Why did coastal parts of Brittany gain population after World War II?

Following World War II, Brittany experienced a demographic recovery that was notably uneven, with population growth favoring coastal areas while many inland, rural regions continued to decline.1

This coastal population increase was driven by several key factors:

• Economic Development: From the 1970s onward, the region’s population was bolstered by the growth of industrial and service businesses.1
• Tourism: Tourism became a prominent economic driver in many coastal areas, with some resorts in Ille-et-Vilaine becoming more economically significant than the traditional fishing industry.1
• Retirement Migration: Across France, coastal regions became popular destinations for retirees, a trend that contributed to population shifts toward the coastlands.23

While fishing remains a characteristic activity of many Breton ports, its overall importance has declined due to overfishing, leading to a shift in the economic focus of these coastal communities toward tourism and other modern industries.1