The main river passing Lorient is Le Blavet which Le Scorff joins just where the Black Watch was moored. There was a windsurfer plying the waters as we set sail:-

Not to mention a yacht and the pilot boat. Again click on pictures to get to video on my flickr:-

Town across river from Lorient. Port Louis, I think:-

Not much distance out to the deep channel for shipping here:-

Not much spare room this side either:-

Fort at river mouth:-

Fort and Port Louis:-

Looking back to fort and Lorient:-

On the way back to the ship the good lady said, “Can you hear bagpipes?”

Indeed I could.

It turned out there was a group doing traditional Breton dance on the quayside beside the ship and they were accompanied by Breton bagpipers. (Click on photo and get to video on my Flickr.) You can see SS Black Watch looming in the background there:-

They were also taking the opportunity to ply us with traditional food; pancakes. I had one with abricot, jam as it turned out.

Steaming out of Lorient we had a good view of the main reason why Lorient was heavily bombed during World War 2, the German built submarine pens. Lorient’s position gave the U-Boats instant access to the Atlantic.

In background here:-

View from rear side:-

Side front:-

Slightly further across:-

From what I’ve posted so far it might seem as if Lorient only has relatively modern looking buildings. Mind you, a tourist information lady told me 10% of it got bomb damaged during the war. (Only 10%, I thought. Caen got flattened.)

This one isn’t modern looking but still has 1927 in an oval cartouche towards the top of the turrety feature:-

This is the oldest building in town apparently. Hotel Gabriel plus what looks an even older tower in the background, Tour de la Découverte:-

Lorient also has a naval base and a Naval Academy, which we walked past to get to and from Hotel Gabriel. This ship was in Le Scorff river:-

Lorient Town Square, Theatre and Stadium. The stadium (rear of photo) is home to Lorient FC (see photos of the stadium here.) Lorient Theatre is to the right. If you squint you can just about see the fountain in my previous post by the right middle here.

Lorient FC is at present in France’s top division Ligue 1. But they’re not doing very well. They’re bottom as of 27/1/2017:-

Stadium from south southeast:-

Stadium from east southeast:-

Lorient has a lovely open town square with le Mairie (Hotel de Ville) off to the right:-

The town’s logo seems to be a ship judging by this sculpture on the wall of the Town Hall:-

Le Mairie and fountain. Lorient Theatre to left rear:-

Lorient Theatre:-

Theatre from le Mairie:-

Lorient has an airy feeling with relatively open streets lined with trees. Its War Memorial lies to the edge of an open area off the Quai des Indes opposite the Parc Jules Ferry and is flanked by trees. It is an imposing structure with stylised figures.

The inscription reads “Lorient, A Ses Morts, 1914 1918, 1939 1945. There is an additonal plaque for Indochina, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria 1952-62.

Close-up:-

Reverse:-

This fine Art Deco building in Lorient, Brittany, France was just across a bridge over the inlet of the river, Le Scorff, from the modern Art Deco in the previous post.

Chambre de Commerce de Lorient et du Morbihan:-

Close-up of pediment:-

Doorway:-

Corner view:-

Side view upper detail:-

View from side street:-

The nearer doorway in the photo above has Tribunal de Commerce in the stone at the upper level:-

Our first cruise stop was in Lorient, Brittany, France. Almost the first thing we saw after making our way out of the port was this piece of Modern Art Deco:-

The style continued a bit further along:-

The same group of buildings from across an inlet of the river, Le Scorff, just beyond where the Black Watch was moored:-

The spire of this church kept catching my eye. It was ages before I found the street it was in. Eglise Notre Dame de Victorie St Louis, rebuilt 1953-5 after bomb damage during the war:-

Doorway:-

The Body Shop:-

There is a slight Art Deco look, especially the porthole windows in the annexy bit, to this building at Lorient harbour, which from its appearance may date from the Second World War:-