Carnac facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carnac Karnag
Commune
Standing stones in the Kermario alignment
Coat of arms
Carnac Location in France Show map of France Carnac Location in Brittany Show map of Brittany
Country	France
Region	Brittany
Department	Morbihan
Arrondissement	Lorient
Canton	Quiberon
Intercommunality	Auray Quiberon Terre Atlantique
Area 1	32.71 km2 (12.63 sq mi)
Population  (2021)	4,223
• Density	129.10/km2 (334.38/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	56034 /56340
Elevation	0–45 m (0–148 ft) (avg. 16 m or 52 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Carnac (pronounced "car-nack") is a cool town located on the south coast of Brittany in north-western France. It's right next to the Gulf of Morbihan.

People who live in Carnac are called Carnacois. This town is super famous for its amazing Carnac stones. These are one of the biggest collections of ancient standing stones, called menhirs, in the whole world! Carnac also has beautiful beaches that are very popular with visitors.

The town is split into two main parts: Carnac-Ville (the town center) and Carnac-Plage (the beach area). You can find five beaches here, including the big la Grande Plage. Further east, there are Plage Men Dû and Beaumer.

Discover Carnac's Ancient Standing Stones

Stones lined up in the Menec alignment.

Carnac is well-known for having over 10,000 ancient standing stones. These stones are also called menhirs. People from the pre-Celtic times in Brittany cut these stones from local rock. Then they stood them upright a very long time ago.

A local story says that these stones are actually Roman legion soldiers. The story goes that Pope Cornelius turned them into stone!

When Were the Carnac Stones Built?

The Carnac stones were put up during the Neolithic period. This time lasted from about 4500 BC to 2000 BC. It's hard to know the exact date for each stone. Not much old material has been found underneath them. But most of the activity at the site probably happened around 3300 BC.

Some people think that different generations visited the site. Each generation might have put up a new stone to honor their ancestors. Another idea is that the stones were like protective shields. They might have been built to defend Carnac from enemies.

A Look at Carnac's History

The Tumulus of Saint-Michel, an ancient burial mound.

In 1864, a nearby area called La Trinité-sur-Mer became its own town. It used to be part of Carnac. The fishermen there wanted a church closer to their port. So, they built one, and La Trinité-sur-Mer became a separate place.

In 1903, a new seaside resort was built in Carnac. It grew a lot in the 1950s. This is how Carnac became split into the two parts we see today: Carnac-ville and Carnac-plage.

In 1974, a famous center for water therapy opened. A champion cyclist named Louison Bobet helped make it happen. He had won the Tour de France bike race three times!

People started to visit Carnac more in 1958. They were amazed by the straight lines of stones. Some people even thought the stones might be very old graves.

Enjoying Carnac: A Tourist Hotspot

A beautiful view of the Quiberon Bay from a Carnac beach.

Since World War II, Carnac has become a very popular place for tourists. Many people come here instead of the usual sunny spots like the Côte d'Azur. In July and August, the town gets much busier with visitors and summer residents.

The water at Brittany's beaches is usually not as warm as in the south of France. But Carnac still attracts lots of people. The winds and waves here are great for sailing and windsurfing. The ancient standing stones and other monuments are a big cultural draw. Plus, Carnac-Plage has many bars and clubs for evening fun.

Camping and Outdoor Fun

You can find many camping grounds in the woods around Carnac. Some are near lakes, like the Étang du moulin du lac. Other campsites nearby include Camping le Moulin de Kermaux, Des Menhirs, and La Grande Metairie.

Carnac is home to the "École de Voile de Carnac". This school offers sailing and windsurfing lessons. You can also rent equipment there, no matter your skill level. The Quiberon Bay is perfect for sailing. The Quiberon Peninsula protects the bay from big Atlantic waves. This allows the winds to come in, creating ideal conditions.

For windsurfers, Saint-Colomban beach in Carnac-Plage is a top spot. It's very popular because its location makes the most of strong winds from the west. Other beaches in the area also have good winds.

Other beaches in Carnac include Bihan Plage, Légenèse Plage, Grande Plage, Beaumer Plage, and Men-Du Plage.

A local myth says that a unicorn lives in the waters near the city. Another one is said to live in a cave near St. Malo.

As of 2020, a large number of homes in Carnac (70.6%) are holiday homes. This is one of the highest percentages in the Morbihan area.

Neighboring Towns

Carnac is connected to La Trinité-sur-Mer to the east. You can get there by road or by a path along the beach for walking and biking. The other towns next to Carnac are Crac'h, Erdeven, Ploemel, and Plouharnel.

Population of Carnac

The people who live in Carnac are called Carnacois in French.

Learning the Breton Language

In 2008, the town started a plan to support the Breton language. They signed an agreement to help translate town documents and news into Breton.

In 2009, about 11% of children in primary education attended schools where they learned in both French and Breton.