A tribute to valiant men.

Continuing its task of showcasing the Citadelle de Port-Louis, the Musée National de la Marine decided to create a new section, unique in France, dedicated to the extraordinary history of sea rescue.

Courage, self-denial, discretion, modesty... there is no lack of words of praise to heap on these men who, down the years, have risked their lives to save others.
Coxswains, second coxswains and crewmen have handed down their stories, and today's lifeboat men keep the tradition alive, united in the face of the universal danger, the pitiless perils of the sea.
The terrifying sight of storm conditions on the rocky coastline of Brittany or elsewhere compels each of us to ask ourselves, in our heart of hearts: would I have dared?

From the earliest days of sea-rescue under sails and oars to today's search and rescue helicopters, human courage is honoured in the precious mementoes of lifeboat crews, in touching pictures and photographs, model boats and specialised equipment.
Supplemented by archive pictures, films and sound recordings, the entire presentation centres on a striking exhibit: the Commandant Philippes de Kerhallet lifeboat (1897), the last survivor of its kind.

In the very heart of Brittany, which has known so many maritime disasters, the 350m² of the new citadel exhibition rooms, Naufrages et Fraternités, l'Univers de la mer (shipwrecks and brotherhood, the world of the sea), dedicated to sea rescue, pay a more than well-earned tribute to the dedication of the unsung sailor heroes who, as true men of the sea, seek no glory for themselves.

Inspired by a learned Scotsman.

The museum's earliest collections are owed to a learned Scotsman by the name of James Miln.
The furniture and the archaeological treasures discovered at Carnac are for the most part presented in the Musée de la Préhistoire.
Visitors will follow the adventures of mankind from the Old Stone Age (450,000 years ago) to the Gallo-Roman period (4th century B.C.), by way of the Neolithic period when the megaliths were erected. A total of 6,600 exhibits are on display.

Menhirs and dolmens of yore…

Locmariaquer's megalithic site features three structures epitomising Breton megalithic architecture: the great broken menhir, the dolmen known as the Merchants' Table and the Er Grah tumulus, all of which were erected between 4,700 and 3,800 B.C.. This was the Neolithic period, when man began to form settlements, to experiment with and develop animal husbandry, farming, pottery, weaving, etc.

A tour of the site is an excellent introduction to megalithic civilisation and architecture, featuring as it does the three types of monuments from that era. Also, the whole is ideally situated in a stunning natural setting overlooking the Morbihan Gulf and Quiberon Bay. In the Neolithic period, before the level of the seas rose, these expanses would have been not gulf and bay but expansive, grassy plains...

Stones ancient beyond belief.

Dating from some 6,000 years ago, the megalithic site at Carnac is one of the most important prehistoric sites in Europe. Around 3,000 menhirs (standing stones) are aligned over an area of 40 hectares and a distance of 4 kilometres.
The Kermario, Le Menec, Kerlescan and Petit Menec (La Trinité-sur-Mer) alignments, which together form the Carnac site, represent one of the first monumental stone structures in Europe.
Plans are under way to redevelop the site to improve facilities for visitors, to enhance the landscaping and architectural qualities of the site and, by creating pedestrian and cycle paths, to open up new ways of visiting the monument.