Lorient is a commune and a seaport of Brittany, France, in the Morbihan département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. Population: city: 61,844; urban area: 186,144.

History

At the beginning of the 17th century, merchants who were doing business with India had established warehouses in Port-Louis . They later built additional ones across the bay in 1628, at the location which later became Lorient.

Later, the French East India Company, founded in 1664 and chartered by King Louis XIV, established shipyards there, thus giving an impetus to the development of the city.

The place was called L'Orient (the Orient in French).

Lorient housed a German submarine base during World War II; although the city was heavily damaged by Allied bombing raids, the base survived through the end of the war.

Geography

Lorient is located by the Atlantic Ocean.

Miscellaneous

Lorient was the birthplace of Jules Simon (1814-1896), statesman and philosopher.

Twin towns

• Galway, Ireland
• Vigo, Spain
• Wirral, England
• Ventspils, Latvia
• Ludwigshafen, Germany
• Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic

See also

• Mississippi Company
• Unterseeboot 74

External links

• City council website (in French)
• Tourist office website