Bécherel

Bécherel
Begerel

A general view of Bécherel

Coat of arms

Bécherel

Location within Brittany region

Bécherel

Coordinates: 48°17′46″N 1°56′38″W / 48.2961°N 1.9439°WCoordinates: 48°17′46″N 1°56′38″W / 48.2961°N 1.9439°W

Country

Pays de Bécherel

Government

• Mayor (2014–2020)

Mélina Parmentier

Area¹

0.5 km² (0.2 sq mi)

Population (2009)²

748

• Density

1,500/km² (3,900/sq mi)

Time zone

CET (UTC+1)

• Summer (DST)

CEST (UTC+2)

INSEE/Postal code

35022 / 35190

Elevation

113–177 m (371–581 ft)
(avg. 166 m or 545 ft)

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

²Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Bécherel (Breton: Begerel, Gallo: Becherèu) is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in northwestern France.

During the Roman times the town was positioned close to the important road linking Rennes with Dinan to the north.

In 1124 Alain de Dinan was granted a substantial portion of land which he used to build a (stone) castle. This dominated the valley and the present town grew up around the castle.

In 1168 Henry II, the Le Mans born English king, seized the strategically important town of Bécherel and fortified it.

In the middle years of the fourteenth century, during the Breton War of Succession the English, who were allied with Jean IV (sometimes called Jean V according to the writer's point of view) of Brittany, occupied Bécherel. In 1363 Charles of Blois, accompanied by Bertrand du Guesclin, known also as the Black Dog of Brocéliande, laid siege to the town, but Jean's forces aggressively and successfully resisted. The parties decided to meet near Évran to resolve their differences, but the bishops now intervened and a partition of Brittany between the two parties was determined.

Troubles returned in April 1371 when Olivier de Clisson laid siege to the town. Bertrand du Guesclin joined in against the English, who still held Bécherel, in August 1371.

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Wikipedia