Groix

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Coordinates: 47°38′22″N 3°27′13″W / 47.63944, -3.45361

Commune of Groix

Groe

Port Tudy, main harbor of Groix island

Location

Coordinates

47°38′22″N 3°27′13″W / 47.63944, -3.45361

Administration

Groix (chief town)

C.A. du Pays de Lorient

Mayor

Eric Regenermel
(2001-2008)

Statistics

Elevation

0 m–48 m

Land area^¹

14.82 km²

Population^²
(1999)

2,275

- Density

154/km² (1999)

Miscellaneous

INSEE/Postal code

56069/ 56590

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

² Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.

Groix (Île de Groix) (Enez Groe in Breton) is an island in Morbihan, Brittany, in the northwestern France. The island is 8 km. long and 3 km. wide with an area of 15 km² and a population of 2,275 (1999). Groix island lies a few kilometres of the coast off Lorient. Several ferries a day run from Lorient to Groix.

There are a few small towns on the island. High cliffs are on its north coast and sandy beaches in secluded coves on the south coast. Groix is also home to a wide variety of sea birds.

The geology of Groix is very different of the nearby continent, to the point that the east and south coast are declared a mineral nature reserve since 1982. More than 60 minerals can be found on the island, particularly blue glaucophane (that can be observe on surface), epidote or garnet. The whole island mainly consists of schist.

Administratively, Groix is a commune of the Morbihan département.