Vannes over the centuries
The favourite residence of the Dukes of Brittany at the end of the Middle Ages, Vannes became the Prefecture (County town) of Morbihan in 1791.
An important religious centre
Saint Peter’s Cathedral, rebuilt from the 11th century onwards, dominates the townscape in the heart of the medieval city. The first known bishop of the town, Saint Patern, gave his name to another ancient parish in the town. During the Middle Ages, Saint-Patern’s Church was a pilgrimage stop on the Tro Breiz (tour of Brittany). In 1418-1419, the visit of the Spanish Dominican Vincent Ferrier, who died in Vannes, led to a surge in religious devotion. He became the patron saint of the town. With the Counter-Reformation, many convents were established on the outskirts: Carmelite, Ursulines and Capucines settled in the port area; the Jesuits and Dominicans took up residence in northern and eastern outskirts respectively.
Vannes, the flagship of the Duchy of Brittany
Following the dynastic conflict that devastated Brittany during the second half of the 14th century, the Montfort dukes chose Vannes as their place of residence. The Chamber of Accounts was based there during the 15th century and the provincial assembly met regularly at Vannes. The Duke François II created the first Breton Parliament in Vannes in 1485. Parliamentary sessions were held at the "Château Gaillard".
The union with France
The army of Duke François II was beaten by the French troops at Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier near Rennes in 1488. The successive marriages of his daughter Duchesse Anne to the two kings of France, Charles VIII then Louis XII, were the first steps towards the end of Brittany's independence. King François I of France met the Breton parliamentary representatives in Vannes, in August 1532, to decide on a Treaty of Perpetual Union, which was ratified a few months later at the castle of Plessis-Macé in Anjou.
A port and an agricultural centre
The town has benefited from the agricultural riches of its hinterland from its earliest times, enabling it to become a very active trading centre. Thanks to the development of Brittany's maritime trade, Vannes became an important wine-trading centre towards the end of the Middle Ages.
Some long voyages were organised from Vannes during the 18th century siècle, but Vannes was reputed more for its coastal shipping trade, which lasted until the 19th century. With the arrival of the railways in 1862 and changes in modes of transport, maritime trade suffered from intense competition and declined.
Not many industries were set up in Vannes during the 19th century. Shipyards and tanneries, the last of which closed in 1939, were a legacy from the period before the French Revolution. The arrival of the Michelin factory in the 1960s and the development of the agri-food industry brought new life to the local industrial activity.
An administrative and touristic calling
Vannes remains, as it always has been, the administrative centre of the Département of Morbihan. Several universities have relocated to the town in the past few years. Tourism and culture are, however, becoming increasingly important. Even at the start of the 20th century, steamers based in Vannes were offering tourists excursions around the Gulf of Morbihan with stopovers on the islands. Later on, just after the Second World War, by creating the "Jardins optiques" park in front of the battlements, Francis Decker, Mayor of Vannes realised that the town's heritage was a real asset for the future development of Vannes.