Chapter 6
BRETAGNE
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THE REGION
The région comprises the départements of:
COTES-DU-NORD
The département is divided into 4 arrondissements: Dinan, Guincamp, Lannion and Saint-Brieuc
There are 52 cantons, of which 49 are separate towns (1).
On 8 March 1990, after a long campaign by the people of the département, it was renamed Côtes-d'Armor (2). I have not altered the references throughout this chapter, since the work was completed before the change came about.
FINISTERE
The département is divided into 4 arrondissements: Brest, Châteaulin, Morlaix and Quimper.
There are 49 cantons, of which 42 are separate towns.
ILLE-ET-VILAINE
The département is divided into 4 arrondissements: Fougères, Redon, Rennes and Saint-Malo.
There are 51 cantons, of which 37 are separate towns.
MORBIHAN
The département is divided into 3 arrondissements: Lorient, Pontivy and Vannes.
There are 42 cantons, of which 38 are separate towns.
THE HISTORY OF THE REGION
The Bretons, who had come from Britain in the fifth and sixth centuries, were successful in repelling the attacks of first the Merovingians and later the Carolingians, and for a short time during the ninth century were recognised as a separate kingdom.
Having resisted the invading Norsemen during the tenth century, Bretagne fell under the suzerainty of what had by then become Normandie during the twelfth.
Constance, the heiress to the Ducs de Bretagne, married Geoffroy II d'Anjou, youngest brother of Richard I, Coeur de Lion. However, after the collapse of the Angevin Empire following 1202 (3), Philippe-Auguste of France gave Bretagne to Pierre Mauclerc de Dreux, a prince of the family of Capet, who married Eliénor, Geoffroy's daughter and heiress. He died in 1250, and the title then passed through the female line to de Montfort.
From this time until its amalgamation with France, it was to some extent an independent state.
Duc François II died in 1488 without a male heir. His daughter, Anne, was married successively to Charles VIII and Louis XII. Bretagne thus became French, but only on the condition that its customs and liberties should be respected and maintained.
THE ARMS OF THE PROVINCES AND THE DEPARTEMENTS
BRETAGNE
D'hermine plaine(4).
Ermine.
These were the arms of the Duc de Bretagne, and were first adopted by Jean III, 1286-1341, in about 1316. Previously, the ducs had borne the arms of Dreux, with the difference to show a cadet branch:
Echiquete d'or et d'azur au franc-canton d'hermine, as with, for example, Pierre Mauclerc, Duc de Bretagne and son of Robert de Dreux.
The canton ermine was widely used by second sons to difference the paternal arms. The choice of ermine for Bretagne may therefore have been fortuitous, with the canton becoming the whole coat (5). In one piece of correspondence, from Saint-Thégonnec, Finistère, the arms of Bretagne are shown as:
Sable four bars argent a canton ermine, although these arms do not appear anywhere else in the civic heraldry of the région.
For further information, see the entry on Brest, Finistère. For examples of the use of the ermine field outside the present région of Bretagne, see also the entries Limousin and Nantes. The arms of the province are also shown on a postage stamp(6).
Pays de Cornouaille, in the South West of Bretagne:
D'azur au mouton passant d'argent, accorné et onglé d'or.
Pays de Retz, or Rais, in Bretagne:
D'or à la croix de sable.
COTES-DU-NORD
Per fess dancetty of two ermine and azure(7).
The effect of the blazon is presumably to show the emblem of Bretagne with the colour of the sea.
However, later authentic information from the département gave the arms reversed:
Per fess dancetty of three azure and ermine,
with the more symbolic explanation that the tinctures are those of the sky and the land of Bretagne. The example showed that the arms had been designed by Robert Louis.
FINISTERE
Per pale or a lion rampant contourned sable and azure a ram rampant argent hoofed and unguled or overall a chief argent five ermine spots sable.
A
ram passant appears in the arms of Quimper, Finistère, and the lion rampant
in those of Landivisiau, Finistère.
This is the lion of Léon, an area in the north of Bretagne. See also the entry on Landerneau, Finistère, where the lion is described as morné, or without teeth and claws, and on Lesneven, Finistère, where it is armed and langued gules.
In the example above the lion is contourned in order to harmonise with the sinister half of the shield. The chief is not ermine, but is charged with the ermine spots.
Previously, Robert Louis had designed arms which were:
Per pale dancetty of three azure and ermine,
and which were intended to form a cohesive pattern with the arms of the other départements of the région. Here, the sea is shown to the west, with the ermine of the land in the east. The arms can be seen at the head of this chapter. They have evidently been rejected by the Commission d'Héraldique of the département(8).
Pays de Léon, in Finistère:
Or a lion rampant sable.
ILLE-ET-VILAINE
Ermine two pallets wavy azure.
The arms were designed by Robert Louis, and symbolise the two rivers Ille and Vilaine crossing the ermine of Bretagne. See the entry on Finistère.
MORBIHAN
Coupé ondé d'hermine et d'azur.
Per fess wavy ermine and azure.
The arms were designed by Robert Louis, and symbolise the sea meeting the southern coast of Bretagne. See the entry on Finistère.
Pays de Penthièvre, in Morbihan:
D'hermine, à la bordure de gueules(9).
The Pays was given in 1238 as a dowry by Mauclerc, duc de Bretagne, on the marriage of his daughter to Hugues de Lusignan.
These are also the arms of the province of Limousin. See the entry on Lamballe, Cotes-du-Nord.
THE CIVIC ARMS OF THE REGION
ALLAIRE, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Azure a dove rising argent cantonned by four alerions or.
There
was no further information from the commune; the illustration is from a map
provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
ANTRAIN, Ille-et-Vilaine. Commune, arr. Fougères.
Tierced per pale azure argent and gules a chief ermine.
The arms combine a representation of the tricolore, which is not as common as might be supposed in French civic heraldry, with a chief of Bretagne.
ARGOL, Finistère. Commune, arr.Châteaulin.
Quarterly
first ermine second barry of six or and gules third or three leaves of bracken?
1,2 azure fourth argent a tree eradicated overall a bird holding in its beak
a branch sable and overall an escutcheon gules a rider or mounted on a horse
argent.
This illustration from Ralf Hartemink The original is from "Armorial des Communes du Finistère" Froger et Pressensé, 2001. This note should be read for all the communes of Finistère where there is no information other than the image.
Most of the images of the arms of small communes in this chapter are from the same source, as will be seen by the designs. Argol is a commune of only 700 inhabitants, and it is possible that it does not use the ascribed arms. The same comment should be borne in mind for all. The main interest lies in the possibilities of research in studying the arms.
Here, for example, I have assumed the leaves to be bracken, because of the many other examples in this chapter.
ARRADON, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Quarterly
first sable three bars argent second a sailing boat argent a sun with rays issuant
from sinister chief or third sable seven mascles 3,3,1 argent fourth argent
an ermine spot sable.
This illustration from Ralf Hartemink The original is from "Armorial des Communes du Morbihan" Froger et Pressensé, 1999. This note should be read for all the communes of Finistère where there is no information other than the image.
ARZANO, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
De gueules, à la croix endentée d'argent chargée, en chef, d'une hermine de sable, soutenue d'un croissant de gueules, et en abîme d'un lion léopardé d'azur, armé et lampassé de gueules; la croix est cantonnée en chef de deux macles d'or.
Gules on a cross indented argent cantonned in chief by two mascles or a lion passant azure armed and langued ensigned by a crescent of the field surmounted by an ermine spot sable.
The
blazon is complicated, and is made up of diverse elements. The cross indented
on the field gules is that of Fraval, seigneurs of Kervegant; the crescent is
from Bizien, seigneurs of Kerigouarch; the mascles are a reference to Rohan,
barons de la Roche-Moysan; and both the crescent and the ermine spot are from
the arms of Tinteniac-Quimerch, also seigneurs of Roche-Moysan.
The illustration was provided by the Mairie.
ARZON, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes,
Or
on a base engrailed azure a lymphad viewed from the bow gules on the sail argent
an ermine spot sable.
AUDIERNE, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Or
an anchor sable between in the flanks two lobsters in pale gules and in
base a fish in fess azure
AUGAN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
a castle double towered or masonned the gate sable surmounted by an escallop
of the second (sic) the dexter tower charged with a leaf in pale vert the sinister
with a dexter hand couped argent in chief and in base two ermine spots reversed
sable (sic) a chief ermine.
AURAY, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Either:
De gueules à une hermine passante d'argent, écharpée d'hermines accompagnée au chef d'un tourteau de France,
Gules an ermine passant with a scarf ermine on a hurt three fleurs de lis or,
or, from the same correspondence:
De
gueules à une hermine passante au naturel, écharpée d'hermines
et au chef d'azur chargé de trois fleurs de lys d'or.
Gules an ermine passant with a scarf ermine a chief azure three fleurs de lis or.
Elsewhere, the following is also found:
De gueules à une hermine passante d'argent avec un mantelet d'hermine attaché à son col et flottant sur ses epaules, accompagnée en chef d'un tourteau d'azur chargé de trois fleurs de lis d'or(10).
The
illustration, from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme, shows a
chief of France and not the hurt.
Because of this, and because these arms appear on a road sign outside the town, I have assumed that the arms with the chief to be the correct blazon.
The arms of Vannes, Morbihan, are the same, without the chief.
BADEN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
three escallops or a chief ermine.
BAIN-DE-BRETAGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Redon.
Per fess wavy argent a demi-mermaid issuant proper and azure.
The
arms are drawn in a cartouche with supporters and a crown, all within the shield,
which is more Spanish than French. The date of their adoption is unknown. The
illustration is from a sticker provided by the Mairie.
The drawing appears to depict the idea of the French bain, bath. See also the entry on Dournenez, Finistère.
BAIS, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes
Azure
three plates a bordure componny sable a cross or and argent a cross paty sable.
The image is from Ralf Hartemink.
BANNALEC, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
De sinople au rameau de genêt à trois fleurs épanouies d'or, au chef d'hermines au croissant de gueules.Vert a branch of broom with three flowers or a chief ermine a crescent gules.
The arms were adopted in 1978.
In
Breton, balaneg is a place where broom grows. By a process known as metathesis,
in which which consonants in a word are reversed, this has become banaleg, from
which is derived the name of the commune; the broom is thus a rebus. The use
of the plant, and of the fougère in other civil arms, gives some indication
of the landscape of the région.
The chief bears the arms of Tinteniac, seigneurs in the sixteenth century.
The illustration of the arms, which were designed by Robert Louis, are from the letterhead of the commune.
BAUD, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Azure ten billets 4,3,2,1 or.
There
was no further information. The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité
de Tourisme.
BAULON, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Redon
Vair
overall a saltire gules.
The image is from Ralf Hartemink.
BEGANNE, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent
a bordure gules overall a chief azure overall a cross paty fitchy sable.
BEGARD, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Ecartelé, aux 1er et 4e d'argent plain, aux 2e et 3e d'azur à une rose d'or chacun.
Quarterly first and fourth argent second and third azure a rose or.
These are taken from the arms of the Abbaye de Bégard, which bore them with the quarters reversed, and which were placed in a stained glass window at the end of the fifteenth century(11).
BEIGNON, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
on a bend sinister between in chief a tree eradicated vert and in base a mount
argent a crozier bendwise or a chief ermine.
BELLE-ILE, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Per pale azure three fleurs de lis or and gules chains in fess and in saltire gules.
The
arms appear to be a marshalling of Navarre, without the chains in pale, and
France modern.
I received no information from the commune, but the illustration is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme, where the chains are shown in pale.
These arms appeared on a car sticker(12) which I saw in March 1989:
Per pale gules chains in fess and in saltire gules and azure three fleurs de lis or.
Here the arms are wrong, as far as precedence is concerned: France should appear on the dexter side.
This is a good example of how common types of heraldic errors which were perpetrated in the past may still occur.
BELLE-ISLE-EN-TERRE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Gules a crescent argent between three escallops or(13).
BELZ, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Azure on a bend gules a mallet in pale between two trapezoid billets or.
There
was no further information. The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité
de Tourisme.
I have used the word trapezoid to describe the billets, because the sides a slightly chamfered. It may be that, in view of the presence of the mallet or hammer, they may have originally been nails.
BENODET, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Azure
on waves argent a sailing ship viewed from the bow sable with two sails dexter
argent sinister or charged with a harp of the field in sinister chief the representation
of wind issuant or
BERRIC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Ermine
three bars azure a canton or a tree eradicated vert.
BERRIEN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Argent
three bars gemelles gules a canton or a lion rampant sable.
BIGNAN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Coupé 1er d'or, au chevron de gueules, accompagné de deux hures de sanglier de sable en chef, et d'un lévrier passant de même en pointe; 2e d'azur à trois bandes d'hermine.
Per fess or a chevron gules between in chief two boar's heads couped and in base a greyhound passant sable and azure three bendlets ermine.
These
were the arms of de Janze, joined in marriage to Lanjuinais, former seigneur
of Kerguehennec. The illustration is from the letterhead of the Mairie.
BIRNIC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Azure two fish fesswise in pale argent a chief ermine(14).
BODILIS, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Barry
of six sable and or a lion rampant gules on a chief argent three ermine spots
sable.
BOHAL, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Checky
of nine or and azure a chief gules a cross paty argent.
BOHARS, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Or
a group of trees on a mount vert a chief azure three towers or masoned sable
gated gules.
BOURBRIAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Argent two battleaxes addorsed in pale gules(15).
There was no further information, but see also the entry on Concarneau, Finistère.
BOURG-BLANC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Or
on a fess sable a dragon fesswise argent.
BRANDERION, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient
Per
fess gules a cross paty and an ermine spot argent between two arches or and
vert a gull? volant before the outline of hills a terrace wavy argent.
BRASPARTS, Finistère. Commune, arr.Châteaulin.
Vert
a horse's head couped argent a chief dancetty argent.
BREHAND, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a lion passant gardant argent(16).
BREHAN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Gules
three mascles or.
BREST, Finistère. Arrondissement.
Parti:
au 1er d'azur aux trois fleurs de lis d'or; au 2e d'hermine(17).
Per pale azure three fleurs de lys or and ermine.
The image on the left was drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
The
city was in the possession of the Ducs de Bretagne from 1239 until the marriage
of Anne, the last duchesse, to Charles VIII of France.
The arms impale their two coats, and were granted to the commune in 1814.
The illustration above is from Louda. See note 17. Another illustration shows the arms as dimidiated, although this is not the usual blazon(18).
BRIEC, Finistère. Commune, arr.Quimper.
Per
pale gules a cross formy or and vert a wheel or enty in point azure three stalks
meeting in base or a chief embattled of three argent charged with as many ermine
spots sable.
BRIGNAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
pale gules three roundels ermine and argent a fess sable between three fleurs
de lis gules overall a chief indented or a fess wavy azure.
BROONS, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Argent a double headed eagle displayed sable overall a bend gules(19).
BUBRY, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Per
pale vert a cross indented or and gules a key in pale the wards to the dexter
overall a chief ermine.
BUHULIEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Or two pallets azure overall two bars argent(20).
BULAT-PESTIVIEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Guincamp.
Vairy of six(21).
BULEON, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Gules
a sword in pale the point downwards argent a bordure or.
CALAN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Quarterly
gules and azure an ermine spot argent.
CALLAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Argent three chevrons gules.
The arms date from a seal of 1527(22).
CAMARET, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Azure
dexter on waves vert a sailing ship argent sinister a tower or a chief ermine.
This image is from Ralf Hartemink.
The original arms were created by Le Menn in 1878, but the tinctures were not indicated:
The arms were blazoned:
... a sailing ship ... with sails ermine ... in chief two mullets ... and in base a tower ...
LE CAMBOUT, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules three bars gobonny counter gobonny argent and azure(23).
CAMORS, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Quarterly
first argent three canettes sable on a chief gules three cinquefoils argent
second sable seven mascles 3,3,1 argent third gules nine bezants 3,3,3 fourth
or three bars azure a chief gules overall on the shield an escutcheon barry
of ten argent and azure three chevrons gules.
The escutcheon bears the arms of La Rochefoucauld.
CAMPENEAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Gules
three chevrons ermine.
CARANTEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Per
fess wavy azure a mount of three peaks issuant sable and argent a chief counter
ermine.
CARENTOIR, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
pale vert a church or pierced gules and sable on waves azure a tower or overall
a crozier in pale argent nimbed or overall on a chief ermine a cross paty gules.
CARHAIX-PLOUGUER, Finistère. Canton. arr. Châteaulin.
Gules a bull rampant sable.
The placing of the bull sable on a field gules is not normally permitted in heraldry. However, it is becoming increasingly the practice in contemporary civic heraldry for the rules to be broken, and it is thus likely that new ideas will have to be accepted.
However,
this image with different tinctures is from Ralf Hartemink.
CARNAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Azure
a bend gules semy of megaliths between in chief a sun in his splendour or and
in base a sailing ship proper with sail ermine.
The megaliths are the standing stones of the alignements de Carnac. Semy of megaliths is certainly unique to this work, and in itself is a pleasing use of heraldic design, but the use of proper for the sailing ship spoils the effect.
The arms were noted on a road sign. The illustration is from Ralf Hartemink and shows the sail argent.
The
illustration is from a sticker of 1989, and shows:
Per pale azure a sailing dinghy vert with sails argent and gules two megaliths fesswise in pale and in base a dolmen argent overall a sun issuant from chief or(24).
CARO, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Gules
a stag passant argent a chief ermine.
CAULNES, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Azure ten billets argent voided of the field(25).
The above coat and variations of it are common, and a list of the communes with billets in their arms appears in the section on Common Emblems at the end of the chapter.
CAVAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Or three owls sable(26).
LES CHAMPS-GERAUX, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Gules on a fess argent between three wolf's heads erased or as many martlets sable(27).
CHAPELLE CARO , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Quarterly
first and fourth ermine second and third argent two bars gules.
CHAPELLE GACELIN , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes
Quarterly
first ermine second vert a tree eradicated or third argent a church or (sic)
pierced gules fourth argent three pallets azure overall an escutcheon gules
a cross argent gringolé or.
CHARTRES-DE-BRETAGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Commune, arr. Rennes.
Quarterly first and fourth three bendlets gemelles gules second argent and amphora azure fourth argent a cogwheel azure voided of the field.
In the first quarter, there are six bendlets in groups of two. The arms were noted on a road sign in April 1990.
CHATEAUBOURG, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
D'azur au chevron d'or chargé de trois annels de gueules, accompagné à dextre du chef d'une tête de lion arrachée d'or armée et lampassée de gueules à senestre d'une tête de loup des mêmes, en pointe d'un château d'or
Azure on a chevron between in dexter chief a lion's head in sinister chief a wolf's head erased or armed and langued gules and in base a castle double towered of the second three annulets of the third.
The
arms were adopted in 1986.
The elements of the arms are taken from various sources. The chevron appears on the arms of Bouan and Denyau, former seigneurs of the area; the château is taken from those of the Prieuré; the lion's head is from Denyau; the wolf's head is from Bouan; and the annulets are a modern symbol to denote the amalgamation of three communes.
The illustration is from a leaflet provided by the Mairie.
Three wolf's heads appear in the arms of Les Champs-Géraux, Côtes-du-Nord, but I have no evidence that there is any connection.
CHATEAUGIRON, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, Rennes.
D'or au chef d'azur.
Or a chief azure.
These were the arms of the barons de Châteaugiron, seigneurs from the eleventh century.
CHATEAULIN, Finistère. Arrondissement.
Azure
a castle double towered argent masoned and pierced sable with pennants or in
base a fish in fess of the second.
There was no further information.
The image was drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
CHATEAUNEUF-DU-FAOU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
D'azur
au château ouvert d'argent, ajouré et maçonné de
sable, accompagné en pointe d'une fasce ondée d'argent.
Azure a castle double towered argent masoned and pierced sable in base a bar wavy of the second.
These arms were adopted in 1966, although they are cited in a newspaper article as an example of good practice on the part of the Commission Héraldique in Finistère, which was not set up until 1974.
The previous arms had borne nine towers surmounted by a crown on the shield itself, as a rebus on the name of the town. The derivation of the placename has the sense of new, rather than nine(28).
The image is from Ralf Hartemink.
CHATELAUDREN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, Saint-Brieuc.
D'argent à un chef de gueules.
Argent a chief gules.
The
commune formed part of the comté of Goello, and has adopted the arms
of Avaugour. A seal showing the chief dates from 1229, and the arms were in
use by the town by 1771(29).
The arms of Quintin, Côtes-du-Nord, are the same with a chief as difference.
The illustration is from the letterhead of the commune.
LA CHEZE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a lion rampant crowned argent.
These arms are those of de Clisson. Olivier, sire de Clisson, became seigneur of the commune in 1370(30).
CLEDEN CAP SIZUN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper
Or
on a pile gules between dexter three fleurs de lis sinister three roses a stag's
head cabossed in chief three ermine spots all counterchanged.
The arms are of an elegant design in spite of the complicated blazon.
CLEDER, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Gules
a castle double towered or charged on the gateway with a boar's head erased
sable in chief three trees and in base an ermine spot argent.
CLEGUEREC, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
D'azur
au chevron d'or à trois hermines accompagné d'une rencontre de
cerf et d'un poirier d'or et de quatre mâcles de même.
Azure on a chevron or between in dexter chief a stag's head caboshed in sinister chief a pear tree eradicated and in base four mascles 1,2,1 or three ermine spots sable.
These
arms were adopted in 1983, and were approved by the Commission Nationale d'Héraldique
in 1987. The illustration above is from Ralf Hartemink; below the image is from
a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
The various elements of the shield are local. The stag's head represents the Foret de Quenecan; the pear tree, the Pays du Chistr Per; ermine, Bretagne; the field and chevron, La Boulaye, seigneur; and the mascles, Rohan.
Previously, there had been arms of the commune displayed in the Chamber of Commerce:
Azure two lion's heads erased in fess in base three roundels gules also in fess. Investigation of these could not find any reason for their existence, and so it was decided to adopt the present arms.
CLOHARS CARNOET, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Per
fess six stalks of ? in saltire 3,3 surmounted by a cross pommety and with four
apples in the corners or and or on waves vert a lymphad gules with sail ermine.
CLOHARS FOUESNANT, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper
Azure
on a cross or between first and fourth a crescent second and third
a mullet five fleurs de lis all counterchanged.
COATREVEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Quarterly or and azure overall three crescents gules(31).
COETLOGON, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules three inescutcheons argent each bearing three ermine spots sable(32).
There was no explanation for the derivation of the arms.
The inescutcheons are not drawn with an ermine field, but with three sable spots. This may be simply because there is not enough room on the small inescutcheons to indicate ermine, or there may some local reason for it.
COATMEAL, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Per
chevron or a tower between two ermine spots sable and per pale azure and vert
overall a graded cross or.
COLLINEE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Argent three pine cones? gules?(33).
The only information was an illustration in black and white.
COLPO, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent
a fir tree vert fructed or issuant from flames in base gules.
COMBRIT, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Quarterly
first ermine second azure a partly destroyed tower with a flag argent third
azure a lymphad or with sail and in base a fess wavy azure fourth
sable five stylised trees in saltire or.
I have guessed at the charges in the fourth quarter.
COMMANA, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix
Gules
four bars or in base a lion passant sable on a pile couped argent three ermine
spots sable.
I have no information other than this image from Ralf Hartemink.
CONCARNEAU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
D'hermine à trois haches d'armes de gueules posées en pal, rangées en fasce.
Ermine three battleaxes palewise in fess gules.
The
battle axes symbolise the defence of the town by its inhabitants. There is no
date for the adoption of the arms, although they are designed by Robert Louis,
which places them in the 1960s at the latest. The illustration here is from
a postcard.
The communes of Tregastel, Côtes-du-Nord and Bourbriac, Côtes-du-Nord, also have the battle axe in their arms.
CONCORET, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Par
pale or a tree eradicated vert and gules an estoile of eight points the lowermost
extended in base or enty in point ermine.
CONQUET, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest
Quarterly
first or a tower between in the flanks two anchors and in base an escallop argent
second azure three gulls argent third argent a fess between two dolphins azure
fourth gules a lion rampant argent overall an escutcheon azure on waves vert
a three masted sailing ship argent each sail charged with an ermine spot sable.
These are ambitious arms for a small commune.
CORAY, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Per
fess azure two ermine spots or and sable overall a cross of the second.
CORLAY, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a lion rampant regardant or in the sinister chief a mullet argent(34).
COURNON, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
a dolmen argent on a terrace ermine on a chief or between two fir trees eradicated
vert a celtic cross gules.
COURS, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Mantelé
azure in the flanks six mascles argent and argent a cross paty gules on a chief
gules an ermine passant collared with scarf ermine.
CRACH, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Azure
a horse's head couped in chief four fleurs de lys fesswise or.
CREDIN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy
Per
pall reversed first argent five ermine spots 2,2,1 sable second gules as many
mascles also 2,2,1 third argent a bar wavy azure overall on the partition line
a chevron abased vert.
CROZON, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Or a lion rampant without tongue teeth and claws sable an inescutcheon gules three mascles or.
These were the arms of Rohan-Chabot, a cadet branch of the Rohan family, the most powerful in the area, and date from a seal of 1525.
French blazon uses morné to indicate without teeth, tongue or claws(35). There appears to be no single English term for this attribute.
Information from the Archives Départementales gave:
Gules three mascles one in chief two in the flanks an inescutcheon or a lion rampant sable.
Here, as well as the reversal of the tinctures, the lion is also shown as armed and langued sable.
In
this image from Ralf Hartemink the blazon is:
Or a lion rampant sable on a bordure gules three mascles one in chief two in the flanks or.
DAMGAN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
an anchor sable (sic) overall a tower argent.
DAOULAS, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Argent on two arrows ... in saltire a heart ... between three banners pierced of the field? hanging downwards azure.
The heart and the arrows appear to be from the arms of Madoc, and the banners from those of Jergon, although the explanation is not clear.
The illustration supplied by the commune was in black and white.
DINAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Arrondissement.
De
gueules à trois tours d'or, au chef d'hermine.
Elsewhere:
De gueules au chateau d'or, sommé de trois tours du même; au chef d'hermine.
Gules a castle triple towered or a chief ermine(36).
There is no explanation of the derivation of the arms.
The image on the left was designed by Robert Louis; that on the right was drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
I have preferred the blazon in Larousse, since every illustration of the arms that I have seen shows a single castle with three towers above.
DINARD, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Saint-Malo.
Vert two pallets gules overall a cross ermine.
Elsewhere, however, the arms are blazoned simply as:
De sinople à la croix d'hermine(37).
The arms are said to be those of Montfort. Ollivier and Geoffroy de Montfort founded the Prieuré de Dinard in 1324, and gave it their arms.
But, see also the entry on Montfort-sur-Meu, Ille-et-Vilaine, where the arms given as those of Montfort are completely different.
The
arms of Dinard are unusual. The effect is to show a pallet in each of the flanks
surcharged by the cross. Logically, if the arms are historically accurate, it
was likely that the number of pallets was three, with the added cross obliterating
the one in the centre. However, it is unlikely that a coat as old as 1324 would
show pallets gules on a field vert, and Larousse omits them anyway. I have therefore
blazoned the arms with two pallets and not three. It is possible that the pallets
are a later difference.
I have added (2002) an illustration, hand-coloured, provided by the Mairie. It is now apparent that the field vert with pallets is a representation of the ribbon of the Croix de Guerre, which would have been awarded to the commune after 1944.
DINEAULT, Finistère. Commune, arr.Châteaulin.
Or
a fess enhanced dancetty azure between in chief two ermine spots sable and in
base a covered cup all within a bordure embattled gules.
DIRINON, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Quarterly
first or a lion passant gardant gules second azure a chevron between three canettes
argent third azure three annulets argent fourth or three canettes sable overall
an escutcheon argent the monogram ND azure in chief a walled town gules between
two ermine spots sable.
DOL-DE-BRETAGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Saint-Malo.
D'or à trois losanges d'azur, chargés chacun d'une billette d'argent, surchargés d'une moucheture d'hermine, posés 2 et 1; le chef d'azur, chargé de trois fleurs de lis d'or.
Or three lozenges azure each charged with a billet argent an ermine spot sable a chief azure three fleurs de lis or.
The arms date from 1698, and thus were probably ascribed or confirmed by the Armorial Général.
DOUARNENEZ, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
D'azur à la clé renversée et posée en pal d'or, l'anneau en losange pommetée, le panneton figurant une ancre.
Azure a key in pale the wards in the shape of an anchor downwards the ring in the shape of a lozenge pommety or.
Previously,
the notepaper of the Mairie had born arms which showed a mermaid looking at
herself in a mirror on a sea and between two ermine spots.
In 1950, it was decided that this was not a suitable coat of arms for the commune. In 1977, it was further decided that the adopted arms of 1950:
Coupé: au 1e d'or au canot de trois pêcheurs de sable voguant sur une onde d'argent; au 2e à trois sardines contournées d'argent(38),
were unheraldic.
The present arms date from 1977. The illustration is from a sticker provided by the Mairie.
The communes of Bain-de-Bretagne, Ille-et-Vilaine, and Erquy, Côtes-du-Nord, also have a mermaid in their arms.
The charge which is half key, half anchor is unique, according to the commune, and symbolises the commune as gateway to the sea. However, see the entry on Quiberon, Morbihan, which also uses a stylised anchor in its arms. In spite of the criticism of the unheraldic nature of the previous arms, the present charge, which is not an easy one to blazon in English, has a charm of its own.
I believe that it is likely that in the future, what have been the accepted heraldic conventions will adapt to the new civic heraldry. See, for example, the entry on Carhaix-Plouguer, Finistère.
DRENNEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Quarterly
first azure a fish hauriant argent second gules a hare's head couped between
three roses or third argent two bars sable in chief a label of three points
gules fourth or a tree eradicated azure overall or a pall azure between three
ermine spots sable.
DUAULT, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Guincamp.
Argent a lion rampant crowned vert(39).
ELLIANT, Finistère.Commune, arr. Quimper.
Or
a mascle vert on a chief argent five ermine spots sable.
ELVEN, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Gules two towers the sinister higher than the dexter or pierced crenellated and masoned sable a canton azure ten bezants or.
The
arms were adopted in 1987. There is no explanation of their significance, other
than that the towers symbolise the ruins of the old castle.
It is possible that the original arms depicted two towers of equal size, and with the introduction of the canton, the dexter tower was drawn smaller so that it would not be partly obliterated. It this were the case, it would be a rare example of heraldic design.
The illustration on the left is from the notepaper of the Mairie. That on the right is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
ERDEVEN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Per
pale lozengy azure and or and gules on a cross argent seven mascles of the field
overall on a chief argent as many ermine spots sable.
EREAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Or a chief sable(40).
ERGUE GABERIC, Finistère.Commune, arr. Quimper.
Gules
a cross potent between four crosses argent on a chief indented argent three
ermine spots sable.
ERQUY, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Vert a mermaid or a chief ermine(41).There was no further information, but see also the entry on Douarnenez, Finistère.
ESQUIBIEN, Finistère.Commune, arr Quimper.
Azure
a fouled anchor or a chief indented vert a mitre the ribbons forming the border
of the chief between two ermine spots or.
ETABLES-SUR-MER, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gironny of eight argent and gules(42).
There was no futher information.
ETEL, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Dimidiated
azure an anchor or and ermine.
EVRAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
D'azur à dix billettes d'argent posées 4,3,2,1.
Azure ten billets argent(43).
These are the arms of Beaumanoir, which appear on a seal dating from 1379.
They are also those of the communes of Langrolay-sur-Rance and Plaintel, Côtes-du-Nord. See the entry on Caulnes, Côtes-du-Nord.
However, the arms used by the Mairie are:
Ermine
an inescutcheon azure ten billets argent a chief per pale azure three fleurs
de lis 2,1 or and gules three lions passant gardant or,
although the information provided by the mairie itself describes those which are given in BIM. The chief in this example has France and England impaled. The illustration is from the letterhead of the Mairie.
LE FAOU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
D'azur
au léopard passant d'or.
Azure a lion passant gardant or.
The arms, which were adopted in 1977, are linked with the vicomté du Faou.
LE FAOUET, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Argent five fusils conjoined in fess throughout gules.
There
was no further information. The illustration was provided by the Comité
de Tourisme.
These arms also appear in those of Gourin, Morbihan.
FEREL, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
a female figure statant or a bordure componny of eight or and azure.
LA FEUILLEE, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Vert
a tree eradicated or a chief indented two ermine spots counterchanged.
The arms are canting. Feuillée as a place name means wood.
LE FOLGOET, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Azure
a five petalled flower argent slipped vert between three roses or on a chief
argent five ermine spots sable.
LA FORET FOUESNANT, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Azure
a tree eradicated or the foliage in the form of a flock of gulls argent between
dexter a cross paty sinister an anchor of the second on a chief argent five
ermine spots sable.
FOREST LANDERNAU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Quarterly
first gules nine mascles conjoined argent second or a tree eradicated vert third
or a three masted sailing ship sable with sails argent fourth gules nine ermine
spots 4,3,2 argent.
FOUESNANT, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
De
sable à l'aigle éployée d'argent becquée et membrée
de gueules.
Sable a double headed eagle displayed argent beaked and membered gules.
The image on the left is from Ralf Hartemink.
In the illustration provided by the commune the eagle is beaked and membered
azure, to match the colour of the original document.
There was no further information.
FOUGERES, Ille-et-Vilaine. Arrondissement.
D'or
à la plante de fougère de sinople, arrachée de sable; au
chef d'argent chargé de trois mouchetures d'hermine(44).
Or a fern vert eradicated sable a chief argent three ermine spots sable.
The arms date from at the latest 1664. The arms of the family of Fougères, seigneurs in the thirteenth century were the same, without the chief. In both case the fern is a rebus.
See also the note on Pleine-Fougères, Ille-et-Vilaine, and Bannalec, Finistère.
The arms above were drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
The
image on the left is the original design by Robert Louis.
LES FOUGERETS , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Tierced
per fess first the partition indented vert five standing stones in fess argent
second or three fronds of bracken vert third per fess wavy ermine and azure
a fish fesswise argent.
FREHEL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Per chevron enhanced azure two bezants and ermine(45).
The point of the partition is at the top of the shield, and would perhaps read better in English as per pile reversed... The French blazon uses the term is chapé, which is discussed in the Glossary.
LA GACILLY, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Ecartelé
au 1er d'azur semé de fleurs de lys d'or au canton de gueules; au 2e
de vair de deux traits; 3e palé d'or et de gueules de six pièces;
4e d'azur à huit besants d'or.
Quarterly first azure semy de lis or a canton gules second vairy of two third paly of six or and gules fourth azure eight bezants 3,2,2,1.
The arms were those of the châtellenie de la Gacilly in 1454. The quartered coat shows the alliances of local families.
The first quarter bears the arms of the family of Thouars. Another source states that the tinctures are reversed(46). It is known that Françoise d'Amboise et de Thouars married Pierre II de Bretagne in 1431, but that there were no children from the marriage. The arms of Thouars, Deux-Sèvres, are the same.
The second quarter bears the arms of Plessis d'Angier; the third is that of Amboise, and the fourth Rieux, Marie de Rieux having married Louis d'Amboise in the fifteenth century.
The accompanying notes on the arms explain that the original arms of Rieux bore ten besants, but that the rounded form of the shield has led to the dropping of two of them. The drawing shows more of a bezanty field than a logical disposition of the charges.
The illustration above is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
The
image on the left, from Ralf Haremink, restores the ten bezants, but reverses
the tinctures in the first quarter. This must be an error, since the arms of
Thouars are as blazoned above.
GAVRES, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Ermine
a goat rampant or surmonted by a capital letter G gules on a chief azure a fish
fesswise argent.
GLENAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
bend sinister vert a heron contourned argent and azure a snake argent overall
on a bend sinister argent three ermine spots bend sinisterwise sable.
GOUAREC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Argent a fish in pale azure a chief gules three mascles ...(47).
There was no further explanation.
A number of arms in Bretagne contain the lozenge, the fusil, the mascle or the rustre. The definitions of these terms often cause problems, and as is so often the case in heraldry, they may be confused in drawing either through ignorance or error. An explanation of these charges can be found in the Glossary.
See also the section on Common Emblems at the end of this section.
GOUDELIN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Guincamp.
Azure a sword in pale the point downwards argent pommelled or(48).
GOUESNACH, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Argent
an ermine spot sable a bordure azure on a chief agent two ermine spots sable
overall a ram's head caboshed or.
GOUESNOU, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Gules
a fess between six bezants three in chief and as many in base fesswise
GOURIN, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Quarterly
first and fourth argent five fusils conjoined in fess throughout gules second
and third gules a cross paty or overall a chief ermine.
There was no further information. The illustration was provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
The arms in the first and fourth quarters are also borne by Le Faouet, Morbihan.
However
in the image from Ralf Hartmink, the tinctures in the second and third quarters
are different, and the fusils in the first and fourth quarters are surmounted
by four torteaux.
GOURLIZON, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Per
fess azure a cup between two ermine spots or and or a dog passant sable.
GRAND-CHAMP, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Azure a chevron or a chief ermine.
The
arms were those of the former Abbaye de Lanvaux, with a chief of Bretagne.
The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
GREE SAINT LAURENT , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pntivy.
Gules
a chevron couped in base a filet wavy argent surmounted by a mascle or in chief
a label of four points each charged with an ermine spot sable.
GROIX, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Per pale ermine and azure the representation of the sky and sea azure a cliff vert on which stands a lighthouse argent lighted gules and a sailing boat of the third with sails of the fourth a bordure argent a chief argent a seal? and fish affronty also argent outlined sable overall an anchor sable.
There
was no further information. The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité
de Tourisme.
These arms are an example of the type of design which owes little to heraldic influence, and which in various fanciful forms occurs here and there in the civic heraldry of France.
GUEGON, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Quarterly
first gules three towers isuant or second argent two bars azure third vert on
a bend sinister three ermine spots palewise sable fourth gules three stalks
or.
GUEMENE-SUR-SCORFF, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Ecartelé: 1er, de gueules à neuf mâcles d'or; 2e d'argent aux hermines de sable; 3e de sinople ondé d'azur; 4e de gueules à une croix engrêlée d'or.
Quarterly first gules nine mascles or second ermine third vert a bar wavy azure (sic) fourth gules a cross engrailed or.
Until
May 1987, a month before I received the correspondence, the commune had used
as its own the arms of Rohan, which appear in the first quarter above. The second
quarter is Bretagne; the third is symbolic of the River Scorff flowing through
the commune; and the fourth bears the arms of Baumez.
The present arms have been designed by S C Renard. The illustration is from the Comité de Tourisme.
GUENGAT, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper
Azure
three dexter hands couped argent.
GUENIN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Azure
a chevron argent between in chief a cross pointed per cross sable and argent
counterchanged itself between two croziers in bend and in bend sinister or and
in base a wolf passant of the second.
GUER, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Azure
seven mascles 3,3,1 or a canton argent fretty gules.
There was no further information.
The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
The canton has the effect of obliterating one of the mascles.
LA GUERCHE-DE-BRETAGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
De gueules à trois léopards d'argent l'un sur l'autre et passant la tête en face.
Gules three lions passant gardant argent.
These arms were ascribed by the Armorial Général in 1696.
GUERLESQUIN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Or
a fess gules.
LE GUERNO , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
bend sinister argent a cross paty gules and gules a cross of eight points argent
a sinister canton gules three mascles argent.
GUICHEN, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Redon.
De gueules aux deux pins de sinople chargés d'un chevron d'argent, le chef d'azur aux quatre hermines d'or.
Gules two pine trees vert overall a chevron argent a chief azure four ermine spots or.
According to the Archives du Département d'Ille-et-Vilaine, the arms are at least as old as the town hall which was reconstructed in 1894, and on which the arms are depicted. They are "fantaisiste", but perhaps based on those of Bouexic de Guichen, who bore:
D'argent a trois arbres de buis (ou de pin) de sinople.
In 1986, it was suggested by the Archives that the Mairie should perhaps change the tinctures, as follows:
D'argent aux deux arbres de pin de sinople charge d'un chevron d'azur, le chef d'azur seme d'hermines de sable.
However, there is no evidence that the tinctures have been changed. In any case, the chief would be odd, since ermine would be more normal.
The buis, box tree may be a rebus on Bouexic, although I do not know the derivation of this Breton name.
GUICLAN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Per
fess embowed or three ermine spots sable and sable a buckle or.
GUIDEL, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Quarterly
first azure a church issuant or gules nine mascles or third argent three bars
gules fourth azure a lymphad sable with sail ermine in base three bars wavy
argent.
GUILERS, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest
Azure
on a cross or between first and second two eagles displayed and third and fourth
three annulets 2,1 argent a lion rampant sable.
GUILVINEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Per
bend or dexter a crab sinister a prawn gules and gules a fishing boat or overall
a bend wavy per bend azure and argent.
GUIMAEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Per
pale argent a sword in pale the point uppermost gules and gules a lymphad argent.
GUINCAMP, Côtes-du-Nord. Arrondissement.
Fascé
d'argent et d'azur.
Barry of four argent and azure.
These arms were ascribed by the Armorial Général, but there has been great confusion over them in the past. As blazoned above, they were the arms of Charles de Blois et de la Frérie Blanche, and date from about 1340.
Elswhere, the tinctures are reversed, and the arms are said to date from 1447(49), although the commune is certain that the official arms are as described above.
In the images drawn by Robert Louis, on the left, and Philippe Castagnary, on the right, the tinctures are reversed.
GUIPAVAS, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Azure
a wheel or between two wings affronty in base waves argent.
HENANSAL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan
Gules
four lozenges in fess argent between five plates the lozenges and the plates
each charged with an ermine spot
I have no further information.
The image is from Ralf Hartemink.
HENNEBONT, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
D'azur
au vaisseau équipé d'or, ses voiles d'argent, semées d'hermines
de sable, le vaisseau avec quinze pièces de canons de chaque côté,
de sinople.
Azure a three masted sailing ship with masts or and sails ermine fifteen cannon vert.
The arms were ascribed by the Armorial Général, although usually the cannon are omitted, and sometimes the ship is depicted on the sea.
The cannon are blazoned as being on both sides of the vessel, although presumably only one side is visible.
The illustration above, on a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme, shows the ship vert and omits the cannon.
The
image on the left, from Ralf Hartemink, shows the ship sable with a terrace
engrailed argent.
HENVIC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix
Argent
a lion rampant between three estoiles of six points sable pierced of the field.
LE HEZO , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
bend sinister argent six ermine spots sable and azure on a mound a heron argent
overall a bend sinister embattled or.
HILLIEU, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a bend argent(50).
L'HERMITAGE-LORGE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent a bend azure(51).
HOPITAL CAMFROUT , Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Argent
a fishing boat sable with sails gules on a chief sable a cross paty gules between
two escallops or.
HUELGOAT, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
De
gueules au cerf passant d'or, au chef de sinople soutenu d'un trangle d'or et
chargé d'une moucheture herminée accôtée de deux
carpes affrontées, le tout d'or.
Gules a stag passant or on a chief vert supported by a filet argent an ermine spot between two carp in fess affronty argent.
Although there is a reference to the partie ondée, and illustrations themselves show the chief wavy, the official blazon does not include it.
This image is from Ralf Hartemink.
The chief translates the meaning of the Breton Huelgoat, which is unexplained, and the stag symbolises the chevreuil, roebuck, of the neighbouring forests.
The filet serves to avoid the chef cousu effect of the field gules and the chief vert.
ILE D'ARZ , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent
three cinquefoils gules a bordure azure.
ILE DE BATZ, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Or
a lion rampant surrounded by twelve ermine spots arranged in a circle
sable.
ILE-DE-BREHAT, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Ermine a bend sinister gules(52).
See the entry on Rosporden, Finistère.
ILE D'HOUAT , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Azure
a thistle? argent.
I cannot identify the charge.
ILE AUX MOINES , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
on a mound vert issuant from a terrace wavy argent a fouled anchor and a crozier
in saltire or a chief ermine.
ILE DE SEIN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Azure
on a plate between three lobsters in pall the heads inwards or an ermine spot
sable.
INZINZAC LOCHRIST, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Azure
a pale wavy ermine overall a phoenix or rising from the flames gules.
JOSSELIN, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Per
pale gules a lion rampant crowned armed and langued or and gules a castle triple
towered or a canton ermine.
The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme. The commune appears to have adopted the arms which appear on an inescutcheon of those ascribed by the Armorial Général, which were:
Enchasséees (sic) de gueules, mi parties au lion d'argent, couronné armée et lampassée d'or, et, en la seconde partie, aussi de gueules au château d'or et franc quartier d'argent parsemé d'hermines de sable sans nombre, ledit écusson sur le tout d'autre écusson écartelé aux 1er et 4e de gueules avec neuf mâcles d'or, aux 2e et 3e d'or à trois chabots de gueules en chaque.
The rare term enchaussé is used to describe a shield which is divided unequally by a line drawn from the middle of one of the flanks to centre base(53). This partition is not found on the present arms, and no reason is given for the choice of the arms of the inescutcheon.
The arms in the Armorial Général show a shield quarterly of Rohan and another, but there is no information concerning the arms on the inescutcheon.
Another example has been found in correspondence from another commune:
D'azur au coq or, alias: parti au 1er de gueules au lion d'argent, couronné d'or; au 2e, de Porhoet.
Per pale gules a lion rampant argent and ... a castle triple towered ... a canton ermine, but there was no further information.
The sinister part of the shield is said to contain the arms of Porhoet. Unfortunately, I was not able to check these, since there was no information from La Trinité-Porhoet, Morbihan, either.
The coq d'or would seem to be a republican device to replace the traditional fleur de lis.
LE JUCH, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Azure
a lion rampant argent.
JUGON-LES-LACS, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Ermine a castle triple towered gules(54).
KERLAZ, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Per
pall first argent three ermine spots sable second azure third gules overall
in base a walled town or.
KERLOUAN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Quarterly
first or a lion rampant sable second vert a fossil argent third vert a fossil
argent fourth argent two chevrons azure.
I have assumed that the charges in the second and third quarters are fossils.
KERNILIS, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Or
a lion rampant azure on a chief argent three ermine spots sable.
KERNOUES, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Argent
an ermine spot between two cinquefoils fesswise all between two bars sable .
KERVIGNAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Gules
a sword in pale the point downwards surmounted by a crown or and enveloped by
a dragon sable fretty or.
LAMBALLE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
D'azur à trois gerbes de blé d'or liées de gueules posées 2 et 1.
Azure three garbs or banded gules.
The arms of the town have an interesting history. Lamballe was the capital of the comté de Penthièvre, created in 1030, and which was a cadet branch of the ducs de Bretagne.
Its arms were at first:
Ermine a bordure gules.
In about 1515, after the attachment of Bretagne to the French crown, the arms were:
Quarterly first and fourth Bretagne second and third de Brosse,
the latter being the present arms of Lamballe.
Napoleon granted the arms of de Brosse, surmounted by the capital letter N and a mullet. At the Restoration, the Napoleonic symbols were suppressed, leading to the present arms.
At the time of writing, the town was in the process of adopting new arms, to reflect its history. It is hoped that these will be:
Au 1er et 4e de Penthievre; au 2e et 3e de Brosse(55).
The present arms are also the arms of the Earls of Chester in England, although I do not know of any link between them. The commune of Saint-Séver-Calvados, Calvados bears the authentic arms of the Earls of Chester.
LAMLOUP, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Azure six annulets argent(56).
LAMPAUL GUIMILIAU, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix
Vert
... between six bezants 2,1 and 1,2 on a chief argent a dragon sable.
I cannot identify the charge.
LANDAUL, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Per
fess ermine a boar's head erased sable and azure ten billets argent all within
a bordure gules charged with eight bezants.
LANDEDA, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Per
fess azure a lymphad viewed from the bow argent the sail charged with a celtic
cross sable between two escallops or and or two bars one in each of the flanks
azure.
LANDERNEAU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
D'azur
à un vaisseau de gueules équipé d'or, ayant au pavillon
de la poupe les armes de Rohan, qui sont: de gueules à neuf mâcles
d'or, posées 3, 3, et 3; au pavillon du grand mât les armes de
Bretagne, qui sont: d'hermines; et au pavillon du mât de mizenne, les
armes de Léon, qui sont: un écu d'or à un lion de sable.
Azure a three masted sailing ship gules with sails or on the poop pennant gules nine mascles or on the main mast pennant ermine and on the mizzen mast pennant or a lion rampant sable.
These arms, on which the secondary coats are difficult to distinguish, were ascribed by the Armorial Général.
There is a variant:
Ecartele: aux 1er et 4e d'or au lion morné de sable, qui est Léon; aux 2e et 3e de gueules à neuf mâcles d'or accolées et aboutées, qui est de Rohan,
although there is no information as to which is the official coat. Certainly the second is more heraldically acceptable.
For a comment on the arms of Léon, see the entry on Finistère at the beginning of the chapter.
For a comment on the French term morné, see the entry on Crozon, Finistère.
LANDEVANT, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Or
the representation of a lightning bolt in bend sinister gules between two ermine
spots sable.
LANDEVENNEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
D'hermine
au gousset d'azur chargé en chef d'un navire équipé et
habillé d'or et en pal d'une crosse du même.
Ermine a gusset azure in chief on a sailing ship ... with sails a crozier in pale or.
The arms refer to the local Naval station and the Abbey. For a discussion of gusset, see the Glossary.
LANDIVISIAU, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Azure
eight mascles in orle overall an inescutcheon or a lion rampant sable.
An illustration from the Archives Départementales shows the field to be gules; I have no way of knowing which is correct, exept that the illustration from Ralf Hartemink shows the field as gules.
Gules an orle of eight mascles or an escutcheon or a lion rampant sable.
LANDREVARSEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper
Barry
of six gules and argent on a chief argent a crozier or issuant or between two
ermine spots sable.
LANESTER, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
D'argent
burelé, ondé de six pièces d'azur, à la pile mouvante
de la pointe de gueules herminée d'or.
Per chevron barry wavy argent and azure and gules semy of ermine spots or.
The arms were adopted in 1974. They represent the geographical location of the town, as a piece of Bretagne jutting into the ocean.
The
illustration on the left is from a photograph provided by the commune. On the
right, the illustration, from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme,
shows a broad pile reaching to the centre of the shield and not per chevron.
I have not seen the French blazon, but from the illustration it is likely to
be chappé or mantelé: see the Glossary for an explanation
of these terms. In addition, the illustration clearly shows the number of ermine
spots reduced to three.
LANGOLEN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Argent
in chief a crescent gules between two ermine spots in base a boar courant sable
all within a bordure engrailed vert.
LANGONNET, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Azure
two swords in saltire the points upwards or in chief a crown argent charged
with three ermine spots sable.
LANGOURLA, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Azure three bendlets or(57).
LANGROLAY-SUR-RANCE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Azure ten billets argent(58).
These were the arms of Beaumanoir, and are also those of Evran, Côtes-du-Nord. See also the entry on Caulnes, Côtes-du-Nord.
LANGUIDIC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Azure
a chevron ermine beween in chief two mullets and in base a rose slipped or.
LANHOUARNEAU, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Per
fess sable a cross or between four bezants and or a wolf passant sable.
LANMEUR, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Argent
a fess gules between three ermine spots sable.
LANNILIS, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
D'argent
à trois mâcles d'or.
Azure three mascles or.
LANNION, Côtes-du-Nord. Arrondissement.
Azure
a paschal lamb bearing a banner or with the words LAUS DEO or(59).
Normally, a Paschal Lamb carries a cross with a pennon charged with the cross of Saint George, but sometimes a commune will add its own name to the pennon. Here, the inscription means "Praise be to God".
The image on the left was designed by Robert Louis; that on the right was drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
LANRIVOARE, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Vert
in base a chevron extended into a cross or between seven bezants 3,2,2 each
charged with an ermine spot sable.
LANVALLAY, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Azure seven lozenges argent(60).
LANVEOC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Echiqueté
d'argent et de gueules à la bande d'hermine, chargé en pointe
d'azur à l'ancre ailée de l'aviation maritime.
Checky argent and gules a bend ermine in base an anchor azure.
The arms were adopted by the commune in 1987.
The checky field is a reference to the comtes de Poulmic. The arms of Dreux, which formed part of the original arms of Bretagne, also have a checky field, but with different tinctures; see the entry on Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier, Ille-et-Vilaine.
The illustration, from Ralf Hartemink, shows four ermine spots bendwise on the argent of the checky field.
LANVOLLON, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
De gueules à un chef d'hermines.
Gules a chief ermine.
There is no explanation for the arms, although there has obviously been a dispute, since the author of the information points out that they not:
D'argent à un chef de gueules,
which were the arms of Avaugour(61).
The arms of Avaugour have been adopted by Châtelaudren, Côtes-du-Nord, and both communes originally formed part of the comté de Goëllo, of which the family Avaugour were the seigneurs.
LARMOR BADEN , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
two bars gemelles embowed or in chief an ermine spot sable on a while background
between two mullets of the second.
LARMOR PLAGE, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Azure
a church tower or a chief per pale gules nine mascles or and ermine.
LAURENAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Quarterly first and fourth gules three inescutcheons ermine second sable seven mascles 3,3,1 argent third argent three martlets sable(62).
LAUZACH, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
a chevron gules fimbriated or in base an escallop of the second a chief ermine.
LAZ, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Quarterly
first argent a four pointed star gules cantonned by four torteaux second vert
in dexter base a cross paty ensigned by an annulet sinister a crozier in pale
or third vert three garbs or fourth argent a hunting horn the bell upwards gules.
LESNEVEN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
D'or
à un lion de sable armé et lampassé de gueules, tenant
entre ses deux pattes de devant une cornette ou guidon d'azur chargé
d'une fleur de lys d'or, le guidon attaché à un bâton de
gueules. Or a lion rampant sable armed and langued gules holding in his
paws a banner azure staffed of the third bearing a fleur de lis or.
The arms date from 1699, and are those of the vicomté de Léon, differenced by the banner, who were seigneurs until 1280, when the vicomte sold his possession to the duc de Bretagne.
In 1532, after the attachment of Bretagne to the French crown, the town impaled the arms of France and Bretagne. When these arms were adopted by Brest, Lesneven had to change.
LEZARDRIEUX, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Lannion.
Fascé d'argent et de sable de six pièces; la première pièce chargée de trois molettes de sable.
Barry of six argent and sable in chief three mullets of the third pierced of the second.
These were the arms of Geoffroi de Leshardre, from whom the commune derives its name, and appear on a seal, dating from 1225(63).
LIZIO, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
fess per pale or a cross paty gules and azure an escallop or a chief ermine
and argent a tree eradicated vert.
LOC BREVALAIRE, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Per
pale or a lion rampant contourned sable and argent two bars gules overall a
serpent hauriant azure overall a crozier in pale gules on a chief argent five
ermine points sable.
In the illustration, from Ralf Hartemink, the paws of the lion encroach upon the sinister side and are shown to be holding the crozier.
LOCMARIA GRAND CHAMP , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Or
a stag passant gules a chief ermine.
LOCMARIA PLOUZANE, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Vert
three stalks of wheat? or a terrace wavy in base argent
LOCMELAR, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Per
pale gules a stocking or and or a dexter hand gules on a chief ermine a fish
fesswise azure.
LOCMINE, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Per
pale azure eight nails 2,1,2,1,2 in pale or and argent fretty azure overall
a mace or overall a pallet of the second overall on a chief argent supported
by a barrulet of the second seven ermine spots sable overall a bordure also
of the second.
The arms were adopted in 1985. The arms of the priory were previously ascribed to the town by the Armorial Général.
The symbolism is complex: the chief depicts the seven bishoprics of Bretagne; the nails are the maillettes(64), the making of which made the town's fortune. The sinister side of the shield bears the arms of the Prieuré de Locminé, now disappeared, from which the town derives its name: Breton loc menech, place of the monks.
The reason why the blazon is so complicated is because the
design incorporates an edging to all parts
of the shield, dividing the dexter and the sinister and the chief and placing
a bordure around the shield, all or. This is described in the correspondence,
and is intended to be blazoned, although there is no heraldic reason for it.
Occasionally in such printed ephemera as postcards, a decorative border of no
heraldic significance is placed around the coat of arms of a commune. Here,
the border seems to be intended.
The illustration on the left is from the letterhead of the Mairie. In an illustration, on the right, from a map of the département, supplied by the Comité de Tourisme, the bordure extends round each side of the shield, the chief and the edge, and this also seems to be intended. In addition, the sinister side is shown azure lozengy ..., instead of argent fretty ..., which I believe to be an error in the drawing.
LOCMIQUELIC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Per
pale azure a fishing boat gules with sails argent and azure a church? issuant
dexter argent overall the partition an anchor sable overall the shield a chief
ermine.
LOCQUELTAS, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
on a chevron argent between in chief two garbs or and in base a thistle? of
the second three ermine spots sable.
LOPERHET, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Per
fess argent in base two trefoils vert in chief three ermine spots sable and
azure a fishing boat or.
LORIENT, Morbihan. Arrondissemment.
De
gueules à un vaisseau d'argent voguant sur une mer de sinople, au soleil
rayonnant d'or, se levant derrière des montagnes d'argent, posées
au flanc dextre de l'écu, surmontées d'un franc-canton d'hermine;
au chef d'azur semé de besants d'or(65).
Gules sinister a three masted sailing ship dexter three mounts argent a sun in his splendour issuant or a champagne wavy vert a canton ermine a chief azure bezanty.
These arms were drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
The
arms, which are naturalistic, and more like a painting than a coat of arms,
were ascribed by the Armorial Général, as late as 1744. The illustration
on the left is from a photograph, provided by the commune. That on the right
is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
Arms now in use by the commune appear to be:
Gules
a three masted sailing ship or with sails argent on a a sea vert in dexter chief
a sun in his splendour or a chief azure bezanty(66).
LOUDEAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
D'azur
à trois fusées d'argent, à un chef cousu de gueules chargé
de trois mâcles d'or.
Azure three fusils in fess argent a chief gules three mascles or(67).
The fusils are said to be a reference to the former spinning industry; the mascles are a geological crystalline formation found in the area(68).
The information received goes on to say that the arms of the commune are based on those of Rohan, seigneurs until the Revolution, who bore:
Gules nine mascles or 3,3,3.
The town of Rohan, Morbihan, bears the seigneurial arms.
The image was drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
MAEL-CARHAIX, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Parti,
au 1er, d'hermines à trois fasces de gueules, au 2e, d'or à un
lion de gueules armé et lampassé d'azur(69).
Per pale ermine three bars gules and or a lion rampant gules.
The dexter side of the shield bears the arms of Rostrenen, Côtes-du-Nord. See also the entry on Trebrivan, Côtes-du-Nord.
The image is from Ralf Hartemink.
MALESTROIT, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
De
gueules à neuf besants d'or.
Gules nine bezants.
There was no further information.
The illustration above is from publicity material provided
by
the Mairie; that on the right from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
The arms also appear on a postage stamp(70).
LA MARTYRE, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest
Or
a lion rampant sable an escutcheon gules nine mascles or.
MARZAN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Quarterly
first and fourth an aqueduct of three arches argent and azure a lion rampant
argent.
MATIGNON, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
D'or à deux fasces nouées de gueules à neuf merlettes du même, posées en orle 4,2,3(71).
Argent two bars nowed of two between nine martlets sable 4,4,1.
The
martlets, which have neither beak nor feet, are said to represent mutilated
Crusaders, but see the Glossary for further explanation. They first appear on
a seal dating from 1219, and were adopted by the commune in 1885.
The French noué has the meaning knotted, but here the knots are represented as though they are roundels of the same tincture on the bars. Illustrations vary between one and two such roundels. The version here comes from the letterhead of the Mairie.
See also the entry on Merdrignac, Côtes-du-Nord.
MAURE-DE-BRETAGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Redon.
De gueules au croissant de vair.
Gules a crescent vair.
The
first instance of the use of the arms is on a seal dating from 1298, of Jean
II, probably following his return from the crusades. In 1553, Henri II of France
granted these arms to de Maure on the creation of the comté de Maure.
When Louise, the last direct descendant of de Maure, married in 1600, the arms
passed to the town.
The illustration is from a sticker provided by the commune.
MAURON, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Gules a lion passant gardant argent.
There
was no further information. The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité
de Tourisme.
MELRAND, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Per
pale ermine and or a shrine sable overall on the shield a chief vert a ploughman
with an ox sable (sic).
MENEAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Gules
three escutcheons argent three ermine spots 2,1 sable.
MERDRIGNAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
D'or
à un lion couronné de gueules(72).
Or a lion rampant crowned gules.
These are the arms of the family of Goyon, and can be seen on a seal dating from 1219.
However, a seal of the sire de Merdrignac, dating from 1245, bears the arms of Matignon, Côtes-du-Nord.
The illustration is from the letterhead of the Mairie.
MELLAC, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Argent
two battleaxes in pale addorsed sable overall a crescent gules all within a
bordure gules charged with chains or on a chief argent a cockerel gules beaked
and membered or between two ermine spots sable.
MERLEVENEZ, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Per
fess per pale or two horsemen sable and gules a windmill argent and azure an
arched doorway argent overall on the partition line a filet wavy argent.
MESLAN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Gules
a saltire argent a chief ermine.
MILIZAC, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Per
pale or three bars azure in chief two eascallops sable and argent a lion rampant
sable crowned or.
MOELAN-SUR-MER, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Tierced
per pall first gules three estoiles argent pierced of the field second ermine
third or three fish fesswise 1,2 azure(73).
In this illustration from Ralf Hartemink there is the addition of of a crozier or overall on the per pale partition line.
MOLAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Gules
six mascles 3,3,1 argent.
MONCONTOUR, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a lion rampant crowned argent a chief ermine(74).
These arms also appear, without the chief, in those of La Chèze, Côtes-du-Nord.
MONTAUBAN, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
De gueules à sept mâcles d'or, au lambel de quatre pendants d'argent.
Gules seven mascles conjoined 3,3,1 gules a label of four points dovetailed argent.
These were the arms of Montauban, a cadet branch of Rohan. They sometimes bore nine mascles, and the arms, in one or other of the forms, appear on seals of 1314, 1365 and 1407.
MONTERBLANC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
bend sinister vert with ermine spots sable (sic) and gules in chief a key bend
sinisterwise the wards downwards and to the dexter sable (sic) and in base a
mullet argent.
MONTFORT-SUR-MEU, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
D'argent
à la croix de gueules ancrée, guivrée et gringolée
d'or.
Argent a cross moline gules guivre or.
These arms were drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
The
arms were those of Montfort, former seigneurs of the town, although the arms
of Dinard, Ille-et-Vilaine, are also said to be those of Montfort. The arms
as they appear on a postcard here are those of Raoul de Montfort, who is No1029
in the database of early rolls of arms.
The use of the term gringolé is not uncommon in French heraldry; the cross has viper's heads appearing from the ends. The technical term in English may be one of the following: guivré, from Latin guivris, viper, givers or gringole. The blazon above uses two of the terms.
MOREAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Per
pale dimidiated gules nine mascles 3,3,3 or and per fess azure a cross moline
argent and argent three bars gules.
The sinister half of the shield is not dimidiated.
MORLAIX, Finistère. Arrondissement.
De
gueules, au navire d'or voguant sur des ondes d'argent, les voiles d'hermine,
surmonté d'une bannière d'azur à trois fleurs de lis d'or(75).
Gules a three masted sailing ship or with sails ermine and a flag azure three fleurs de lis of the second a champagne wavy azure.
In the image drawn by Philippe Castagnary, the champagne is vert.
In
information from the Archives Départementales, the champagne wavy is
shown as azure, as shown in the image from Ralf Hartemink
.For a note on the use of the champagne, see the Glossary.
MOTREFF, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Sable
a fess dancetty vairy or and gules in chief a lion passant between two ermine
spots or.
MUR-DE-BRETAGNE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
D'azur à une croix engrêlée d'or, à un franc-canton de gueules, chargé de quatre mâcles d'argent(76).
Azure a canton gules four mascles argent overall a cross engrailed or.
These were the arms of Mûr in the Middle Ages. The family changed its name to de la Rivière before its extinction at the end of the eighteenth century.
The English blazon takes account of the fact that the engrailed part of the cross in the dexter chief quarter appears in full and is not charged with the canton. If the French blazon were accurate, it would indicate a cross with the upper dexter edge staight and not engrailed.
MUZILLAC, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
De
gueules au léopard lionné d'hermines.
Gules a lion rampant ermine.
These arms were those of Muzillac, seigneurs of the commune from the eleventh century, and are first seen on a seal dating from 1381.
The blazon léopard lionné is more usually simply lion. In the English blazon, the lion then has to be further identified. See the Glossary for a further explanation.
This is the only example that I know of a lion ermine.
NEANT SUR YVEL, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent
a latin cross of the field (sic) on a mount sable between two branches the stalks
crossing in saltire vert a chief per pale gules seven mascles 3,3,1 or a label
of three points argent and azure a ...? surmounted by a sword the pointdownwards
or.
NIVILLAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
pale azure a three arched bridge or masonned sable on ground vert a terrace
wavy argent and argent a stalk in pale or (sic) overall on the shield a chief
ermine.
NOSTANG, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Azure
on a bend argent between in chief a maize cob or leaved vert and in base two
keys in saltire the wards upwards and outwards or five ermine spots sable.
NOYAL MUZILLAC , Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Dimidiated
per bend gules a lion rampant ermine and argent three bars sable.
NOYALO, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
bend gules a wheel sable (sic) and azure an otter in pale or overall on the
partition line a bend argent charged with five ermine spots bendwise sable.
NOYAL PONTIVY, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Per
bend sinister azure the figure of a decapitated saint holding her head argent
and dimidiated gules nine mascles 3,3,3 or.
OUESSANT, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Quarterly
first and fourth or a fess sable second and third gules.
The arms have the geometric quality of the Armorial Général.
PAIMPOL, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Navire argent, à l'ancre, sur fond azur.
Azure a three masted sailing ship in dexter base an anchor sinister bendwise argent(77).
The arms were ascribed by the Armorial Général in 1699.
PALAIS, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Per
pale azure three fleurs de lis or and gules chains in cross in saltire and in
orle or.
PEAULE, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent
dexter a canette sable sinister a tree eradicated vert a filet debased wavy
azure a canton gules an ermine spot or.
PEILLAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent
three canettes sable.
PENCRAN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Or
a lion rampant between in chief an ermine spot sable and in the flanks and in
base three annulets azure.
PENESTIN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent
a lymphad also argent (sic) a terrace or surmounted by a filet wavy azure a
bordure componny of eight or and azure.
PENGUILLY, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent three fleurs de lis gules(78).
PENMARCH, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Quarterly
first azure a lymphad without sails or second ermine third argent a cross between
twelve ermine spots 1,2 sable fourth or a horse's head erased gules.
PERROS-GUIRREC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Lannion.
Quarterly or and azure(79).
There was no further information.
The arms of Coatreven, Côtes-du-Nord, are the same, with the addition of three crescents gules.
PEUMERIT, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper
Or
ten roundels four pomeis in chief and one in base and five torteaux all within
a bordure engrailed gules charged in chief with three ermine spots or.
PIPRIAC, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Redon.
Vert an open book or in base three bars broken argent a chief ermine.
The arms, which are difficult to blazon in English, were adopted in 1983.
The book is a reference to Jean Brito, a native of Pipriac, who introduced printing into Bretagne, and the base of the shield is a representation of a Roman road which existed in the town.
I know of no other example of a book in French civic heraldry. In England it is usually found in the arms of learned institutions.
PLABENNEC, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Ecartelé
aux 1er et 4e d'azur à la tour sommée de trois tourillons d'argent,
le tout supporté sur une demi-roue de même; aux 2e et 3e d'or au
lion d'azur. Un chef d'argent aux cinq hermines de sable.
Quarterly first and fourth a tower of three turrets supported by a demi-wheel argent second and third or a lion rampant azure overall a chief argent five ermine spots in fess sable.
The half wheel is a reference to the story that a Danish attack was repulsed by means of such a wheel barricading the tower. The family of Kermaven bore this device along with the lion, and the commune adopted their arms in 1973.
PLAINTEL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Azure ten billets argent(80).
These are also the arms of Evran and Langrolay-sur-Rance, Côtes-du-Nord. See also, the entry on Caulnes, Côtes-du-Nord.
PLANCOET, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Argent a saltire sable cantonned by four roses gules(81).
The origin of the arms appears to be unknown.
PLANGUENOUAL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules six billets or a chief azure three fleurs de lis or.
There is no explanation for the chief of France.
For the billets, see the entry on Caulnes, Côtes-du-Nord.
PLEBEDEL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Quarterly first and fourth gules an eight pointed star argent pierced of the field second and third azure(82).
PLEDRAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Or seven mascles conjoined 3,3,1 azure(83).
These arms are identical to those of Plérin, Côtes-du-Nord, but I cannot be sure that there is a link between them.
PLEINE-FOUGERES, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Saint-Malo.
D'azur, au château-fort d'argent, et au chef d'hermines.
Azure a castle double towered argent a chief ermine.
The arms were designed in 1939 and adopted in 1978-79.
They are said to symbolise an unnamed fortress in Bretagne. There is a rebus on the name in the supporting branches of bracken round the shield.
PLELAN-LE-PETIT, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
D'azur fretté d'argent, à un croissant de gueules brochant en chef(84).
Azure fretty argent overall in chief a crescent gules.
The arms were those of Le Borgne des Fosses.
PLEMET, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules five eight pointed stars 2,2,1 or pierced of the field(85).
The charges are not mullets, which have five points, nor estoiles, which have six.
PLENEUF-VAL-ANDRE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Coupé, au 1er de sable, au léopard d'argent accompagné de sept coquilles de même, quatre en chef et trois en pointe, au 2e de gueules fretté d'argent de six pièces.
Per fess sable a lion passant gardant between in chief four and in base three escallops fesswise argent and gules fretty argent.
There was no further information, and elsewhere the arms are blazoned with a different form of partition:
Per pale sable a lion passant gardant between in chief four and in base three escallops fesswise argent and gules fretty argent(86).
PLERIN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Or seven mascles conjoined 3,1,3 azure(87).
These arms are identical to those of Plédran, Côtes-du-Nord, but I have no evidence of a link between them.
PLESCOP, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent
on a fess gules between six ermine spots sable three bezants.
PLESSIS-BALISSON, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Gules two lions passant gardant or(88).
These are the undifferenced arms of Normandie.
PLESTIN-LES-GREVES, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Lannion.
Argent a chevron between three mullets sable.
These are the arms as they appear on the notepaper of the Mairie. They are those of the earliest known seigneur, Jehan de Porzou, in the fifteenth century.
Elsewhere, the arms are listed as a variant, and the official arms are given as:
Gules seven annulets argent 3,3,1,
without explanation(89).
PLEUCADEUC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Vairy
counter vairy or and vert.
PLEUDIHEN-SUR-RANCE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Or a chief indented sable(90).
However a road sign on the outskirts of Pleudihen shows:
Azure a sword in bend in the sinister chief a dagger in pale argent a chief armine(91).
PLEUGRIFFET, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Per
fess counterchanged vert a lion rampant ermine the lion crowned and between
in chief two mascles or.
PLEUMEUR-BODOU, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Azure a four pointed star or a champagne engrailed argent(92).
The effect of the blazon is to show a picture of a lone star shining above the sea.
PLEUVEN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Per
chevron argent two ermine spots sable and checky sable and argent.
PLEYBEN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Per
pale sable a bull's head caboshed or and azure a stalk in pale or overall on
a bend sinister argent three ermine spots bendwise sable.
PLOEMEUR, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
D'azur à la nef d'or équipée du même voguant sur une mer d'argent, au chef d'argent à trois mouchetures d'hermine de sable.
Azure a single masted sailing ship or a champagne wavy argent a chief argent three ermine spots sable.
The
ship is a symbol of the local fishing industry, and the arms were adopted about
twenty years ago. The illustration on the left is from a sticker provided by
the Mairie, and is based on a design by Louis.
In an illustration, right, from a map provided by the Comité de Tourime, the chief is depicted ermine, without the specified number of ermine spots.
PLOERDUT, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Barry
of four argent and gules each bar charged first with five ermine spots sable
second with two mascles or third with a knot pattern? fesswise sable and fourth
the bust of a saint nimbed issuant from base or.
PLOEREN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes,
Per
pale argent two bars sable and gules six bezants 2,2,2 a chief per pale gules
a mallet or and ermine.
PLOERMEL, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
D'hermines
au léopard lionné de sable et couronné d'azur tenant de
sa patte dextre un drapeau de même chargé de cing mouchetures de
contre-hermine d'argent.
Ermine a lion rampant sable crowned azure holding in his dexter paw a flag of the second five ermine spots argent.
These arms were drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
There
was no further information. In the illustration on the left, from a map provided
by the Comité de Tourisme, the banner is shown with a field azure, which
I believe to be an error.
Many communes in Bretagne are specific about the number of ermine spots, presumably in order to difference their arms from those of the province. For a note on ermine, counter ermine, ermines and erminois, see the Glossary.
PLOEUC-SUR-LIE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Ermine three chevrons gules(93).
PLOGASTEL SAINT GERMAIN , Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Per
pale or and gules overall a castle triple towered and in chief three ermine
spots all counterchanged.
PLOGOFF, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Azure
on a mount issuant from which there is a sun in his splendour a lighthouse ermine
with rays or.
PLOGONNEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Azure
on a fess between in chief three crowns in fess and in base three ermine spots
also in fess or a lion passant gardant gules.
PLOMELIN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Argent
a dragon rampant gules collared ermine a bordure vert.
PLOMEUR, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Per
fess argent two Phrygian bonnets gules and per pale gules and or.
PLOMODIERN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Vert
a bishop's mitre argent ribonned between in the flanks two stalks or and in
base a fish fesswise of the second in base a terrace wavy azure fimbriated on
the upper side also of the second a chief wavy ermine.
PLONEIS, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Azure
three bars wavy debased overall on the bars a deer passant or in chief on a
pale surrounded by three concentric circles or an ermine spot sable.
PLONEOUR LANVERN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Per
fess or two lion's heads erased gules langued azure and gules a garb or banded
ermine.
PLONEVEZ PORZAY, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Quarterly
first azure the figures of the Virgin and Child or second vert three stalks
or third vert on a bend argent three ermine spots bendwise sable fourth azure
a fess engrailed on the upper side argent overall a cross argent.
PLONEVEZ DU FAOU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Or
on a torteau between a wreath vert a lion passant or on a chief sable seven
lozenges conjoined argent that in the centre charged with an ermine spot sable.
PLOUAGAT, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
De gueules à une fasce d'argent, accompagnée de trois quintefeuilles du même.
Gules a fess between three cinquefoils argent(94).
These were the arms of Eder, seigneurs from about 1422-1463. They are found on a seal of 1435.
PLOUARET, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Lannion.
Bandé d'or et de sable de six pièces, à un franc-quartier vairé d'argent et de gueules.
Bendy of six sable and or a canton vairy of four argent and gules(95).
The arms date from an ecclesiastical document dated 1616, but there was no other explanation.
PLOUARZEL, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest
Per
fess wavy per pale or an escallop argent and azure a demi sun with rays or and
vert a sable spot ermine between two stalks conjoined or.
PLOUASNE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Gules four bendlets argent(96).
PLOUAY, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Vert
a pall or a chief ermine a bend wavy azure.
There was no further information. The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
A bend wavy in French civic heraldry usually represents a river.
PLOUBALAY, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
D'argent à la bande de gueules chargée de trois mâcles d'or et surmontée d'un lion de gueules armé, lampassé et couronné d'or.
Argent on a bend gules three mascles bendwise or in sinister chief a lion rampant gules armed langued and crowned or(97).
There was no explanation for the derivation of the arms.
See the entry on Merdrignac, Côtes-du-Nord, for a comment on the lion; and Saint-Nicolas-du-Pélem, Côtes-du-Nord, for the bend.
PLOUDALMEZEAU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Parti
au 1er d'hermine, au 2e coupé d'azur à dix sonnettes d'argent
posées 4,3,2,1 et fascé d'or et de gueules.
Per pale ermine and per fess azure ten hawk's bells argent and barry of six or and gules.
The arms on the sinister are those of Kerlech and Le Chastel, former seigneurs.
The illustration shows five bells in saltire. The bells are also termed grelots in French blazon.
PLOUDANIEL, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Per
fess dancetty vert three cinquefoils in fess argent seeded or and or a stag's
head caboshed sable.
PLOUDIRY, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Or
an oak tree eradicated dable fructed gules.
PLOUER-LANGROLAY-SUR-RANCE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Quarterly first and fourth gules six roses or? 3,2,1 second and third argent a saltire cantonned by four billets gules(98).
See also the entry on Caulnes, Côtes-du-Nord.
PLOUESCAT, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Gules two cartouches conjoined with bands sable and ensigned by a crown or the dexter argent a lion rampant sable the sinister argent a pine tree vert supported by two stags rampant affronty sable all within a bordure or.
The
cartouches, which are depicted as oval inescutcheons, bear the arms of Vieux-Châtel
and 
Nouel.
There is no explanation for these unusual arms, which date from at least 1874,
but it seems to be a device for combining two coats into one. The illustration
on the left is from a postcard, and it is interesting to note the mistaken change
in tincture in the arms as shown on the notepaper of the Mairie.
PLOUEZOCH, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Sable
fretty or a bordure engrailed gules.
PLOUFRAGAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
D'azur à trois coquilles d'argent au chef cousu de gueules chargé de trois mâcles d'or.
Azure three escallops argent a chief gules three mascles in fess or.
These
were the arms of Ploufragan, seigneurs in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
The illustration was provided by the commune.
Other information gave:
Argent three escallops or (sic) a canton gules(99).
The illustration is in black and white but all are clearly shown by hatching. The canton hides one of the escallops.
PLOUGASTEL DAOULAS , Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Per
saltire first and fourth azure an escallop proper second and third vert an apple
gules.
PLOUGONVELIN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Vert
a seahorse argent on a chief wavy or three trefoils slipped argent.
PLOUGOULM, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Gules
a dove volant holding in its beak a twig vert on a chief argent five ermine
spots sable.
PLOUGOURVEST, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Per
fess dancetty the points ending in trefoils of two vert and or in base two crosses
sable.
PLOUGUERNEAU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Or
a fess gules overall on a bend vert three plates a chief ermine.
PLOUGRAS, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Argent a cross paty gules(100).
The blazon can be looked at another way, as though it were a field gules with four curved pointed charges argent issuant in each canton.
The French often blazon it in this fashion, as perhaps in the above example, de gueules à quatre otelles d'argent. The otelle has several meanings in French blazon apart from the above: a peeled almond; a the head of a pike or spear; and a tear, French larme. They are all rare. Although I have never seen an example, the English blazon is said to be a bottom or spindle(101).
See the Glossary under the entry on otelle for further information.
PLOUGUENAST, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a saltire or(102).
Although these arms appear in BIM, the Mairie states that the commune does not possess arms. This is not an unusual anomaly in French civic heraldry. A commune will sometimes be ignorant that it bears arms, or sometimes will reject them for any one of a variety of reasons.
PLOUHA, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Per pale gules seven mascles 3,3,1 or dimidiating azure seven bezants 3,3,1 a chief or(103).
The effect of the dimidiated coat is to show two whole and three halves of the charges on each side of the shield.
PLOUHINEC, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Per
bend sinister gules a garb or and vert a fish fesswise or overall a bend sinister
ermine.
PLOUHINNEC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
bend vert a squirrel or and azure a fish or overall on a bend the lower edge
wavy gules a standing stone in chief or overall on the shield azure the representation
of a suspension bridge sable (sic).
PLOUIDER, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Per
pale or in chief an ermine spot in base a bull's head sable and azure in chief
an ermine spot in base a bull's head argent overall on a latin cross couped
a Roman sword in pale the point downwards sable.
PLOUIGNEAU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Vert a celtic cross or.
The
design for the arms has not yet been completed, although it is likely that the
commune will adopt them at some time in the future. Written
in 1987. The illustration of the proposed arms was provided by the Mairie.
Plouigneau means the town of Igneau, an Irish saint, who was later supplanted by Saint Ignatius of Antioch. The arms allude to the original saint.
This is the only example that I know of a celtic cross in French civic heraldry, although the harp, another Irish emblem, occasionally appears.
PLOUMILLIAU, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Argent a lion passant gardant in chief three escallops in fess sable(104).
The arms of Trévou-Tréguignec, Côtes-du-Nord, also bear the lion passant sable.
PLOUMOGUER, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest
Per
fess per fess wavy or in base a sun issuant gules and azure and vert in the
flanks two garbs or overall an escutcheon azure a fish in pale a bordure embattled
in chief argent.
PLOUNEVENTER, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Argent
three chevrons azure overall an escutcheon per pale azure two bars curved in
opposing directions between two fleurs de lis or and or a stalk in pale or (sic)
overall a horse's head contourned sable.
PLOUNEVEZEL, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Per
pale or and gules overall two wings conjoined counterchanged.
PLOUNEVEZ LOCHRIST, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix
Per
saltire first argent an ermine spot sable second or a lion's head erased sable
third or a lion's head erased azure fourth sable a lion's head erased argent
overall a saltire gules.
PLOUVIEN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Or
a lion rampant sable crowned or (sic) holding a crozier or (sic) the stock ending
in the letter P argent.
PLOUZANE, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Or
a window and gate on two flaunches gules dexter a microscope sinister an ear
of wheat in pale or a chief embattled argent three ermine spots sable.
This is a very complicated blazon. The arms have been designed, I think quite recently, with a knowledge of heraldry and an intention to use as much symbolism as possible.
The effect of the blazon is to indicate a ruined tower by the use of flaunches, which are rare in French heraldry. There are four merlons in the embattled chief, representing four former forts. The three ermine's tails are the three constituent parts of the commune; the miscroscope indicates local industry; and the ear of wheat is a symbol of agriculture.
The chief has more the appearance of a label placed on the edge of the shield(105).
PLOVAN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Or
a closed helm of the field with crest a lion passant and mantling gules in chief
four torteaux on a chief engrailed gules three ermine spots or.
PLOZEVET, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Or
a three masted sailing ship in chief two ermine points gules on a pile gules
a ... between three bezants.
PLUGUFFAN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Azure
a stag salient or a bordure vaire gules and argent.
PLUHERLIN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Quarterly
first argent a cross azure second gules in chief a mallet bendwise in base a
rivet? in pale or third gules a standing stone or fourth argent a mill also
argent(sic) with millwheel sable in base two bars wavy azure.
PLUMELEC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Or
two pallets with points and extensions in chief to the flanks also with points
azure the dexter extension charged with three ermine points and the sinister
with three fish fessfise in pale argent overall a crozier in pale argent (sic).
It is almost impossible to ascribe a comprehensible blazon to these arms.
PLUMELIAU, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Azure
a sword in pale the point uppermost argent between seven roses 1,2,2,2 or.
PLUMELIN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Azure
a saltire between in chief in the flanks three garbs and in base a mascle or.
PLUMERGAT, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Quarterly
or and gules a bordure engrailed componny counterchanged.
These are apparently the same arms as Pluvigner, below.
PLUSQUELLEC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Guincamp.
Chevronny of six argent and gules(106).
PLUVIGNER, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Ecartelé de gueules et d'or chargé d'un écusson engrêlé écartelé d'or et de gueules.
Quarterly or and gules a bordure engrailed counterchanged.
The arms were of those of the seigneur de Brech, which is now a commune forming part of Pluvigner. The date of the arms is unknown.
The
French blazon does not make heraldic sense, since there is no such thing as
an inescutcheon engrailed; the charge is a bordure, and the French blazon would
normally include à une bordure de l'un et l'autre to show the
counterchanged tinctures. This is one of the few coats with counterchanged tinctures
in French civil heraldry.
The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
These are apparently the same arms as Plumergat, above.
PONT AVEN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Azure
a bridge of two arches or masonned sable between in chief two wheels of the
second and in base on a plate a lymphad gules with sail ermine.
PONT DE BUIS LES QUIMERCH , Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Gules
a single arched bridge between four mullets or.
PONT-CROIX, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
D'azur
au lion morné d'argent.
Azure a lion rampant without teeth tongue and claws argent.
Before 1406, the lion was armed and langued.
Although there is no explanation for the change in the arms, I believe that it may have been because the seigneur Alain de Tyvarlan died in 1384 without a male heir. His daughter married Jean de Rosmadec in 1391, and it would have been a visual pun to show the lion without teeth and claws in this way.
PONT-L'ABBE, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Or a lion rampant gules armed and langued azure.
The
arms were adopted at some time during the last century. The illustration is
from the cover of the Bulletin Municipal, provided by the Mairie.
This is the same as the lion of Scotland, but with no evidence of a link between them. In addition, the arms are shown on the municipal brochure as armed and langued gules, although this may not be accurate(107).
PONTHOU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Per
pile or in chief a cross paty gules in base a horn azure and azure overall two
triple arched bridges fesswise counterchanged.
PONT-SCORFF, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Azure a bridge of three arches in the form of a chevron argent in sinister chief three bezants 2,1 a canton or a cross couped gules on a terrace in base of the field (sic) a mascle or.
There
was no further information. The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité
de Tourisme.
In order that the field and the terrace in base be separate, the drawing shows them divided by a line.
PONTIVY, Morbihan. Arrondissement.
De gueules aux neuf mâcles d'or, trois, trois, trois.
Gules nine mascles or.
The
arms were those of the seigneurs, Rohan, and were ascribed by the Armorial Général
in 1698. The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
Pontivy was the capital of the duché de Rohan. It is said that the family adopted the mascles because of the spectacular geological formations which are common in the area around Pontivy. For a geological reference, see the entry on Loudéac, Côtes-du-Nord.
But, the following also appear:
Azure
a three arched bridge chevron shaped argent masoned sable between in chief two
lozenges argent and in base a fleur de lis sable (sic)(108).
These arms were drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
PONTRIEUX, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
De gueules à une croix engrêlée d'or.
Gules a cross engrailed or(109).
These were the arms of the vicomtes de Quemper-Gueguennec.
PORCARO, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Gules
a heron argent with beak and legs sable.
PORT-LOUIS, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
D'azur à l'ancre d'argent, surmonté de trois fleurs de lis d'or.
Azure an anchor argent in chief three fleurs de lis or.
There
was no further information. The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité
de Tourisme.
PORT-NAVALO, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent
a two masted sailing ship sable with sails azure on a sea vert a chief argent
five ermine spots in fess sable(110).
There was no information from the commune, but the illustration is taken from a sticker of 1989.
POULDOURAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Azure nine billets or overall a canton gules a lion rampant argent?(111) .
The illustration is in black and white. See also the entry on Caulnes, Côtes-du-Nord.
POULLAN SUR MER , Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Azure
a cross the ends paty argent overall a garb or banded gules on a chief argent
three ermine spots sable.
PRIMELIN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper
Per
pile reversed or three ermine spots sable an orle of hurts and azure a key the
wards downwards and inwards and a ... in saltire or.
PRIZIAC, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Per
fess per pale sable a cross engrailed argent and gules a crozier or and argent
two bars wavy azure a mill wheel issuant from the lower bar sable.
QUERRIEN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Vert
a stalk in pale argent between in the flanks two pallets wavy argent on a chief
argent a celtic cross vert between two ermine spots sable.
QUESTEMBERT, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
D'or au châtaignier de sinople, futé de sable et fruité du champ.
Or a horse chestnut tree vert with trunk sable fructed of the field.
The
chestnut is a rebus, since the name of the town is derived from the Breton kistem,
châtaigne. The arms were adopted at the beginning of this century.
The illustration on the left is from a hand-coloured drawing, provided by the Mairie; on the right, from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme, the tree is vert throughout, and rests upon an artistic impression of the ground.
QUIBERON, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
D'azur à une ancre de marine d'or dont la tige retient une vergue du même, pavillonnée à dextre d'argent, la vergue retenant une voile triangulaire d'or chargée de trois fleurs de gueules, au chef de gueules à l'hermine passant argent portant son mantel d'hermine doublé d'or.
Azure an anchor the stock in the form of a mast or with
a flag to the dexter argent overall a sail of the second charged with three
fleurs
de lis gules a chief gules an ermine passant argent with a scarf ermine.
The
arms were adopted in 1974, and have no particular historical significance. See
also the entry on Carhaix-Plouguer, Finistère. The illustration on the
left is from a postcard provided by the Mairie; on the right, from a map provided
by the Comité de Tourisme.
But, the following also appear: 
Azure on a bend wavy argent four ermine spots fesswise sable in base three mullets of the second overall a mermaid also of the second with hair and tail or playing pipes argent(112).
This illustration is from a sticker of 1989.
QUIMPER, Finistère. Chef-lieu du Département.
D'azur
au bélier passant d'argent, onglé et accorné d'or, au chef
d'hermines.
Azure a ram passant argent unguled and horned or a chief ermine.
The image on the left was drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
The
arms were registered in the Armorial Général. The illustration
on the left was provided by 
the
Commission Départementale de l'Héraldique, and was designed by
Robert Louis. That on the right is from the letterhead of the Mairie, and shows
the ram as a ewe.
QUIMPERLE, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Ermine
a cock gules beaked membered and combed or.
The image on the left was drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
The
illustration supplied by the Commission Départementale de l'Héraldique
shows the beak as argent.
QUINTIN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
D'argent au chef de gueules, chargé d'un lambel d'or à trois pendants(113).
Argent a chief gules charged with a label of three points dovetailed or.
The Armorial Général ascribed the above, without the label.
It was proposed in 1815 to add three weaver's shuttles to the arms in recognition of the weaving industry. Sadly, this industry then collapsed and the project was dropped. Later, the label was added, perhaps because a document with this difference had been discovered, or simply because there had already been a desire to add to the arms, and the label was coincidental.
QUISTINIC, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Per
pale vert three ... or and per pale wavy gules semy de lis overall a shrine
or and or.
I cannot identify the charges in the dexter part of the shield.
RADENAC, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Quarterly
first argent three ermine spots in bend sable second gules five mascles in cross
or third sable a dexter hand or fourth vert a church sable (sic) and in base
a bar wavy azure (sic) overall on the shield the representation of the map of
Morbihan.
REGUINY, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Quarterly
first gules nine mascles conjoined or second argent a bend wavy azure between
three trefoils slipped vert third ermine fourth vert a cockerel or overall on
the shield an escutcheon azure a crozier in plae or.
REDON, Ille-et-Vilaine. Arrondissement.
Azure
a sailing ship on a sea argent a chief ermine(114).
I have no further information. The arms on the left are from the original design by Robert Louis, and those on the left were drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
RELECQ KERHUON , Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Azure
a fishing boat sable with deck or on a chief argent five sable spots ermine.
The boat is in fact a device which is pushed by the fisherman through shallow water. I do not know the name.
RENNES, Ille-et-Vilaine. Siège de la Région.
Palé
de six pièces d'argent et de sable; au chef d'argent chargé de
cinq mouchetures d'hermine(115).
Paly of six argent and sable a chief argent five ermine spots sable.
The are shown here were designed by Robert Louis.
There was no explanation for the derivation of the arms, although they appear to be symbolic of Bretagne: sable and argent are the colours of the région and appear on flags; the chief bears the arms of the former province, although here the number of ermine spots is specified.
They
are depicted in monochrome on a postage stamp of France(116).
RIANTEC, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Azure
on a chevron argent between in chief two eagles displayed and in base a shrine
or three ermine spots sable.
RIEC SUR BELON , Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Or
on a fess wavy azure between in chief an ermine spot sable between two mascles
of the second and in base a dragon rampant gules three sea shells argent.
RIEUX, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Azure
ten bezants.
LA ROCHE-BERNARD, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Or a double headed eagle displayed sable beaked langued and membered gules.
There
was no further information, although these striking arms are obviously seigneurial
in origin.
The illustration is from a map provide by the Comité de Tourisme.
LA ROCHE-DERRIEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, Lannion.
D'argent à un lion de gueules(117).
Argent a lion rampant gules.
There is no real explanation for the arms, except that the unnamed seigneurs of the town bore a leopard on a seal dating from 1203.
ROCHEFORT-EN-TERRE, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Vairy of four or and argent.
There
was no further information. although the arms are probably seigneurial in origin.
The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
See the Glossary for a discussion on beffroi, vair, and menu-vair.
ROCHE MAURICE , Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Quarterly
first azure a tower argent second and third or a lion rampant sable fourth azure
a triple arched bridge in base fish fess wise argent overall an escutcheon gules
nine mascles conjoined or.
Fo the escutcheon, see Rohan below.
ROC SAINT ANDRE , Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Tierced
ermine per pale argent a shovel a miner's helmet and a pick fesswise in pale
sable and gules a saltire couped or and azure a three arched bridge argent masonned
sable.
ROHAN, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Gules nine mascles conjoined or.
The are the arms of the family of Rohan. A further source gives their arms as:
Ecartelé: au 1er, de gueules aux neuf mâcles d'or, qui est de Rohan; au 2e, de gueules aux rais d'escarboucle pommetés d'or, qui est de Navarre; au 3e, de France, au bâton alésé componé d'argent et de gueules, qui est d'Evreux; au 4e, d'hermine, qui est de Bretagne. Sur le tout d'argent à la guivre à l'enfant issant, de gueules, qui est de Milan.
Which branch of the Rohan family these arms refer to is not indicated.
In
an illustration from a map of the département, provided by the Comité
de Tourisme, the mascles are not depicted conjoined. This may be an attempt
to difference the arms from those of Pontivy, Morbihan, which also bears the
arms of Rohan.
However, it is not unusual to find such variations, sometimes because the design has been taken from different drawings of the arms.
ROSCANVEL, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
D'azur
au pignon de quatre degrés d'or mouvant de la pointe de l'écu
et chargé d'une moucheture d'hermine de gueules.
Per chevron embattled azure and or an ermine spot gules.
It is said, although not explained, that the gules and or are a reference to the battle against the Spanish in 1594, when Frobisher was grievously wounded.
In French pignon is the gable end of a house. Here the blazon is best rendered by per chevron embattled, although French blazon views the pignon as a charge, always of so many degrees, which is not easy to put into English.
ROSCOFF, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Azure
on waves a three masted sailing ship argent the sails ermine a chief ermine.
ROSPORDEN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
D'hermine
au filet en barre de gueules, au chef d'azur.
Ermine a bendlet sinister gules a chief azure.
The arms were adopted in 1981. They are those of Jean de Bretagne, a bastard of John III of Bretagne; the chief azure is a reference to the local lake.
It is interesting to come across a genuine use of the bend sinister to denote bastardy. See also the entry on Ile-de-Bréhat, Côtes-du-Nord.
ROSTRENEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Ermine three bars gules(118).
There is a legend which is said to explain the derivation of the arms. During a battle between the Bretons and the Normands, when the Breton defence was weakening, a Breton knight smeared his shield with the blood from his hand and did not leave the field until the battle was won. In recognition of this the duc de Bretagne granted the arms of Bretagne with the three pallets gules.
This explanation of the bloody hand marking the shield in battle is relatively common in heraldic legend(119). In France, the arms of Rousillon have a similar story attached to them.
There is no indication of the date or name of the seigneur. See also the entry on Trébrivan, Côtes-du-Nord.
RUFFIAC, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Azure
a cross engrailed or in dexter chief a ram's head caboshed or an escutcheon
gules three swords the points downwards or.
LE SAINT , Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Argent
a tree eradicated vert between in base two ermine spots sable a chief gules
seven billets voided 4,3 argent.
SAINT ALLOUESTRE , Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Per
fess azure a fish in fess holding a ring in its mouth or and ermine.
SAINT ANNE D'AURAY , Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Azure
a mount of three peaks sable fimbriated or surmounted by a dexter arm issuant
from the sinister flank holding a candle argent enflamed gules nimbed or.
SAINT-AUBIN-D'AUBIGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
Parti au 1er de gueules à quatre fusées d'argent rangées en fasce et accompagnées de six besants du même, au 2e fuselé d'or et de sinople, à la filière d'argent et au filet du même posé en pal.
Per pale gules four fusils conjoined in fess argent between six plates also in fess and fusilly or and vert overall a bordure and a pallet of the second.
There
having been no record of arms of the commune, these were designed and adopted
in 1981. The dexter half bears the arms of d'Aubigné, seigneur under
the ancien régime, while the sinister half is evocative of the diversified
activities of the commune.
The illustration is from the letterhead of the mairie.
SAINT-AUBIN-DU-CORMIER, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Fougères.
Checky azure and argent a canton ermine.
These
were the arms of Pierre de Dreux, known by the English as Mauclerc, because
he repudiated the clergy. See the section on the history of the région,
above.
The illustration is from the letterhead of the Mairie.
SAINT AVE, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
pale gules a fleur de lis between three crescents or and arhent three cinquefoils
gules.
SAINT-BRICE-EN-COGLES, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Fougères.
Paly of six gules and argent.
These are the arms of the family of Saint-Brice, and appear on a seal of 1248. On this seal, however, the tinctures are reversed.
SAINT-BRIEUC, Côtes-du-Nord. Chef-lieu du Département.
D'azur
au griffon rampant d'or, arme et lampasse de gueules(120).
Azure a griffin rampant or armed and langued gules.
The griffin is rare in French civic heraldry, although examples occur in the arms of Massiac, Cantal; Asfeld, Ardennes; and Laguiole, Aveyron.
The image on the left was drawn by Robert Louis; that on the right by Philippe Castagnary.
SAINT BRIEUC DE MAURON, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Ermine
a lion rampant gules.
SAINT BRIGITTE, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Ermine
a tower or masonned sable a canton gules a mascle or.
SAINT-CARADEC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules nine mascles argent(121).
See also Saint-Etienne-du-Gue-de-l'Isle.
SAINT- ... -LA-GUILDE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Per pale ermine and azure semy de lis or overall an inescutcheon argent a bell ...(122).
The illustration is indistinct, and I cannot identify the commune.
SAINT-DENOUAL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Gules eleven billets 4,3,4 or(123).
See also the entry on Caulnes, Côtes-du-Nord.
SAINT DERRIEN , Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Per
chevron reversed or a closed helm or (sic) mantled with a crest a lion rampant
between two ermine spots sable.
SAINT ELOY , Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest
Or
a tree eradicated vert wound with a ribbon gules between three horse shoes reversed
two in the flanks one in base sable.
SAINT EVARZEC , Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Gules
on a mound sable surmounted by a castle triple towered issuant argent masonned
sable a ... of the third.
SAINT-ETIENNE-DU-GUE-DE-L'ISLE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules nine mascles overall a bend argent(124).
SAINT-EVARZEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Gules a castle triple towered argent masoned on a mount in base sable a ... in fess of the second.
The arms were noted on a road sign in August 1989.
The charge on the mount is impossible to blazon, and appears to be a representation of a local antiquity. It ressembles a stone or a club lying on its side carved with the crucifixion surrounded by the rays of a nimbus, and with a wreath around the middle of the stone.
SAINT GILDAS DE RHUYS, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
on a bend between a thistle? argent and a crozier in pale or three ermine spots
sable.
SAINT GORGON, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
two bendlets argent overall an ermine spot between two croziers in pale or.
SAINT GRAVE, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
a chevron between three lozenges or.
SAINTE HELENE, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Per
pale azure a shell argent and per fess or an ermine spot sable and vert a horse
shoe reversed argent overall a crane in his vigilance on a mount argent.
SAINT-JEAN-BREVELAY, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Quarterly first sable a crozier in pale or second argent three mascles or third vair fourth sable a cock argent.
There
was no further information. The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité
de Tourisme.
SAINT JEAN TROLIMON , Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Gules
a sheep passant or on a chief or a cross paty between two ermine spots gules.
SAINT LAURENT, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Quarterly
first and fourth gules five bezants in saltire second and third vert a cross
moline or.
SAINT-MALO, Ille-et-Vilaine. Arrondissement.
De
gueules à la herse d'or mouvant de la pointe de l'écu, sommée
d'une hermine passante d'argent, lampassée de sable, accolée et
bouclée d'or, cravatée d'hermine(125).
Gules a portcullis issuant in base or ensigned by an ermine passant argent langued sable gorged of the second with a scarf ermine.
There was no further information.
The portcullis, unusually, has the points uppermost.
The arms on the left were designed by Robert Louis and those on the left were drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
See also the entry on Vannes, Morbihan.
SAINT MALO DE BEIGNON, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent
on a cross azure between in dexter chief and sinister base two ermine spots
sable a crozier in pale overall a bishop's mitre or.
SAINT MALO DES TROIS FONTAINES, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent
on a fess gules between in chief a lion passant gardant azure and in base three
ermine spots 2,1 sable three fountains? or.
SAINT MARTIN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. ?
Azure
the figure of Saint Martin sharing his cloak with a beggar proper a chief ermine.
SAINT MARTIN DES CHAMPS , Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Per
chevron gules five bezants 3,2 and argent a wheel gules.
SAINT-MAUDAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent a saltire gules(126).
SAINT MEEN , Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest
Azure
the figure of the Virgin seated and the Child or .
SAINT-MEEN-LE-GRAND, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
Gules three inescutcheons argent three ermine spots sable.
The arms appear on a seal of the town, but no date is given.
SAINT-NICOLAS-DU-PELEM, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
D'argent à une bande de gueules, chargée de trois mâcles d'or.
Argent on a bend gules three mascles bendwise or(127).
These
were the arms of the family of Pélem, although no dates were given. The
Armorial Général ascribed a sailing ship on a plain field. The
illustration was provided by the commune.
Ploubalay, Côtes-du-Nord, has the same arms, differenced.
SAINT NOLFF, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes
Vairy
or and sable a canton gules an eagle displayed argent.
SAINT PABU , Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Sable
two bezants on a pall azure fimbriated argent a bezant and in chief a papal
tiara between two ermine spots or.
SAINT PHILIBERT, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Azure
a lymphad argent the sail charged with three ermine spots sable a chief or three
shells vert.
SAINT PIERRE QUIBERON, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Per
pale gules two keys in saltire the wards upwards and outwards that below or
that above argent and azure a lymphad argent on a terrace wavy vert
overall a chief ermine.
SAINT POL DE LEON , Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Per
pale or a lion rampant sable holding in its paws a crozier gules and ermine
a boar rampant sable collared or holding a quiver with three arrows gules.
SAINT-QUAY-PORTRIEUX, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent a single masted sailing ship with a pennon and the mast enfiladed by a crown gules a champagne wavy azure a chief azure the head of a crozier issuant between six ermine spots 2,1 and 2,1(128).
See the note on Tréguier, Côtes-du-Nord.
SAINT-RENAN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Or
a horse rampant sable.
There was no further information.
The horse is a comparatively rare heraldic charge, and this is the only example that I have come across in the région.
SAINT SAUVEUR , Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Argent
twp pallets azure overall an escutcheon vert a stalk in pale or.
SAINT SEGAL , Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Vert
a horse statant bridled argent on a chief argent three ermine spots sable overall
on the chief an arrow fesswise gules.
See the entry on Tréméoc, below.
SAINT-THEGONNEC, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
De
sinople au loup passant d'argent, animé, armé et lampassé
de gueules, au chef d'argent chargé de trois croisettes de gueules.
Vert a wolf passant argent armed and langued gules a chief argent three crosslets in fess gules.
There was no further information, but, interestingly the illustration, on a sticker provided by the commune, was attached to the arms of Bretagne, which were shown as:
Sable four bars argent a canton ermine.
The arms of Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine, are similar, with a chief instead of the canton.
SAINT THURIAU, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Sanguine
(sic) on a chevron between in dexter chief a trefoil slipped in sinister chief
a horse shoe reversed and in base a fir tree eradicated argent three ermine
spots sable.
The only example, as far as I know of arms which are deliberately painted sanguine.
SAINT VINCENT SUR OUST, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Or
in chief an ermine spot and in base two bendlets azure a canton vert a branch
of bracken or.
SARZEAU, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Per
pale azure three fleurs de lis or and ermine overall a chief gules a three masted
sailing ship argent.
There
was no further information from the commune. The illustration is from a map
provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
For reasons of design the fleurs de lis are not distributed in the normal 2,1 fashion, but appear one in dexter chief, one in sinister flank and one in dexter base.
SCAER, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Or
a pale wavy azure between two crosses per pale per fess and per saltire all
sable on a chief azure a ram's head caboshed or between to battleaxes palewise
addorsed argent.
SENE, Morbihan. Commune arr. Vannes.
Per
pale one third and two thirds vert a heron on a terrace wavy argent and azure
a fishing boat sable with two sails gules overall a on a chief argent five ermine
spots sable.
SERENT, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Or
three cinquefoils sable.
SIZUN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Azure
seven ermine spots 3,3,1 sable on a bordure vert eight bezants.
SPEZET, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Sable
a lion passant or on a chief dancetty or five ermine spots sable.
SULNIAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
pale or and ermine overall a cross paty gules.
TAULE, Finistère. Commune, arr. Morlaix.
Sable
in the flanks two ermine spots or on a pale or another sable on a chief or a
lion passant sable.
TELGRUC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Palé
d'argent et d'azur de six pièces au phénix d'or sur son immortalité
de même brochant sur le tout.
Paly of six argent and azure overall a phoenix on its pyre or.
The paly field is that of Rosmadec, former seigneurs, and the phoenix is a symbol of the liberation of the commune by the Americans in 1944. The symbolism is of the commune rising from the ashes.
This is a good modern example of arms being tastefully differenced to indicate an important event in the history of the commune. By using a recognisable symbol, there has been no need for the commune to ressort to unheraldic design.
THEIX, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
bend gules and argent four pallets azure overall on a bend azure five ermine
spots bendwise sable.
TINTENIAC, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Saint-Malo.
There was no information concerning arms of the commune, but those of Bannalec, Finistère, bear the chief of the family of Tinténiac, who were seigneurs. I have no evidence, however, that there is any link between the two communes.
TONQUEDEC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Gules nine annulets argent(129).
LE TOUR DU PARC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Per
fess per pale ermine and gules a cross or and azure billetty argent.
TOURCH, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper,
Argent
a boar passant sable armed of the field on a chif argent five ermine spots sable.
TRAMAIN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Azure a bend ermine bendwise(130).
For the purposes of design the ermine on the bend is placed at an angle. In this way, the tails may be clearly seen.
TREAL, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Gules
a crescent barry argent and azure a bordure engrailed argent.
TREBEURDEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Gules an ermine passant gorged argent with a scarf ermine in chief four escallops in fess and in base three ... or(131).
TREBRIVAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Guincamp.
Ermine three bars gules in chief a label of three points dovetailed azure(132).
These appear to be the differenced arms of Rostrenen, Côtes-du-Nord.
TREDION, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Ermine
two leaves bendwise vert a canton azure three fleurs de lis or overall on a
bordure gules nine bezants.
TREFFLEAN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Azure
ten bezants overall on a bend ermine a cross paty gules.
TREGARANTEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Vert
in dexter chief a tower sinister a cross couped or and in base a mitre argent
with ribbons of the second an escutcheon or a lion rampant sable.
A bordure or an escutcheon?
TREGARVAN, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Per
pile reversed vert a lymphad or and or.
TREGASTEL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Or a key in pale the wards upwards and to the dexter gules(133).
TREGLONOU, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Quarterly
first azure dexter a two masted sailing ship sinister a cliff argent surmounted
by a church or a canton ermine second quarterly or and azure a chief embattled
gules third vair fourth argent a wheel between three crosses sable overall on
the shield an escutcheon or a lion rampant sable.
This is an ambitious coat of arms for a commune of 600 inhabitants.
TREGOAT, Finistère. Commune, arr. ---
Gules
a lion rampant or in chief five ermine spots gules and six torteaux four in
the flanks and two in base.
I have been unable to identify this commune.
TREGOMAR, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent three battleaxes in pale sable(134).
See the entry on Concarneau, Finistère.
TREGUENNEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Gules
a wolf passant or on a chief azure five ermine spots or overall on the partition
line five bezants conjoined.
TREGUEUX, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a fess ermine between three cinquefoils or(135).
TREGUIER, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Lannion.
Azure a three masted sailing ship on a champagne wavy argent(136).
The French blazon is always happy to describe such arms as ...voguant sur une mer..., and to draw the sea in a naturalistic fashion. The Glossary gives further information on the champagne.
TREHOU, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Argent
a jug sable between three cinquefoils azure.
TRELEVERN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Bendy of six ermine and gules(137).
TREMARGAT, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Guincamp.
Per
pale ermine three bars gules and or a boar's head erased sable.
I have no further information.The image is from Ralf Hartemink.
TREMEOC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Gules
a horse passant or on a chief or three ermine spots overall on the chief three
arrows fesswise gules.
See the entry on Saint Ségal, above.
TREVENEUC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Vert a fess between three helms in profile argent(138).
LE TREVOUX, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Or
three church towers sable between in the flanks six roses gules slipped vert
the stalks crossing in saltire beneath each of the towers on a chief argent
five ermine spots sable.
TREVOU-TREGUIGNEC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Argent a lion passant gardant between six martlets one in chief two in each flank and one in base sable(139).
LA TRINITE-PORHOET, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Gules a tower roofed or masoned sable a canton ermine.
There
was no further information. The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité
de Tourisme.
LA TRINITE SUR MER, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Gules
three anchors in bend in bend sinister and in pale the stocks conjoined overall
an estoile of sixteen points or on a chief or an arched bridge sable overall
three shells? in fess gules.
UZEL, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Azure three bezants(140).
VANNES, Morbihan. Chef-lieu du Département.
De
gueules à une hermine au naturel, portant une écharpe semée
d'hermines, doublée d'or, enroulant le col et voltigeant sur son dos(141).
The arms on the left were drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
The
blazon provided by the commune described the blazon differently:
De gueules à une hermine passante d'argent, mouchetée de sable et accolée de la jarretière flottante de Bretagne.
Gules an ermine passant with a scarf ermine.
There was no further information. The illustration is from a map provided by the Comité de Tourisme.
The English blazon reflects my interpretation of the French.
Auray, Morbihan, bears the same arms, with a chief of France modern. See also the entry on Saint-Malo, Ille-et-Vilaine.
LA VRAIE CROIX, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Vert
a mill on a terrace ermine on a bordure or fourteen cinquefoils gules overall
a canton gules a patriarchal cross or jewelled proper.
VITRE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
De
gueules au lion d'argent, couronne d'or et arme de sable(142).
Gules a lion rampant argent crowned or armed sable.
These were the arms of the barons de Vitré, and this illustration was drawn by Philippe Castagnary.
YFFINIAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Or a lion rampant gules(143).
Identical coats are found in the sinister part of the arms of Maël-Carhaix, Côtes-du-Nord, and in Pont-l'Abbé, Finistère.
YVIGNAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Argent two bars sable(144).
THE COMMON EMBLEMS IN THE ARMS OF THE REGION
No other regional emblem, apart perhaps from the fleur de lis, has been used so extensively as ermine. I have distinguished between the fur, the ermine spot, which is sometimes used deliberately, and sometimes as an alternative to the fur, and the stoat itself, which is peculiar to Bretagne.
ERMINE (FUR)
In Côtes-du-Nord: Birnic, Dinan, Erquy, Fréhel, Lanvollon, Laurenon, Maël-Carheix, Moncontour, Tramain, Trégueux, and Trélévern.
In Finistère: Bannalec, Brest, Camaret, Lanvéoc, Moëlan-sur-Mer, Ploudalmézeau, and Quimper.
In Ille-et-Vilaine: Antrain, Dinard, Pipriac, Pleine-Fougères, Redon, and Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier.
In Morbihan: Bignan, Carnac, Gourin, Grand-Camp, Groix, Guémène-sur-Scorff, Hennebont, Josselin, Lorient, Muzillac, Plouay, Sarzeau, and La Trinité-Porhoët.
ERMINE (STOAT)
Auray, Qiberon, and Vannes, in Morbihan;
Saint-Malo, in Ille-et-Vilaine;
Trebeurden, in Côtes-du-Nord.
In each case the ermine is courant with a scarf ermine, which is described in the French blazon as écharpé.
ERMINE SPOT(S)
In Côtes-du-Nord: Coëtlogon and Saint-Quay-de-Portrieux.
In Finistère: Arzano, Douarnenez, Huelgoat, Lanmeur, Plabannec, Plogonnec, Plouzane, and Roscanvel.
In Ille-et-Vilaine:
Dol-de-Bretagne, Fougères, Guichen, Rennes, and Saint-Méen-le-Grand.
In Morbihan: Cléguéric, Lanester, Locminé, Pleumeur, Ploermel, and Port-Navalo.
BILLETS; see note on Caulnes.
Billets appear in the arms of several communes in Côtes-du-Nord: Caulnes; Evran; Langrolay-sur-Rance; Plaintel; Planguenoual; Plouer-Langroulay-sur-Rance; Pouldouran and Saint-Denoual.
MASCLES
These are normally associated with the arms of Rohan; see note on Pontivy.
In Côtes-du-Nord: Gonarec, Laurenon, Loudéac, Mûr-de-Bretagne, Plédran, Plérin, Ploubalay, Ploufragna, Plouha, Saint-Caradec, Saint-Etienne-du-Gué-de-l'Isle, and Saint-Nicolas-du-Pélem.
In Finistère: Arzano, Crozon, Landerneau, Landivisiau, and Lannilis.
In Ille-et-Vilaine: Montauban.
In Morbihan: Cléguérec, Guémène-sur-Scorff, Guer, Pont-Scorff, Pontivy, Rohan, and Saint-Jean-Brévelay.
THE ARMS OF SEIGNEURS IN THE REGION
ECCLESIASTIC
Abbaye de Bégard
Bégard, Côtes-du-Nord.
Abbaye de Lanvaux
Grand-Champ, Morbihan.
FEUDAL
Amboise
La Gacilly, Morbihan.
Avaugour
Châtelaudren, Côtes-du-Nord.
Aubigné, d'
Saint-Aubin-d'Aubigne, Ille-et-Vilaine.
Beaumanoir
Evran, Côtes-du-Nord.
Langrolay-sur-Rance, Côtes-du-Nord.
Beaumez
Guémène-sur-Scorff, Morbihan.
Blois et de la Frérie Blanche, Charles de
Guincamp, Côtes-du-Nord.
Le Borgne des Fosses
Plélan-le-Petit, Ille-et-Vilaine.
Brech
Pluvigner, Morbihan.
Bretagne, Jean de
Rosporden, Finistère.
Brosse, de
Lamballe, Côtes-du-Nord.
Châteaugiron, barons de
Châteaugiron, Ille-et-Vilaine.
Clisson
La Chèze, Côtes-du-Nord.
Dreux, Pierre de
Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier, Ille-et-Vilaine.
Eder
Plouagat, Côtes-de-Nord.
Goyon
Merdrignac, Côtes-du-Nord.
Janze, de
Bignan, Morbihan.
Kerlech
Ploudalmezeau, Finistère. and Le Chastel
Kermaven
Plabennec, Finistère.
Le Borgne des Fosses
Plélan-le-Petit, Côtes-du-Nord.
Le Chastel
Ploudalmezeau, Finistère.
Léon, vicomté de
Lesneven, Finistère.
Leshardre, Geoffroi de
Lézardrieux, Côtes-du-Nord.
Montauban
Montauban, Ille-et-Vilaine.
Montfort
Dinard, Ille-et-Vilaine.
Montfort-sur-Meu, Ille-et-Vilaine.
Mûr
Mûr-de-Bretagne, Côtes-du-Nord.
Muzillac
Muzillac, Morbihan.
Nouel
Plouescat, Finistère.
Pelem
Saint-Nicolas-du-Pelem, Côtes-du-Nord.
Plessis d'Angier
La Gacilly, Morbihan.
Penthièvre
Lamballe, Côtes-du-Nord.
Ploufragan
Ploufragan, Côtes-du-Nord.
Quemper-Gueguennec, vicomtes de
Pontrieux, Côtes-du-Nord.
Rieux
La Gacilly, Morbihan.
Rohan
Guémène-sur-Scorff, Morbihan.
Pontivy, Morbihan.
Rohan, Morbihan.
Rosmadec
Telgruc, Finistère.
Saint Brice
Saint-Brice-en-Cogles, Ille-et-Vilaine.
Tinteniac
Bannalec, Finistère.
Thouars
La Gacilly, Morbihan.
Thouars, Deux-Sèvres.
Vieux-Châtel and Nouel
Plouescat, Finistère.
Vitré, barons de
Vitré, Ille-et-Vilaine.
THE ARMS OF THE REGION IN ORDER OF THEIR BLAZON
The purpose of the list to to enable some comparative study to be made, although I have restricted it to contain only the arms of the communes themselves. I have not included seigneurial arms, where they are not those of the communes, nor the arms of départements, pays or provinces. The list is also incorporated into the Chapter: List of Arms, where the picture is as complete as I can make it.
... a sailing ship ... with sails ermine ... in chief two mullets ... and in base a tower ... CAMARET, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Argent a bend azure. L'HERMITAGE-LORGE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent a chevron between three mullets sable. PLESTIN-LES-GREVES, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Lannion.
Argent a chief gules charged with a label of three points dovetailed or. QUINTIN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent a chief gules. CHATELAUDREN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent a cross moline gules ... or. MONTFORT-SUR-MEU, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
Argent a cross paty gules. PLOUGRAS, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Argent a double headed eagle displayed sable overall a bend gules. BROONS, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Argent a fess ... between three ermine spots sable. LANMEUR, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Argent a fish in pale azure a chief gules three mascles ... GOUAREC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Argent a lion passant gardant between six martlets one in chief two in each flank and one in base sable. TREVOU-TREGUIGNEC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Argent a lion passant gardant in chief three escallops in fess sable. PLOUMILLIAU, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Argent a lion rampant crowned vert. DUAULT, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Guincamp.
Argent a lion rampant gules. LA ROCHE-DERRIEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Lannion.
Argent a saltire gules. SAINT-MAUDAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent a saltire sable cantonned by four roses gules. PLANCOET, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Argent a single masted sailing ship with a pennon and the mast enfiladed by a crown gules a champagne wavy azure a chief azure the head of a crozier issuant between six ermine spots 2,1 and 2,1. SAINT-QUAY-PORTRIEUX, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent a two masted sailing ship sable with sails azure on a sea vert a chief argent five ermine spots in fess sable. PORT-NAVALO, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Vannes.
Argent five fusils conjoined in fess throughout gules. LE FAOUET, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Argent on a bend gules three mascles bendwise or in sinister chief a lion rampant gules armed langued and crowned or. PLOUBALAY, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Argent on a bend gules three mascles bendwise or. SAINT-NICOLAS-DU-PELEM, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Argent on two arrows ... in saltire a heart ... between three banners pierced of the field? hanging downwards azure. DAOULAS, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Argent three battle axes in pale sable. TREGOMAR, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent three chevrons gules. CALLAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Argent three fleurs de lis gules. PENGUILLY, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Argent three mascles or. LANNILIS, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Argent three pine cones? gules? COLLINEE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Argent two bars nowed of two between nine martlets sable 4,4,1. MATIGNON, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Argent two bars sable. YVIGNAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Argent two battle axes addorsed in pale gules. BOURBRIAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Azure a bend ermine bendwise. TRAMAIN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Azure a bend gules semy of megaliths between in chief a sun in his splendour or and in base a sailing ship proper with sail ermine. CARNAC, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Lorient.
Azure a bridge of three arches in the form of a chevron argent in sinister chief three bezants 2,1 a canton or a cross couped gules on a terrace in base of the field (sic) a mascle or. PONT-SCORFF, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Azure a canton gules four mascles argent overall a cross engrailed or. MUR-DE-BRETAGNE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Azure a castle double towered argent a chief ermine. PLEINE-FOUGERES, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Saint-Malo.
Azure a castle double towered argent masoned and pierced sable with pennants or in base a fish in fess proper? CHATEAULIN, Finistère. Arrondissement.
Azure a castle double towered argent masoned and pierced sable in base a bar wavy of the second. CHATEAUNEUF-DU-FAOU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Azure a chevron or a chief ermine. GRAND-CHAMP, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Azure a dove rising argent cantonned by four alerions or. ALLAIRE, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Azure a four pointed star or a champagne engrailed argent. PLEUMEUR-BODOU, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Azure a griffin rampant or armed and langued gules. SAINT-BRIEUC, Côtes-du-Nord. Chef-lieu du Département.
Azure a key in pale the wards in the shape of an anchor downwards the ring in the shape of a lozenge pommety or. DOUARNENEZ, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Azure a lion passant gardant or. LE FAOU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Azure a lion rampant without teeth tongue and claws argent. PONT-CROIX, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Azure a paschal lamb bearing a banner or with the word ... LANNION, Côtes-du-Nord. Arrondissement.
Azure a ram passant argent unguled and horned or a chief ermine. QUIMPER, Finistère. Chef-lieu du Département.
Azure a sailing ship on a sea argent a chief ermine. REDON, Ille-et-Vilaine. Arrondissement.
Azure a single masted sailing ship or a champagne wavy argent a chief argent three ermine spots sable. PLOEMEUR, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Azure a sword in pale the point downwards argent pommelled or. GOUDELIN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Guincamp.
Azure a three masted sailing ship gules with sails or on the poop pennant gules nine mascles or on the main mast pennant ermine and on the mizzen mast pennant or a lion rampant sable. LANDERNEAU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Azure a three masted sailing ship in dexter base an anchor sinister bendwise argent. PAIMPOL, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Azure a three masted sailing ship on a champagne wavy argent. TREGUIER, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Lannion.
Azure a three masted sailing ship with masts or and sails ermine fifteen canon vert. HENNEBONT, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Azure an anchor argent in chief three fleurs de lis or. PORT-LOUIS, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Azure an anchor the stock in the form of a mast or with a flag to the dexter argent overall a sail of the second charged with three fleurs de lis gules a chief gules an ermine passant argent with a scarf ermine. QUIBERON, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Azure eight mascles or in orle overall an inescutcheon or (?) a lion rampant sable. LANDIVISIAU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Azure fretty argent overall in chief a crescent gules. PLELAN-LE-PETIT, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Azure nine billets or overall a canton gules a lion rampant argent? POULDOURAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Azure on a bend gules a mallet in pale between two trapezoid billets or. BELZ, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Azure on a chevron between in dexter chief a lion's head in sinister chief a wolf's head erased or armed and langued gules and in base a castle double towered of the second three annulets of the third. CHATEAUBOURG, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
Azure on a chevron or between in dexter chief a stag's head caboshed in sinister chief a pear tree eradicated and in base four mascles 1,2,1 or three ermine spots sable. CLEGUEREC, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Azure on a fess between in chief three crowns in fess and in base three ermine spots also in fess or a lion passant gardant gules. PLOGONNEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Azure seven lozenges argent. LANVALLAY, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Azure seven mascles 3,3,1 or a canton argent fretty gules. GUER, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Azure six annulets argent. LAMLOUP, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Azure ten billets 4,3,2,1 or. BAUD, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Azure ten billets argent voided of the field. CAULNES, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Azure ten billets argent. EVRAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Azure ten billets argent. LANGROLAY-SUR-RANCE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Azure ten billets argent. PLAINTEL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Azure three bendlets or. LANGOURLA, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Azure three bezants. UZEL, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Azure three escallops argent a chief gules three mascles in fess or. PLOUFRAGAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Azure three fusils in fess argent a chief gules three mascles or. LOUDEAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Azure three garbs or banded gules. LAMBALLE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Azure two fish fesswise in pale argent a chief ermine. BIRNIC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Barry of four argent and azure. GUINCAMP, Côtes-du-Nord. Arrondissement.
Barry of six argent and sable in chief three mullets of the third pierced of the second. LEZARDRIEUX, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Lannion.
Bendy of six ermine and gules. TRELEVERN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Bendy of six sable and or a canton vairy of four argent and gules. PLOUARET, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Lannion.
Checky argent and gules a bend ermine in base an anchor azure. LANVEOC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Checky azure and argent a canton ermine. SAINT-AUBIN-DU-CORMIER, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Fougères.
Chevronny of six argent and gules. PLUSQUELLEC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Guincamp.
Ermine a bend sinister gules. ILE-DE-BREHAT, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Ermine a bendlet sinister gules a chief azure. ROSPORDEN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Ermine a castle triple towered gules. JUGON-LES-LACS, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Ermine a cock gules beaked membered and combed or. QUIMPERLE, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Ermine a gusset azure in chief on a sailing ship ... with sails a crozier in pale or. LANDEVENNEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Ermine a lion rampant sable crowned azure holding in his dexter paw a flag of the second five ermine spots argent. PLOERMEL, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Ermine three bars gules in chief a label of three points dovetailed azure. TREBRIVAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Guincamp.
Ermine three bars gules. ROSTRENEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Ermine three battle axes palewise in fess gules. CONCARNEAU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Ermine three chevrons gules. PLOEUC-SUR-LIE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gironny of eight argent and gules. ETABLES-SUR-MER, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a bend argent. HILLIEU, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a bull rampant sable. CARHAIX-PLOUGUER, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Gules a castle triple towered argent masoned on a mount in base sable a ... in fess of the second. SAINT-EVARZEC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Gules a castle triple towered or a chief ermine. DINAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Arrondissement.
Gules a chief ermine. LANVOLLON, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a crescent argent between three escallops or. BELLE-ISLE-EN-TERRE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Gules a cresent vair. MAURE-DE-BRETAGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Redon.
Gules a cross engrailed or. PONTRIEUX, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Gules a fess between three cinquefoils argent. PLOUAGAT, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Gules a fess ermine between three cinquefoils or. TREGUEUX, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a lion passant gardant argent. BREHAND, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a lion passant gardant argent. MAURON, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Gules a lion rampant argent crowned or armed sable. VITRE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
Gules a lion rampant crowned argent a chief ermine. MONCONTOUR, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a lion rampant crowned argent. LA CHEZE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a lion rampant ermine. MUZILLAC, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Gules a lion rampant regardant or in the sinister chief a mullet argent. CORLAY, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a portcullis issuant in base or ensigned by an ermine passant argent langued sable gorged of the second with a scarf ermine. SAINT-MALO, Ille-et-Vilaine. Arrondissement.
