Locmariaquer

Locmariaquer (lɔkmaʁjakɛʁ; Lokmaria-Kaer) is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It lies south of Auray by road. This coat of arms was created 30 years ago by the local artist Jean-Baptiste Corlobé. The arms portray: upper portion of shield: a silver dolmen on a sinople field central band: ermine banner, recalling that Locmariaquer is at the heart of Brittany. lower band: and a gold sailboat on blue field All are surmounted by a baronial crown (Locmariaquer was part of the former barony of Kaër). It bears the Breton language motto: "Kaër e mem bro" which can be interpreted in two ways: "Kaër is my country" or "my country is beautiful" (the phrase originated with JM François Jacob in 1933). From the Breton loc which means hermitage (cf.: Locminé), Maria and kaer which means nice or more likely from the Old Breton caer (Modern Breton, ker) which means fortified place, city. The municipality of Locmariaquer is located at the western tip of the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany and has many beaches facing the Atlantic Ocean and the bay Quiberon. This small town contains the Locmariaquer megaliths, some of the most significant neolithic remains in Europe, including the Broken Menhir of Er Grah, the largest known single block of stone to have been transported and erected by Neolithic man. It is beside the Table des Marchands, a dolmen with notable carvings. In the nineteenth century it became the home of the writer Zénaïde Fleuriot, who idealised it in her novels. A large statue of the madonna and child was built at Pointe de Kerperhir to commemorate a miracle in which the Madonna is supposed to have warned sailors of a forthcoming storm by appearing at the spot. The statue was destroyed in World War II, but replaced by a new work by Jules-Charles Le Bozec after the war. In more recent times the town has become one of the most important oyster fisheries in France. It is known for its giant Belon oysters. Towns bordering on the Canton of Auray: Saint-Philibert and Crac'h As of 2019, the village had a population of .