Visitors may begin a sightseeing tour of Nantes' top attractions in the historic center at the Château des Ducs de Bretagne (Castle of the Dukes of Brittany), founded in the 15th century by Francois II, one of the last Breton rulers. Surrounded by parkland, this enormous fortress has all the essentials of a medieval castle: a moat, imposing towers, and sturdy defensive walls. Château des Ducs de Bretagne

of the poll respondents agreed that Brittany should have more political power, and 31.1% thought that it should stay the same. Only 4.6% favoured independence, and 9.4% were undecided. [68] Presiding over the Oust River valley, this majestic castle dominates the landscape with its soaring walls and turreted towers. The austere exterior contrasts a sumptuous facade on the interior courtyard, exemplifying the Flamboyant Gothic style of the Breton Renaissance. The town was rebuilt after WWII in its original style, with granite houses that appear ancient. The city has also retained its medieval ambience because the atmospheric old cobblestone streets have survived the centuries. Nantes was eventually liberated by Alan II of Brittany in 937 with the support of his godbrother King Æthelstan of England. Perched on a hill above the Rance River's left bank (between Dinard and Saint-Malo), Dinan is one of the prettiest towns in Brittany. Still surrounded by its old walls, Dinan's old town boasts handsome late-medieval to Early Renaissance houses (particularly on the Rue du Jerzual) and the monumental 14th-century Château de Dinan (Palais des Ducs de Bretagne).Dinard enjoys a splendid natural setting (across from Saint-Malo) along the Rance estuary. Mimosas and camellias flourish here under the influence of the Gulf Stream. Main article: Reunification of Brittany This Loire-Atlantique road sign reads "welcome to historical Brittany". Belle-Île-en-Mer is the largest of the Breton islands but is still only 17 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide. The island's name translates to "Beautiful Island in the Sea," fitting of its sublime natural setting on the Quiberon Bay of Brittany's southwest coast.

The village of Rochefort-en-Terre (35 kilometers away from Vannes) is listed as one of France's "Plus Beaux Villages" (Most Beautiful Villages) as well as a "Village Fleuris" ("Flowering Village") because of the vibrant flowers that decorate the town. Thanks to its advantageous port location, Nantes became a prosperous commercial town from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Nantes has also been a university town since the 15th century. Today, Nantes is still a thriving center of higher education, as well as France's sixth largest city. With good consistent surf and wild, rugged landscapes, Brittany is one of France’s top surfing destinations.In 2017, the population in Region Brittany was estimated to 3,318,904 and Loire-Atlantique had around 1,394,909 inhabitants, thus historical Brittany's population can be estimated at 4,713,813, the highest in its history. [62] The population in Region Brittany had grown by 0.9% between 1999 and 2000, and the growth rate reached more than 1% in Ille-et-Vilaine and Morbihan. The region around Rennes and the south are the more attractive areas, whereas the population is declining in the centre and in the westernmost parts. While most of the metropolitan areas are growing, the cities themselves tend to stagnate or regress, such as for Brest, Lorient, Saint-Brieuc and Saint-Malo. In 2017, Ille-et-Vilaine had 1,060,199 inhabitants, it was followed by Finistère 909,028 inhabitants, Morbihan 750,863 inhabitants, and Côtes-d'Armor, with 598,814 inhabitants. [63] Brittany as a political entity disappeared in 1790, when it was divided into five départements. The Breton départements more or less correspond to the nine Catholic dioceses that appeared at the beginning of the Middle Ages. They were often called "pays" or "bro" ("country" in French and Breton) and they also served as fiscal and military districts. [39] Brittany is also divided between Lower Brittany ("Basse Bretagne" and "Breizh Izel"), corresponding to the western half, where Breton is traditionally spoken, and Upper Brittany ("Haute Bretagne" and "Breizh Uhel"), corresponding to the eastern half, where Gallo is traditionally spoken. The historical Breton dioceses were: