Gourin

Gourin
Commune
The Manor of Tronjoly
Coat of arms
Location of Gourin
Gourin Gourin
Coordinates: 48°08′28″N 3°36′21″W
Country	France
Region	Brittany
Department	Morbihan
Arrondissement	Pontivy
Canton	Gourin
Intercommunality	Roi Morvan Communauté
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Hervé Le Floc'h
Area 1	74.72 km2 (28.85 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	3,823
• Density	51/km2 (130/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	56066 /56110
Elevation	83–301 m (272–988 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Gourin (French pronunciation: [ɡuʁɛ̃]; Breton: Gourin) is a commune in the Morbihan département of Brittany in north-western France.

Geography

Gourin is in the northwest of Morbihan, 40 km (25 mi) northeast of Quimper and 47 km (29 mi) northwest of Lorient. Historically, it belongs to Cornouaille. Gourin is on the southern slope of the Montagnes Noires (French, Black Mountains). The river Inam rises in the northern part of Gourin and flows to the south.

Map

Topographic map

Demographics

Inhabitants of Gourin are called in French Gourinois. Gourin lost 40% of its population since 1946.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 3,496 —     1800 3,579 +0.34% 1806 3,002 −2.89% 1821 3,261 +0.55% 1831 3,626 +1.07% 1836 3,394 −1.31% 1841 3,783 +2.19% 1846 4,062 +1.43% 1851 4,310 +1.19% 1856 4,192 −0.55% 1861 4,021 −0.83% 1866 4,184 +0.80% 1872 4,181 −0.01% 1876 4,419 +1.39% 1881 4,448 +0.13% 1886 4,555 +0.48% 1891 4,529 −0.11% 1896 4,723 +0.84%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1901 4,919 +0.82% 1906 5,053 +0.54% 1911 5,409 +1.37% 1921 5,766 +0.64% 1926 5,522 −0.86% 1931 5,909 +1.36% 1936 5,737 −0.59% 1946 6,391 +1.09% 1954 5,576 −1.69% 1962 5,195 −0.88% 1968 5,128 −0.22% 1975 5,199 +0.20% 1982 4,925 −0.77% 1990 4,734 −0.49% 1999 4,464 −0.65% 2009 4,121 −0.80% 2014 4,073 −0.23% 2020 3,783 −1.22%
Source: EHESS and INSEE (1968-2020)

History

This small town is well known for the Révolte des Bonnets Rouges against local nobles at the end of the 17th century. The town is also known for being the origin of many immigrants to United States and Canada during the first part of the 20th century. It has a large copy of the Statue of Liberty standing in the main square opposite the town hall alongside the monument to the fallen soldiers of the 20th century who came from this region.

Gourin still has a large number of native Breton speakers. The people of this region are very proud of their Celtic heritage and have preserved many old customs and traditions.

Place Stenfort in Gourin at the beginning of the twentieth century.

Breton language

In 2008, 18.32% of primary school children attended bilingual schools.

People

• Georges Cochevelou, father of the Breton musician, Alan Stivell, was from Gourin

Twinning

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

Gourin is twinned with the following place:

• Rush, Leinster, Ireland

Gallery

• 
  The parish church
• 
  Saint Hervé chapel
• 
  Sainte-Julienne chapel
• 
  Manor of Kerbiquet
• 
  Manor of Menguionnet

See also

• Communes of the Morbihan department
• Listing of the works of the atelier of the Maître de Tronoën
• List of the works of the Maître de Lanrivain

External links

• Official website
• Base Mérimée: Search for heritage in the commune, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
• art movies Gourin (in French)
• English guide to Gourin (in English)
• Mayors of Morbihan Association (in French)