Gules a saltire or. PLOUGUENAST, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules a stag passant or on a chief vert supported by a filet argent an ermine spot between two carp in fess affronty argent. HUELGOAT, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Gules a three masted sailing ship or with sails ermine and a flag azure three fleurs de lis of the second a champagne wavy azure. MORLAIX, Finistère. Arrondissement.
Gules a tower roofed or masoned sable a canton ermine. LA TRINITE-PORHOET, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Gules an ermine passant gorged argent with a scarf ermine in chief four escallops in fess and in base three ... or. TREBEURDEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Gules an ermine passant with a scarf ermine on a hurt three fleurs de lis. AURAY, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Gules an ermine passant with a scarf ermine. VANNES, Morbihan. Chef-lieu du Département.
Gules eleven billets 4,3,4 or. SAINT-DENOUAL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Gules five eight pointed stars 2,2,1 or pierced of the field. PLEMET, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules four bendlets argent. PLOUASNE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Gules nine annulets argent. TONQUEDEC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Gules nine bezants. MALESTROIT, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Gules nine mascles argent. SAINT-CARADEC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules nine mascles conjoined or. ROHAN, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Gules nine mascles or. PONTIVY, Morbihan. Arrondissement.
Gules nine mascles overall a bend argent. SAINT-ETIENNE-DU-GUE-DE-L'ISLE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules on a cross indented argent cantonned in chief by two mascles or a lion passant azure armed and langued ensigned by a crescent of the field surmounted by an ermine spot sable. ARZANO, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Gules on a fess argent between three wolf's heads erased or as many martlets sable. LES CHAMPS-GERAUX, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Gules seven mascles conjoined 3,3,1 gules a label of four points dovetailed argent. MONTAUBAN, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
Gules sinister a three masted sailing ship dexter three mounts argent a sun in his splendour issuant or a champagne wavy vert a canton ermine a chief azure bezanty. LORIENT, Morbihan. Arrondissemment.
Gules six billets or a chief azure three fleurs de lis or. PLANGUENOUAL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules three bars gobonny counter gobonny argent and azure. LE CAMBOUT, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules three inescutcheons argent each bearing three ermine spots sable. COETLOGON, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Gules three inescutcheons argent three ermine spots sable. SAINT-MEEN-LE-GRAND, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
Gules three lions passant gardant argent. LA GUERCHE-DE-BRETAGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
Gules two cartouches conjoined with bands sable and ensigned by a crown or the dexter argent a lion rampant sable the sinister argent a pine tree vert supported by two stags rampant affronty sable all within a bordure or. PLOUESCAT, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Gules two lions passant gardant or. PLESSIS-BALISSON, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Gules two pine trees vert overall a chevron argent a chief azure four ermine spots or. GUICHEN, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Redon.
Gules two towers the sinister higher than the dexter or pierced crenellated and masoned sable a canton azure ten bezants or. ELVEN, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Or a chief azure. CHATEAUGIRON, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
Or a chief indented sable. PLEUDIHEN-SUR-RANCE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Or a chief sable. EREAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Or a double headed eagle displayed sable beaked langued and membered gules. LA ROCHE-BERNARD, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Or a fern vert eradicated sable a chief argent three ermine spots sable. FOUGERES, Ille-et-Vilaine. Arrondissement.
Or a horse chestnut tree vert with trunk sable fructed of the field. QUESTEMBERT, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Or a horse rampant sable. SAINT-RENAN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Or a key in pale the wards upwards and to the dexter gules. TREGASTEL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Or a lion rampant crowned gules. MERDRIGNAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Dinan.
Or a lion rampant gules armed and langued azure. PONT-L'ABBE, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Or a lion rampant gules. YFFINIAC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Or a lion rampant sable armed and langued gules holding in his paws a banner azure staffed of the third bearing a fleur de lis or. LESNEVEN, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Or a lion rampant without tongue teeth and claws sable an inescutcheon gules three mascles or. CROZON, Finistère. Canton, arr. Châteaulin.
Or a window and gate on two flaunches gules dexter a miscroscope sinister an ear of wheat in pale or a chief embattled argent three ermine's tails sable. PLOUZANE, Finistère. Commune, arr. Brest.
Or seven mascles conjoined 3,1,3 azure. PLERIN, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Or seven mascles conjoined 3,3,1 azure. PLEDRAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Or three lozenges azure each charged with a billet argent an ermine spot sable a chief azure three fleurs de lis or. DOL-DE-BRETAGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Saint-Malo.
Or three owls sable. CAVAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Or two pallets azure overall two bars argent. BUHULIEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Paly of six argent and azure overall a phoenix on its pyre or. TELGRUC, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Paly of six argent and sable a chief argent five ermine spots sable. RENNES, Ille-et-Vilaine. Siège de la Région.
Paly of six gules and argent. SAINT-BRICE-EN-COGLES, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Fougères.
Per chevron barry wavy argent and azure and gules semy of ermine spots or. LANESTER, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Per chevron embattled azure and or an ermine spot gules. ROSCANVEL, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Per chevron enhanced azure two bezants and ermine. FREHEL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Per fess or a chevron gules between in chief two boar's heads couped and in base a greyhound passant sable and azure three bendlets ermine. BIGNAN, Morbihan. Commune, arr. Pontivy.
Per fess sable a lion passant gardant between in chief four and in base three escallops fesswise argent and gules fretty argent. PLENEUF-VAL-ANDRE, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Per fess wavy argent a demi-mermaid issuant proper and azure. BAIN-DE-BRETAGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Redon.
Per pale azure eight nails 2,1,2,1,2 in pale or and argent fretty azure overall a mace or overall a pallet of the second overall on a chief argent supported by a barrulet of the second seven ermine spots sable overall a bordure also of the second. LOCMINE, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Per pale azure three fleurs de lis or and ermine overall a chief gules a three masted sailing ship argent. SARZEAU, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Per pale azure three fleurs de lys or and ermine. BREST, Finistère. Arrondissement.
Per pale ermine and azure semy de lis or overall an inescutcheon argent a bell ... SAINT- ... -LA-GUILDE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Per pale ermine and azure the representation of the sky and sea azure a cliff vert on which stands a lighthouse argent lighted gules and a sailing boat of the third with sails of the fourth a bordure argent a chief argent a seal? and fish affronty also argent outlined sable overall an anchor sable. GROIX, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Per pale ermine and per fess azure ten hawk's bells argent and barry of six or and gules. PLOUDALMEZEAU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Per pale ermine three bars gules and or a lion rampant gules. MAEL-CARHAIX, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Per pale gules a lion rampant argent crowned armed and langued or and gules a castle triple towered or a canton ermine. JOSSELIN, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Per pale gules chains in fess and in saltire gules and azure three fleurs de lis or. BELLE-ILE, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Per pale gules four fusils conjoined in fess argent between six plates also in fess and fusilly or and vert overall a bordure and a pallet of the second. SAINT-AUBIN-D'AUBIGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Rennes.
Per pale gules seven mascles 3,3,1 or dimidiating azure seven besants 3,3,1 a chief or. PLOUHA, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Quarterly first and fourth a tower of three turrets supported by half a wheel argent second and third or a lion rampant azure overall a chief argent five ermine spots in fess sable. PLABENNEC, Finistère. Canton, arr. Brest.
Quarterly first and fourth argent five fusils conjoined in fess throughout gules second and third gules a cross paty or overall a chief ermine. GOURIN, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Quarterly first and fourth argent second and third azure a rose or. BEGARD, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Guincamp.
Quarterly first and fourth argent three bendlets gemelles gules second argent and amphora azure fourth argent a cogwheel azure voided of the field. CHARTRES-DE-BRETAGNE, Ille-et-Vilaine. Commune, arr. Rennes.
Quarterly first and fourth gules an eight pointed star argent pierced of the field second and third azure. PLEBEDEL, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Quarterly first and fourth gules six roses or? 3,2,1 second and third argent a saltire cantonned by four billets gules. PLOUER-LANGROLAY-SUR-RANCE, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Quarterly first and fourth gules three inescutcheons ermine second sable seven lozenges 3,3,1 argent voided of the field third argent three martlets sable. LAURENAN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Dinan.
Quarterly first argent a four pointed star gules cantonned by four torteaux second vert in dexter base a cross paty ensigned by an annulet sinister a crozier in pale or third vert three garbs or fourth argent a hunting horn the bell upwards gules. LAZ, Finistère. Commune, arr. Châteaulin.
Quarterly first azure semy de lis or a canton gules second vairy of two third paly of six or and gules fourth azure eight bezants 3,2,2,1. LA GACILLY, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Quarterly first gules nine mascles or second ermine third vert a bar wavy azure (sic) fourth gules a cross engrailed or. GUEMENE-SUR-SCORFF, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Quarterly first sable a crozier in pale or second argent three mascles or third vair fourth sable a cock argent. SAINT-JEAN-BREVELAY, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Pontivy.
Quarterly or and azure overall three crescents gules. COATREVEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Lannion.
Quarterly or and azure. PERROS-GUIRREC, Côtes-du-Nord. Canton, arr. Lannion.
Quarterly or and gules a bordure engrailed counterchanged. PLUVIGNER, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Sable a double headed eagle displayed argent beaked and membered gules. FOUESNANT, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Tierced per pale azure argent and gules a chief ermine. ANTRAIN, Ille-et-Vilaine. Commune, arr. Fougères.
Tierced per pall first gules three estoiles argent pierced of the field second ermine third or three fish fess wise 1,2 azure. MOELAN-SUR-MER, Finistère. Commune, arr. Quimper.
Vairy of four or and argent. ROCHEFORT-EN-TERRE, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Vannes.
Vairy of six. BULAT-PESTIVIEN, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Guincamp.
Vert a branch of broom with three flowers or a chief ermine a crescent gules. BANNALEC, Finistère. Canton, arr. Quimper.
Vert a celtic cross or. PLOUIGNEAU, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Vert a fess between three helms in profile argent. TREVENEUC, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Vert a mermaid or a chief ermine. ERQUY, Côtes-du-Nord. Commune, arr. Saint-Brieuc.
Vert a pall or a chief ermine a bend wavy azure. PLOUAY, Morbihan. Canton, arr. Lorient.
Vert a wolf passant argent armed and langued gules a chief argent three crosslets in fess gules. SAINT-THEGONNEC, Finistère. Canton, arr. Morlaix.
Vert an open book or in base three bars broken argent a chief ermine. PIPRIAC, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Redon.
Vert two pallets gules overall a cross ermine. DINARD, Ille-et-Vilaine. Canton, arr. Saint-Malo.
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
All works are cited in the main bibliography, but those of special importance to the study of the région are listed below:
de Bigne, Alexandre: Recueil de blasons de Bretagne, 1895.
Bulletins d'Information des Maires, Archives Départementales, Côtes-du-Nord, undated. Extracts from these, giving many coats of arms of the communes of the département, were sent to me in Correspondence. The illlustrations, in black and white, are by J P Cadic. In most cases, I have able to refer only to the illustrations, but some communes sent me photocopies of the text. The arms of the chefs-lieux des cantons were adopted in 1985, when they were painted in the chamber of the Conseil General.
de Courcy, Portier: Nobiliare et armorial de Bretagne, 1890.
APPENDIX
The following cantons do not possess a coat of arms:
FINISTERE
Guilvinec
Pleyben
Plogastel-Saint-Germain
Scaër
Of the 49 cantons which are towns in COTES-DU-NORD I could discover no information about the following:
Langueux
Of the 42 cantons which are towns in FINISTERE I could discover no information about the following:
Briec
Ouessant
Ploudiry
Plouzévédé
Pont-Aven
Saint-Pol-de-Léon
Sizun
Taulé
Of the 37 cantons which are towns in ILLE-ET-VILAINE I could discover no information about the following:
Argentré-du-Plessis
Bécherel
Cancale
Châteauneuf-d'Ille-et-Vilaine
Combourg
Grand-Fougeray
Hédé
Janzé
Liffré
Louvigné-du-Désert
Mordelles
Plélan-le-Grand
Le Sel-de-Bretagne
Retiers
Tinténiac
Notes
1 This is the grand total of cantons in the département. However, a large town can be divided into several cantons: In the département of Nord, for instance, the town of Lille is composed of eight cantons, although the town itself possesses only one coat of arms. I have therefore given the total number of cantons which could bear arms, as well as the grand total.
2 "France" Magazine, vol 1 no2, Summer 1990. Armor means "land by the sea".
3 See the section on the history of Normandie in Chapter 4.
4 Le Grand Larousse.
5 Pastoureau, M: Traité d'Héraldique, the origin of the arms of Bretagne, p184; the seal of Jean IV, 1387, p105; and a coin of Jean V, p231. Also Pinches R & Wood A: A European Armorial, p105.
6 Gibbons, Stanley: France, Part 6, No777, Arms of Provinces, 25 March 1943.
7 Bulletins d'Information des Maires, Archives Departementales, Cotes?du?Nord. Almost all of the information concerning the communes of Côtes-du-Nord is taken from these, and the appropriate endnote references are abbreviated to BIM.
8 The Commission Départementale d'Heraldique du Finistère was set up in 1974, and the only such body in Bretagne.
9 The arms of the pays de Bretagne are from Le Grand Larousse.
10 The arms of the pays de Bretagne are from Le Grand Larousse.
11 BIM.
12 The portraying of arms on car stickers is popular, especially as far as holiday resorts are concerned. I have included many examples in this work, but where they are different from the information received from the communes, I can only assume that that they have no official status; equally, where they are the only source of information, the same must apply. The caveat that the drawing and/or tinctures may be incorrect must also be accepted.
13 BIM
14 ibid.
15 ibid.
16 ibid.
17 Le Grand Larousse.
18 Louda, J: European Civic Coats of Arms; the dimidiated coat can be seen in Fagnen, C: Le Mystère Héraldique.
19 BIM.
20 ibid.
21 ibid.
22 ibid.
23 ibid.
24 These arms were seen on a car sticker in March 1989.
25 BIM
26 ibid.
27 ibid
28 A road sign, noted in August 1989, shows the castle triple towered. The confusion in the drawing of towers and castles is common throughout civic heraldry.
29 BIM
30 ibid.
31 ibid.
32 ibid.
33 ibid.
34 ibid.
35 Parker, J:A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry, p415.
36 Le Grand Larousse, although the first blazon is from BIM.
37 ibid.
38 The arms, which date from 1950, appear in Le Grand Larousse.
39 BIM.
40 ibid.
41 ibid.
42 ibid.
43 ibid.
44 Le Grand Larousse.
45 BIM.
46 I have been unable to identify this reference.
47 BIM
48 ibid
49 ibid
50 ibid
51 ibid
52 ibid
53 de Crayencour, G: Dictionnaire Heraldique, p158.
54 BIM
55 ibid
56 ibid
57 ibid
58 ibid
59 ibid
60 ibid
61 ibid
62 ibid
63 ibid
64 The maillettes appear to be nails for fixing the cladding to ships, for although the word is not found in the standard dictionaries, mailletage is used for the process of studding a ship's hull.
65 Le Grand Larousse.
66 These arms were seen on a car sticker in August, 1989.
67 BIM
68 The fusil is often used as a representation of a spindle. The French explanation speaks of a time when "on filait à la quenouille le lin et le chanvre...", that is, when spinning was done with flax and hemp on a distaff. As far as the mascles are concerned, chiastolite, a type of aluminium silicate, forms crystals in that shape.
69 BIM
70 The postage stamp is in the touristique series, Cérès No2574, issued on 12 June 1989.
71 BIM
72 ibid
73 The twin town of Moëlan-sur-Mer, Lindenfels, West Germany has canting arms argent a linden tree on a mount vert overall an inescutcheon sable a lion rampant armed langued and crowned gules. Both arms were seen on a road sign.
74 BIM
75 Le Grand Larousse.
76 BIM
77 ibid.
78 ibid.
79 ibid.
80 ibid.
81 ibid.
82 ibid.
83 ibid.
84 ibid.
85 ibid.
86 ibid.
87 ibid.
88 ibid.
89 ibid.
90 ibid.
91 The commune of Pleudihen does not appear in Dictionnaire National des Communes de France, and I have assumed it to be officially called Pleudihen-sur-Rance.
92 BIM
93 ibid.
94 ibid.
95 ibid.
96 ibid.
97 ibid.
98 ibid.
99 ibid.
100 ibid.
101 Elvin, C Norton: A Dictionary of Heraldry. Parker, A: op cit, states that otelles is "a term used by some French heralds for four figures described as resembling four peeled almonds, the thickened portion meeting in the centre, something after the fashion of the cross avellane, but in saltire instead of in cross and the ends pointed instead of fleury". This is a complicated explanation of something which is relatively well known in French heraldry. The charge may be seen as an alternative way of looking at the cross paty throughout. Perhaps the most important family to bear the otelles is Comminges, references to whom can be found, passim, in the Chapter on Midi-Pyrénées.
102 BIM
103 ibid
104 ibid
105 The blazon was provided, via Mrs Gill Kingston, by a young resident of the commune, in April 1988.
106 BIM
107 Information from the Archives Départementales also gives the lion as armed and langued gules.
108 These arms were seen on a car sticker in March 1989, and thus may not be accurate.
109 BIM.
110 These arms were seen on a car sticker in March 1989.
111 BIM.
112 These arms were seen on a car sticker in March 1989.
113 BIM.
114 I noted these arms on a road sign.
115 Le Grand Larousse.
116 Gibbons, S, op cit, No 735, Arms of Towns, 1st Series, 15 December, 1941.
117 BIM
118 ibid
119 The text I received from the commune is "un seigneur de Rostrenen, se portant au secours de son duc, fut blesse a la main dans la bataille et la portant a l'escu lors, ses doigts ensanglantes, impregnerent iceluy, trois barres rouges par le sang qui rejaillissait de sa main et ne quitta le combat qu'apres la victoire gagnee. Le Duc de Bretagne, pour marquer generosite, vaillantise et prouesse, lui permet l'arme de Bretagne, a trois fasces de gueule".
120 Le Grand Larousse; also, BIM.
121 BIM
122 ibid
123 ibid
124 ibid
125 Le Grand Larousse.
126 BIM.
127 ibid
128 ibid
129 ibid
130 ibid
131 ibid
132 ibid
133 ibid
134 ibid
135 ibid
136 ibid
137 ibid
138 ibid
139 ibid
140 ibid
141 Le Grand Larousse.
142 ibid
143 BIM.
144 ibid