Molène
| Île-Molène Molenez | |
|---|---|
|
A general view of Molène | |
  Île-Molène | |
|
Location within Brittany region  Île-Molène | |
| Coordinates: 48°23′50″N 4°57′20″W / 48.3972°N 4.9556°WCoordinates: 48°23′50″N 4°57′20″W / 48.3972°N 4.9556°W | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Brittany |
| Department | Finistère |
| Arrondissement | Brest |
| Canton | Saint-Renan |
| Intercommunality | Pays d'Iroise |
| Government | |
| • Mayor (2014–2020) | Daniel Masson |
| Area1 | 0.75 km2 (0.29 sq mi) |
| Population (2008)2 | 214 |
| • Density | 290/km2 (740/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 29084 / 29259 |
| Elevation | 0–26 m (0–85 ft) |
|
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
Molène (Breton: Molenez) is an island off the west coast of Brittany and one of the Ponant Islands, the largest of an archipelago of some twenty islands. Administratively, it is part of a commune of the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France, the commune of Île-Molène, which also comprises several neighbouring islets.
Geography
The island is small, less than 1 by 0.9 km (0.56 mi), and has an area of 75 hectares. The community and only port are located to the east of the island, opposite a small island called the Lédénes of Molène that becomes connected at low tide.
Population
Inhabitants of Île-Molène are called in French Molénais. The population has declined in recent decades, but Molène remains inhabited, with a population of 169 (2013 census).
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1962 | 596 | — |
| 1968 | 527 | −11.6% |
| 1975 | 397 | −24.7% |
| 1982 | 330 | −16.9% |
| 1990 | 277 | −16.1% |
| 1999 | 264 | −4.7% |
| 2008 | 214 | −18.9% |
| 2013 | 169 | −21.0% |
Amenities
The island's electricity is produced by a small diesel generator. Potable water supplies are from rainwater catchment, with each household additionally maintaining its own cistern.
A local delicacy is Molène sausage, which has the distinction of being smoked with seaweed.
See also
References
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Molène. |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Archipel de Molène. |
- Official website (French)
- French Ministry of Culture list for Île-Molène (French)
- Pictures of Molène island
