DOUARNENEZ

town, Finistre dpartement, Bretagne regin, western France. It lies at the mouth of Pouldavid Estuary on Douarnenez Bay of the Atlantic Ocean, northwest of the city of Quimper. Douarnenez is associated in Breton folklore with the legendary city of Ys, which was believed to lie beneath the waters of the bay, and also with the medieval story of Tristan, lover of Iseult, for whom the island astride the estuary is named. Tristan Island was formerly named Saint-Tutuarn Island for the priory founded there in 1118. The Church of Ploar in Douarnenez has a Gothic steeple (154886), and the chapels of Saint-Michel, Sainte-Hlne, and Sainte-Croix date from the 16th and the 17th century. Douarnenez is a fishing port with fish-processing, net-making, and boatbuilding industries. Pop. (1990) 16,701.