Concarneau

Historically, the old town was a centre of shipbuilding; its ramparts date from the 14th century. The Ville Close is now devoted to tourism with many restaurants and shops aimed at tourists. However restraint has been shown in resisting the excesses of souvenir shops. Also in the Ville Close is the fishing museum. The Ville Close is connected to the town by a bridge and at the other end a ferry to the village of Lanriec on the other side of the harbour.

• Name — Concarneau • Native Name — Konk-Kerne • Commune Status — Commune • Insee — 29039 • Postal Code — 29900 • Arrondissement — Quimper • Canton — Concarneau • Mayor — Quentin Le Gaillard • Term — 2026–32 • Intercommunality — Concarneau Cornouaille Agglomération • Elevation Min M — 0 • Elevation Max M — 36 • Area Km2 — 41.08

In August the town holds the annual Fête des Filets Bleus (Festival of the Blue Nets). The festival, named after the traditional blue nets of Concarneau's fishing fleet, is a celebration of Breton and pan-Celtic culture. Such festivals can occur throughout Brittany but the Filets Bleus is one of the oldest and largest, attracting in excess of a thousand participants in traditional dress with many times that number of observers. In 2005, the 100th festival was celebrated.

Fishing, particularly for tuna, has long been the primary economic activity in Concarneau. The Les Mouettes d'Arvor is one of the last traditional canning factories in Concarneau. Concarneau is one of the biggest fishing ports in France. Since the 1980s, other industries have arisen, such as boat construction and summer tourism. The Ville Close separates the working port from the yacht basin. • Illustration — Concarneau

Inhabitants of Concarneau are called in French Concarnois (masculine) and Concarnoises (feminine). In 1959, Concarneau absorbed the former commune Lanriec.

In 2008, 2.16% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools, where Breton language is taught alongside French.

The football club US Concarneau is based in the town.

• Michel Desjoyeaux, navigator • Samantha Davies, sailor • Guy Cotten, founder of a clothes factory • Stéphane Guivarc'h, French footballer, won the FIFA World Cup 1998 with the French national side • Théophile Deyrolle and Alfred Guillou, founders of the Concarneau Art Colony. • Valérie Hermann, President of Ralph Lauren

Twinned towns: • Bielefeld, Germany since 1969 • M'bour, Senegal since 1974 • Penzance, United Kingdom since 1982

• Illustration — The medieval Ville Close • Illustration — The medieval Ville Close • Illustration — The commercial harbour • Illustration — The yachting harbour • Illustration — At dusk • Illustration — The port • Illustration — The yachting harbor • Illustration — Château de Kériolet • Illustration — Les Sables Blancs • Illustration — The Ville Close • Illustration — Abraham Duquesne • Illustration — Concarneau's location in Finistère