Les Calfats du Pays de Lorient

Les Calfats du Pays de Lorient: Keeping the Spirit of the Sea Alive Through Song.

NB: This group should not be confused with Les Calfats, for which there is a separate entry in MMDI.

The reputation of Les Calfats du Pays de Lorient speaks for itself. This group of friends brings energy and warmth to every performance, sharing their passion for the sea through traditional maritime songs. Whether performing at local markets, in bars, or during community festivals—from Finistère to the Gulf of Morbihan—they never fail to create a lively atmosphere.

The story began in 1997 at La Cave, a bar in the village of Locmaria, Guidel, then run by Roger Le Noac’h. “There were five or six of us rehearsing and sometimes singing at evening events,” recalls Jean-Paul Aléos, one of the group’s founding members. “Roger suggested we form an official association.” That’s how the group—originally named Pesketerien (“The Fishermen” in Breton)—was born.

Not long after, the group organized a major event at the local school, with the well-known Djiboudjep as the headlining act. “It was such a success that we had to turn people away,” says Jean-Emmanuel Plouet, affectionately known as Pitchoun, a familiar face in Brittany and a key figure at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient (FIL). “We even invited a firefighter friend to monitor the crowd. He chose to stay outside just to keep an eye on the numbers. With the profits from that night, we went off to celebrate in Groix.”

Over time, the group has seen members come and go, but friendship has always been the glue holding the Calfats together. “The name is a tribute to an old maritime trade,” explains Yvon Heurtier. “A calfat is a craftsman who ensures a boat is watertight by sealing the joints between wooden planks—an increasingly rare profession.”

Though they remain an amateur group, their musical quality continues to grow. “Since 2018, new members have brought a fresh sound and a more polished, professional approach,” says the group’s president. One standout moment was their performance during the cotriade (traditional fish stew gathering) at the opening of the FIL 2022.