By the brittanytravel.com team · Updated 5 October 2026 · Culture
Brittany has a strong Celtic identity, shared with Cornwall, Wales, Ireland and Scotland. You'll see it in place names, music, festivals and the black-and-white flag flying everywhere.
The Breton language
Breton (brezhoneg) is a Celtic language closely related to Cornish and Welsh. It's now spoken by fewer than 200,000 people, but bilingual road signs, Diwan immersion schools and a revival among young people keep it visible. In eastern Brittany, the Romance language Gallo is also spoken.
Useful words
- Demat: hello
- Trugarez: thank you
- Kenavo: goodbye
- Yec'hed mat: cheers
- Breizh: Brittany
- Ker (village), Plou (parish), Lan (holy place), Penn (headland) in place names
The flag
The Gwenn-ha-du (white and black) has nine stripes for the historic dioceses and ermine spots, the symbol of the Dukes of Brittany.
Music and dance
Breton music is played on the bombarde (a reed instrument), the biniou (bagpipes) and the Celtic harp. Pipe bands called bagadoù compete in national championships, and the fest-noz keeps traditional dancing alive.
Costume and legends
Each area had its own costume, the most famous being the tall lace coiffe of the Pays Bigouden. Legends of King Arthur, Merlin, the drowned city of Ys and the Ankou (the personification of death) are woven into the landscape.
Plan your Brittany trip
Hotels, tours and transport in one place.
Header photo: Photo: XIIIfromTOKYO, CC BY-SA 3.0
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