Region areas
Bretagne is composed of 80% of the old duchy of Brittany, with the other 20% consisting in the department of Loire-Atlantique, which is now part of the Pays-de-la-Loire region. The remainder of the old duchy is subdivided into four administrative departments:
- Cotes-d’Armor
Cotes-d’Armor is part of the current administrative region of Bretagne and is surrounded by the departments of Finistere, Morbihan, and Ille-et-Vilaine, with the English Channel on the north. The western part of the department is part of the traditionally Breton-speaking "Lower Brittany".
- Finistere
Finistere is the area where Breton survives most strongly as a spoken language. Breton-speaking schools are called Diwan. The largest population center, and only city, in Finistere is Brest. Other large towns in the department include Quimper, Morlaix, Carhaix and Douarnenez. Finistere includes the island of Ushant (Ouessant in French).
- Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine is a part of the current region of Bretagne and is bordered by the departments of Manche to the north-east, Mayenne to the west, Maine-et-Loire to the south-west, Loire-Atlantique to the south, Morbihan to the south-west, and Cotes-d’Armor to the west and north-west. Also the English Channel borders the department to the north.
- Morbihan
Morbihan is part of the current region of Bretagne and is surrounded by the departments of Finistere, Cotes-d’Armor, Ille-et-Vilaine, and Loire-Atlantique, and the Atlantic Ocean on the southwest.