Country France Department Finistère Canton Lesneven Population 6,348 (1999) | Region Brittany Arrondissement Brest Area 10.27 km² Local time Thursday 3:06 AM | |
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Intercommunality Pays de Lesneven et de la Côte des Légendes Weather 8°C, Wind SE at 5 km/h, 93% Humidity | ||
Lesneven (Breton: Lesneven) is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.
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Map of 29260 Lesneven, France
It lies 24 kilometres (15 miles) northeast of Brest, about 12 km (7 miles) from the English Channel in the middle of the Leon plateau.
History
Lesneven has its origins in the immigration from southwest Britain in the 5th and 6th centuries, and the name (Les-an-Even) means "court of Even" in Common Brittonic (Llys-Ifan in Welsh) after an alleged military leader of that period. Lesneven was the castle-town controlling Léon during the Middle Ages. The castle is now gone, but many buildings of the 15th-18th centuries are still to be found in the centre. The Museum of Léon is here. The town now functions as a market and service centre for the surrounding rural district.
Population
Inhabitants of Lesneven are known in French as Lesneviens.
Breton language
The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhoneg 18 July 2007.
In 2008, 19.08% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Lesneven is twinned with: