pontivy
The creation of Napoléonville and Napoléon-Vendée (La Roche-sur-Yon) was the result of a pacifying and civilizing intent of Napoleon, who thus envisaged giving Pontivy great importance in central Brittany. The strategic and central position of Pontivy in Brittany inspired Napoleon this idea: “Two new cities are emerging in a land desolate once by civil wars, and too long foreign to our commerce, to our arts and to our customs.”
Pontivy, today
France
15 064
LOCATION
inhabitants
Napoleonic places
Cultivating its urban vocation in an essentially rural region, Pontivy remains a place of exchange and encounter for all of Brittany. Established in a valley, at the junction of the Blavet canal and the Nantes-Brest canal, the city presents a pronounced relief, alternating hills, valleys and plateaus.
Watered by numerous rivers, half divided between natural spaces and an exceptional architectural heritage, its territory offers a successful synthesis of nature and city. At the heart of Breton rurality, Pontivy embodies a certain idea of Brittany, proud of its culture, open to Europe and the world, sharing and inclusive.
Pontivy city website : www.ville-pontivy.bzh
Pontivy tourist office website : www.tourisme-pontivycommunte.com
Visit the city
NEWS
In Pontivy, a summer following in the footsteps of Napoléonville
Throughout the summer of 2026, Pontivy invites residents and visitors alike to rediscover its Napoleonic heritage through historic train journeys, guided tours and activities specially designed for families. From the Imperial Quarter to the landscapes of the Blavet Valley, this programme offers a different way to explore the history of the town that once bore […]
Pontivy: Experience team building in the shoes of a Napoleonic soldier
Pontivy, renamed Napoleonville in 1804, invites companies and groups to rediscover this rich past through an original team-building activity: In the shoes of a Napoleonic soldier. This immersive experience immerses participants in the daily life of an Empire conscript. Guided by an expert dressed in full uniform, participants [...]
All members
Ajaccio . Ancona . Almeida . Aranjuez . Rota Hisórica das Linhas de Torres" Association . Autun . Auxonne . Bolesławiec . Braine l'Alleud . Calvi . Colpo . Corfu . Corte . Coudekerque-Branche . Cuneo . Fleurus . Grossbeeren . Herceg Novi . Hövelhof . Jena . Ierapetra . La-Roche-sur-Yon . Lidzbark Warminski . Limbiate . Lodi . Lucca . Mali Losinj . Milna . Monterau-Fault-Yonne . Monza . Orebić . Palazzo Reale - Milano . Paris . Petrinja . Plymouth . Pontivy-Communauté . Portoferraio . Rueil-Malmaison . Santona . Sarzana . Slunj . Sombreffe-Ligny . Val de Louyre and Caudeau . Vitoria-Gasteiz .