Lorient, day 7 of our discovery of the Auray Region

Lorient :  Day 7 of our discovery of the Auray Region

For the 7th day, we give you a choice between three setinations : Lorient, The Etel River, or the Blavet region.

A new city in the 18th century, Lorient, after the startover that gave it its strategic position during World War II, is a renewed city.

A real catalogue of architecture from the 50s, it is at first a city to live in, where light is everywhere. The façades, the small elevations, the colours create a song dedicated to modernity. “Our future is in front of ” : this is what the animated streets tell you, after being rebuilt at the time of early rock’n roll. Further away, the “Tour de la Découverte” is a testimony to Lorient’s vocation of being open to the world.

The old Keroman submarine base : Dating back to World War II, it is the largest fortress of the 20th century. The imposing structure, designed to house around 40 U-Boot and their crew, shows the architects wish to protect these installation sfrom Allied bombing.

The 400-fitting shelter :  The shelter situated under Place Alsace-Lorraine, might be one of the first built and put into service on the 10th August 1941. Walled up after the war and rediscovered in 1993, this “memorial to the destroyed town” is open to the public. It reconstitutes the context of air raid alerts during World War II and pays great hommage to the civilian victims of this tragic part of our history.

The arsenal : In the former premises of the Compagnie des Indes, the Lorient section of the DCNS builds and maintain the ships of the 21st century (stealth frigates). Civilian ship building (Alstom) also workds here.

An important center for the town, the Cité de la voile, sitiated quai de Rohan, on the edge of the marina lets visitors complete their knowledge on fishing, shiping trade, navigation, the evolution of techniques…