Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)/Ille-et-Vilaine

2518163Collier's New Encyclopedia — Ille-et-Vilaine

ILLE-ET-VILAINE (ē-lā-vē-lān′), a maritime French department, formed out of the N. E. portion of the old province of Brittany; area, 2,596 square miles; pop. about 625,000, mostly of the Celtic race. The cider of this district is the best in France; the butter of Rennes, the capital, is celebrated; the horses of the department are noted for their endurance, and are in great request for the army; and bee keeping is prosecuted. Iron is mined; slates are quarried; and salt is extracted. St. Malo is the principal seaport.