Upper Brittany

Upper Brittany (Haute-Bretagne in French) is the eastern part of Brittany, a historical region in the northwest of France. It is distinguished from Lower Brittany (Basse-Bretagne), the western part of the region, by language and culture.

Geography

Upper Brittany covers the eastern two-thirds of the region, including the departments of Ille-et-Vilaine, Côtes-d'Armor, and the eastern part of Morbihan. The boundary between Upper and Lower Brittany is a language frontier, marking where the Breton language was traditionally spoken.

Language

The traditional language of Upper Brittany is Gallo, a Romance language, whereas Lower Brittany traditionally speaks Breton, a Celtic language. However, the use of Gallo has been in decline, and French is now widely spoken.

Culture

Upper Brittany shares many cultural traits with the rest of France, due to the influence of the French language and the proximity to Paris. However, it also retains distinctive regional traditions, such as the Fête de la Bretagne, a festival celebrating Breton culture.

History

The division between Upper and Lower Brittany dates back to the Middle Ages, when the region was divided into the Duchy of Brittany and various French provinces. The distinction has persisted due to the different languages and cultures of the two areas.

See also

• Brittany
• Lower Brittany
• Breton language
• Gallo language