Lorient, or L'Orient, (Breton: An Oriant) is a commune and a seaport in the Morbihan département, of Brittany.
Inhabitants of Lorient are called Lorientais.
Population: city: 61,844; urban area: 186,144. Lorient is the most populous commune in Morbihan, although the préfecture (capital) resides in the slightly smaller commune of Vannes.
Most of the city was destroyed during World War II and today's Lorient reflects an architectural style of the 1950s.
Lorient is located on the south coast of Brittany on the Atlantic Ocean. The rivers Blavet and Scorff enter the Atlantic Ocean at Lorient.
Lorient has a major fishing port, Port de Pêche (Breton: Porzh Pesketa), at Keroman and the docks area at Kergroise handle large cargo and passenger ships.
Tourism plays an important part in the cities' economy and there are several large yachting marinas around the bay. The annual Festival Interceltique de Lorient was founded in Lorient in 1971 and attracts large numbers of tourists to the area every summer.
Lorient was a former base of the French Navy but these links have now disappeared. However, many important former naval buildings remain around the quayside.
Lorient South Brittany Airport is situated 10 minutes drive to the west of the city at Lann Bihou, and has direct flights to several destinations.
Lorient housed a German submarine base during World War II; although the city was heavily damaged by Allied bombing raids, the base survived through to the end of the war. As they could not destroy the base itself, the Allies decided to bomb the city, in order to cut supply lines to the U-boats.
Today the former submarine base of Keroman is open to the public and can be visited year-round. During the tour the submarine pens of block K3 can be seen.
Brittany has a gastronomy all of its own, and nowhere is this more celebrated than in Lorient. The fresh seafood is superlative, and together with the delicious crêpes and cider of the region there is little in France that can compete if you are seeking to enjoy excellent regional food, simply served with pride in one of the many good restaurants. If you enjoy shopping in France... and who doesn't… then Lorient should please you as the town has good selection of shops with both supermarkets and the practical and smaller shops for charm and local colour.
Jardin Gourmand in Lorient is not only an excellent restaurant with superb cuisine made from the freshest produce available, they also offer gourmet cooking classes to beginners, and there are cookbooks available too. 
Visit Hotel Le Victor Hugo in Lorient
Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Lorient, Brittany is an annual event featuring artists in the music, arts, writing and other genres, starting with a traditional seafood supper. READ MORE