Carhaix

Carhaix stands at a crossroads in the inland country of western Brittany. Its Roman predecessor, Vorgium, was an important town, and roads continued to meet here long after the ancient city declined. In the later Middle Ages Carhaix served as a centre of justice and exchange for the surrounding district of Poher.

In 1675 anger at new royal taxes on stamped paper and seigneurial demands spread across Brittany in the revolt of the Bonnets Rouges. Around Carhaix the notary Sébastien Le Balp emerged as a leader of the insurgents. Crowds attacked tax agents and nearby noble houses, including the château of Kergoët in July. Royal repression followed, but the rising left a powerful lasting memory of resistance in the Breton countryside.