Dol-de-Bretagne (Municipality, Ille-et-Vilaine, France)

Last modified: 2002-10-12 by ivan sache
Keywords: ille-et-vilaine | dol-de-bretagne | ermines: 3 (black) | cross: voided (black) |
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by Ivan Sache

• Presentation of Dol-de-Bretagne
• Description of the flag

See also:

• France
• Ille-et-Vilaine (Department, France)

Presentation of Dol-de-Bretagne

Dol-de-Bretagne is a city of c. 5,000 inhabitants, located between Saint-Malo and the Mont-Saint-Michel. Dol was the capital city of the traditional Breton province of Pays de Dol.

The city was built on a cliff of ca. 20 m high, which had been beaten by the sea until the Xth century. Its name may come from the pre-Latin word tull, 'elevated place'. The city now 'dominates' the cultivated area known as Dol marsh.

Dol was an important religious center of Britanny, being a bishopric and the place of one of the seven Breton cathedrals. Every Breton had to do the pilgrimage of the seven cathedrals (St. Brieuc in St. Brieuc, St.Malo in St. Malo, St. Samson in Dol, St. Patern in Vannes, St. Corentin in Quimper, St. Pol-Aurélien in St. Pol-de-Léon, and St. Tugdual in Tréguier), known as the Tro-Breizh. The one who refused to accomplish the pilgrimage during his life was sentenced to finish it after his death, by moving the length of his coffin forward every seven years.
Dol has kept around its cathedral several ancient houses and narrow streets.

The Mont-Dol, a granitic hillock dominating the marsh from 65 m and located 2 km North of Dol, is the place of several legends describing the fight between the Archangel Michael and Satan. Satan is said to have been buried under the hillock, and the foot print left by the Archangel when he jumped from the hillock to the Mont-Saint-Michael can still be seen in a rock.

Ivan Sache, 26 June 2001

Description of the flag

The municipal flag of Dol-de-Bretagne is hoisted in the entrance of the city and in front of the city hall. The flag is quartered yellow-blue-yellow-blue by a black cross voided througout. The canton is charged with three blue diamonds (2 + 1), each of them including a black ermine spot enclosed in a white rectangle. The canton charge is based on the municipal arms, dating at least from 1696.

Source: P. Rault. Les drapeaux bretons de 1188 à nos jours. [rau98]

Ivan Sache, 26 June 2001