Les Bretonnes au travail

In the 19th century, all of Brittany went to work. As fishing and embroidery became industrialized, women joined the workforce in trades that had previously been traditionally male. In Douarnenez, sardine canneries proliferated, employing Breton women who worked up to 72 hours a week. These "penn sardin," as they were known, left their mark on Finistère both through their productivity and their social activism. In Pont-l'Abbé, south of Douarnenez, women took up embroidery to create the famous Bigouden headdresses. This fragile heritage is still passed down today from embroiderer to embroiderer. Year of Production: