Dinan

Dinan (French: [dinɑ̃]; Breton: [ˈdinãn]) is a walled Breton town and a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in northwestern France. On 1 January 2018, the former commune of Léhon was merged into Dinan.[2]

This article is about the French town. For other uses, see Dinan (disambiguation).
Dinan
Subprefecture and commune
Coat of arms
Location of Dinan
Dinan
Dinan
Coordinates: 48°27′23″N 2°02′56″W
CountryFrance
RegionBrittany
DepartmentCôtes-d'Armor
ArrondissementDinan
CantonDinan
IntercommunalityDinan
Government
 • Mayor (2014–2020) Didier Lechien
Area
1
8.71 km2 (3.36 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[1]
14,166
 • Density1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
22050 /22100
Elevation7–92 m (23–302 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
View of the Port of Dinan and the Rance river from the Promenade of Duchesse Anne at the Jardin Anglais (English Garden)

Geography
On the banks of the Rance River

Its geographical setting is exceptional. Instead of nestling on the valley floor like Morlaix, most urban development has been on the hillside, overlooking the river Rance. The area alongside the River Rance is known as the port of Dinan and is connected to the town by the steep streets Rue Jerzual and its continuation outside the walls the Rue de Petit Fort. This river has moderate turbidity and its brownish water is somewhat low in velocity due to the slight gradient of the watercourse; pH levels have been measured at 8.13[3] within the city of Dinan and electrical conductivity of the waters have tested at 33 micro-siemens per centimetre. In the centre of Dinan the Rance summer flows are typically in the range of 500 cubic feet per second (14 m3/s).

For many years, the bridge over the River Rance at Dinan was the most northerly crossing point on the river, but the tidal power station at the mouth of the estuary, constructed in the 1960s downstream from Dinan, incorporates a 750-metre long tidal barrage which doubles as a crossing point nearer to the sea.

Population
Historical population
YearPop.±%
17936,393—    
18006,406+0.2%
18067,188+12.2%
18217,175−0.2%
18318,044+12.1%
18367,356−8.6%
18417,533+2.4%
18468,159+8.3%
18517,732−5.2%
18568,238+6.5%
18618,089−1.8%
18668,510+5.2%
18727,698−9.5%
18768,180+6.3%
18819,964+21.8%
188610,105+1.4%
189110,444+3.4%
189610,620+1.7%
190110,534−0.8%
190611,078+5.2%
191111,410+3.0%
192110,161−10.9%
192610,002−1.6%
193110,633+6.3%
193611,822+11.2%
194612,737+7.7%
195413,844+8.7%
196212,847−7.2%
196813,137+2.3%
197513,429+2.2%
198212,267−8.7%
199011,591−5.5%
199910,907−5.9%
200810,342−5.2%

Inhabitants of Dinan are called dinannais and dinannaises.

Attractions
Basilica of St Saviour
HIC MILITES WILLELMI DUCIS PUGNANT CONTRA DINANTES ("Here the knights of Duke William fight against the men of Dinan"). Scene from the Bayeux Tapestry, c.1066, showing the early castle of Dinan
ET CUNAN CLAVES PORREXIT ("and Conan passed out the keys"). Successive scene

The medieval town on the hilltop has many fine old buildings, some of which date from the 13th century. The town retains a large section of the city walls, part of which can be walked round.

Major historical attractions include the Jacobins Theatre dating from 1224, the flamboyant Gothic St Malo's Church, the Romanesque St Saviour's Basilica, Duchess Anne's Tower and the Château de Dinan.

A major highlight in the calendar is Dinan's Fête des Remparts. The town is transformed with decoration and many locals dress up in medieval garb for this two-day festival. The festival takes place over the third weekend in July every even-numbered year.

Breton language

In 2008, 4.97% of primary school children attended bilingual schools.[4]

Personalities

Prominent people born in Dinan include:

Other people associated with Dinan include:

  • François-René de Chateaubriand (1768–1848), writer, studied in Dinan
  • Bertrand du Guesclin (c1320-80), connétable of France. Born at nearby Broons. His heart is buried in Dinan.
  • John Everett Millais (1829–96), British painter who lived in Dinan as a child
  • Yvonne Jean-Haffen (1895–1993), painter, died in Dinan
  • Danielle Mitterrand (1924–2011), wife of President François Mitterrand, educated at the Roger Vercel college
  • Colonel Robert Jambon (1924/5-2011), soldier in the First Indochina War, died in Dinan
  • Jean-François Paillard (1928– ), conductor, educated at the Cordeliers de Dinan
  • Henri Pinault (1904–1987), Catholic Bishop of Chengdu, educated at the Cordeliers de Dinan
  • René Pleven, (1901–1993), politician, minister, essayist. The hospital in Dinan is named after him.
  • Horace Tuck (1876–1951), English painter, visited Dinan for its picturesque vistas
  • Roger Vercel (1894–1957), writer, winner of the Prix Goncourt in 1934, died in Dinan. A college in the town is named after him.
  • Edward Matthew Ward (1816–1879), English artist who painted views of Dinan
  • The Soft Boys, (1983–present), Boyband, Fashionistas
  • The Rue du Jerzual is a steep medieval street connecting Dinan to the river below.
  • Statue of Bertrand Du Guesclin.
  • Saint Saviour's Basilica,
    The main altar.
  • Saint Malo's Church,
    Font carried by the Demon.
  • Saint Malo's Church,
    Entrance of Anne of Brittany.
  • Saint Malo's Church,
    Transfer of Saint Malo's relics.


Dinan Port on the Rance River
Panorama from the belvedere of the Jardin Anglais (English garden)

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

Dinan is twinned with:

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See also

References
  1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  2. Arrêté préfectoral 30 September 2017 (in French)
  3. Hogan, C. Michael, Water quality of freshwater bodies in France, Lumina Press, Aberdeen, Scotland(2006)
  4. (in French) Ofis ar Brezhoneg: Enseignement bilingue
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