for ferries to the island of Belle-Île, a likewise very popular tourist destination 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) off the French coast.
