Lorient: from Nazi submarine pens to a Celtic festival

Rebuilt almost entirely after the bombings of World War II, Lorient hosts the world's largest festival of Celtic cultures each summer.

The center, from the former Nazi submarine base to the summer Celtic festival, can be comfortably visited on foot.

The Submarine Base of Lorient, an imposing reinforced concrete bunker built by the Nazis, survived intact the bombing that razed the rest of the city.

A few steps away, the Keroman fishing port, one of France's largest, enlivens every morning with the fish auction of freshly unloaded catch.

Continuing along the coast you visit Port-Louis, a fortified citadel on the opposite bank of the roadstead, the historic seat of the French East India Company.

As evening approaches, the rebuilt centre of Lorient comes alive with fish restaurants along the city's tourist port.

The Submarine Base, with concrete walls up to eight meters thick, remained completely intact despite repeated Allied bombardments that destroyed over ninety percent of surrounding buildings during the war.

The Festival Interceltique de Lorient, founded in 1971, attracts over seven hundred thousand visitors every August and delegations from all nations of Celtic culture, from Brittany to Scotland to Galicia, with ten days of concerts and parades.