Groix
Commune in Brittany, France
Groix (French pronunciation: [ɡʁwa]; Breton: Enez Groe) is an island and a commune in the Morbihan department of the region of Brittany in north-western France.
01Geography
Groix lies a few kilometres off the coast of Lorient. Several ferries a day run from Lorient to Groix.
There are a few small towns on the island. High cliffs are on its north coast and sandy beaches in secluded coves on the south coast. Groix is also home to a wide variety of sea birds. Groix is also famous for hosting the only convex beach in Europe, which also shifts with ocean currents. During the last 15 years, the beach has moved half a kilometer (546.807 yards) westbound.
02Geology
The geology of Groix is distinct from that of the nearby continent, and the east and south coasts have been designated a mineral nature reserve since 1982. More than 60 minerals can be found on the island, particularly blue glaucophane (observable on the surface), epidote or garnet. The island mainly consists of schist.
03History
A major naval battle between Britain and France took place off Groix in 1795.
04In popular culture
The island is the major setting in the fourth book of The Enzo Files series, Freeze Frame, by author Peter May.
05Population
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 3,161 | , |
| 1975 | 2,727 | −2.09% |
| 1982 | 2,605 | −0.65% |
| 1990 | 2,472 | −0.65% |
| 1999 | 2,275 | −0.92% |
| 2007 | 2,291 | +0.09% |
| 2012 | 2,223 | −0.60% |
| 2017 | 2,263 | +0.36% |
| 2023 | 2,310 | +0.34% |
| Source: INSEE | ||
Inhabitants of Groix are called Groisillons in French.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Groix”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Aerial view of Groix.jpg by Taras Young, CC BY-SA 4.0
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