Plouay

Plouay (French pronunciation: [pluɛ]; Breton: Ploue) is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.^[3]

Plouay Ploue
Commune
The town hall in Plouay
Coat of arms
Location of Plouay
Plouay Show map of France Plouay Show map of Brittany
Coordinates: 47°54′56″N 3°20′02″W
Country	France
Region	Brittany
Department	Morbihan
Arrondissement	Lorient
Canton	Guidel
Intercommunality	Lorient Agglomération
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Gwenn Le Nay[1]
Area 1	67.33 km2 (26.00 sq mi)
Population  (2022)[2]	5,779
• Density	86/km2 (220/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	56166 /56240
Elevation	13–164 m (43–538 ft) (avg. 83 m or 272 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Plouay hosts the GP Ouest-France and the GP de Plouay, annual cycling races (a men's and women's race, respectively). It was also the location of the UCI Road World Championships in 2000. The Tour de France has visited this town three times: in 1998, 2002 and in 2006.

Population

Inhabitants of Plouay or Ploue are called Plouaysiens in French and Plouead (Ploueiz), Ploueadez (-ed) in Breton.^[4]

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 3,656 —     1800 3,516 −0.56% 1806 3,602 +0.40% 1821 3,632 +0.06% 1831 3,816 +0.50% 1836 4,210 +1.98% 1841 4,047 −0.79% 1846 4,308 +1.26% 1851 4,362 +0.25% 1856 4,560 +0.89% 1861 4,360 −0.89% 1866 4,281 −0.37% 1872 4,093 −0.75% 1876 4,261 +1.01% 1881 4,526 +1.21% 1886 4,539 +0.06% 1891 4,430 −0.48% 1896 4,572 +0.63%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1901 4,697 +0.54% 1906 4,777 +0.34% 1911 4,820 +0.18% 1921 4,821 +0.00% 1926 4,772 −0.20% 1931 4,590 −0.77% 1936 4,380 −0.93% 1946 5,120 +1.57% 1954 4,112 −2.70% 1962 3,964 −0.46% 1968 3,876 −0.37% 1975 4,053 +0.64% 1982 4,368 +1.07% 1990 4,834 +1.28% 1999 4,759 −0.17% 2009 5,274 +1.03% 2014 5,455 +0.68% 2020 5,789 +1.00%
Source: EHESS[5] and INSEE (1968–2020)[6]

Geography

Plouay is located in the west of Morbihan, 13 km (8.1 mi) northwest of Hennebont and 18.5 km (11.5 mi) north of Lorient. Historically, it belongs to Vannetais. The river Scorff forms the commune's western border. The area is hilly and forest-covered. Apart from the village centre, there are many hamlets in the commune.

Map

Topographic map.

List of places

Bécherel Bois de Kerlucas Château de Kersily Château de Manéhouarn Coet-Fao Coët Neblech Coëtulaire Cunffio Guern (le) Gosquer (le) Kerallé Keramont Kerbaloff Le Bourg Kerbaloff Le Lage Kerdalvé Kerdinas Kerdrého Kerduel Kergan Kergarenne Kergarnic

Kergo Kerguescanff Kerguestenen Kergussec Kerharlay Kerhoual Kerhouant Kerhoazic Kerhuennec Keriquel Kerlagadec Kerlidec Kerlivio Kerlucas Kerlutune Kermandu Kermarrec Kermignan Kermorgan Kermouël Kernivinen

Kernonen Kerpont Kerprat Kerscoulan Kerscoulic Kerspern Kervrehan Haut Rostervel (le) Lezot (le) Lann Justice Locmaria Grâce Locunel Malachappe Manébail Mané en Du Mané Froment Mané Guégan Mané Henry Manerio Manetanet Moulin à papier du Paou

Moulin de Coet-Cren Moulin de Kerviden Moustervat Moustoir (le) Nezech (le) Pen-er-prat Penterff Paou (le) Pont-Allon Pont-Neuf Pont-Nivino Questenen-Plaine Restavy Restergal Rugonan Saint-Coff Saint-Erven Saint-Inifer Saint-Quidic Stang Nivinen Tano (le)

Toul Er Clanch Toulgodo Trevenen Ty Henry Ty Losquet Ty Marrec Ty Narroz Verger (le) Vodeste (le) Zandec

History

The oldest surviving parish registers date back to 1576. The marquis of Pontcallec had in the seventeenth century in the village of Plouay court, prison, pillory and gallows with four pillars.

Breton language

The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhoneg on 10 February 2006.

In 2008, 11.56% of the children in Plouay attended Breton-French bilingual classes in primary education.^[7]

Gallery

• 
  The Marquis's house, maybe the oldest house in the village centre.
• 
  Manehouarn castle.
• 
  The church of Saint-Ouen.
• 
  The chapel of Notre-Dame des Grâces.
• 
  The chapel of Notre-Dame des Fleurs.

Twin towns

Plouay is twinned with Pershore in England.

See also

• Communes of the Morbihan department