The Rance Tidal Power Station is the world’s first tidal power station and also the world’s second biggest tidal power station. The facility is located on the estuary of the Rance River, in Brittany. Opened on the 26th November 1966, it is currently operated by Électricité de France, and is the second largest tidal power station in the world, in terms of installed capacity. With a peak rating of 240 Megawatts, generated by its 24 turbines, it supplies 0.012% of the power demand of France. With a capacity factor of approximately 40%, it supplies an average 96 Megawatts, giving an annual output of approximately 600 GWh. The barrage is 750 m (2,461 ft) long, from Brebis point in the west to Briantais point in the east. The power plant portion of the dam is 332.5 m (1,091 ft) long. The tidal basin measures 22.5 km2 (9 sq mi). read more…
Dinard is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in northwestern France. Dinard is on the Côte d’Émeraude of Brittany. Its beaches and mild climate make it a popular holiday destination, and this has resulted in the town having a variety of famous visitors and residents. The towns of Pleurtuit and Saint-Malo are nearby and the Dinard Pleurtuit Saint-Malo Airport is about 4 km south of Dinard. In modern history Dinard was first settled by Saint-Malo’s shipping merchants who built some of the town’s magnificent houses in the town- however very few survive. In the late 19th century American and British aristocrats made Dinard popular as a fashionable summer resort, and they built stunning villas on the cliff tops and exclusive hotels such as the Le Grand Hotel on the seafront during the French “Belle Epoque”. read more…
