Bannoù-Heol

Bannoù-Heol (Breton for "Sunbeams") is an associative publishing house founded in 1999 in Quimper, Brittany, by Arnaud Elégoët, a music education teacher. It publishes comics and children's books in the Breton language, and also distributes CDs and DVDs from other Breton-language publishers. The name reflects its mission to bring light and joy to young readers in Breton. The publisher began by translating comic albums into Breton, starting with Sell 'ta!, an adaptation of the 25th Boule et Bill album, published in 2000. It expanded its catalogue to include translations of popular series such as Titeuf, Thorgal, Tom-Tom et Nana, Tintin, and Mortelle Adèle, as well as books for younger children like Petit Ours Brun (Arzhig Du) and Léo et Popi. Many translations are carried out in collaboration with students from Diwan schools and other bilingual institutions, turning publication into a pedagogical project. In addition to comics, Bannoù-Heol publishes picture books, imagiers (word books), book-CDs, and educational games such as puzzles. Notable releases include Kan ar Bed (2018), a book-CD of Breton songs with a musical journey around the world, and Ar Marc'h Dall (2022), a bilingual book-CD about a cantata created in 1979. In 2025, the publisher released the first two Mortelle Adèle albums in Breton, translated with students from Diwan Jakez-Riou college in Quimper. Bannoù-Heol operates as an association and is based in Quimper. It distributes its own publications as well as CDs and DVDs from other Breton-language producers. Its catalogue is primarily aimed at young readers, from toddlers to teenagers, and it plays a significant role in the promotion and development of the Breton language through accessible, entertaining literature.

Bannoù-Heol was founded in 1999 in Quimper by Arnaud Elégoët, a music education teacher who noticed the limited number of books available in Breton for children and teenagers and wanted to develop an offer for young readers. The publishing house began by publishing translations of comic albums. The first title was Sell 'ta!, an adaptation of the 25th Boule et Bill album, published in 2000. The project received the agreement of the series' publisher and was presented at the Festival du Livre en Bretagne in Carhaix the same year. Bannoù-Heol then developed a catalogue including translations of Titeuf, Thorgal, Tom-Tom et Nana, as well as series for younger children such as Petit Ours Brun and Léo et Popi. By 2006, the publisher had released several Titeuf albums, some translated with the participation of students from the Diwan college in Relecq-Kerhuon. Over the years, the publisher expanded its catalogue to include albums for the very young, imagiers, and other media in Breton. In 2016, Bannoù-Heol published a Breton-English imagier dedicated to Petit Ours Brun. In 2018, Kan ar Bed was released, a book-CD designed by Arnaud Elégoët and Joris Inadias, combining Breton songs with a musical journey around the world. The publisher also produces educational games. Puzzles dedicated to Brittany, Celtic nations, and the world were developed from the 2020s, some in collaboration with the Office public de la langue bretonne. In 2022, Bannoù-Heol published Ar Marc'h Dall, a book-CD dedicated to the cantata created in 1979 by Job an Irien and René Abjean. The project involved singers and instrumentalists from Brittany and Corsica as well as the Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra. The work, illustrated by Geoffrey Berniolle, also includes an educational booklet on music and the history of the Breton language. In 2025, Bannoù-Heol published the first two Mortelle Adèle albums in Breton for the series' 25th anniversary. The project was carried out with 6th and 4th grade students from the Diwan Jakez-Riou college in Quimper and their teacher Marine Gloaguen. The students participated in translating the two albums, titled Diaoulez Aelez in Breton. The publisher also participates in the distribution of Breton editions of Tintin, including Tintin en Amerika (2017), Krank e veudoù aour (2024), Ar Skouarn Dorr (2025), and Tintin e Tibet (2026).

• 2026

  Scheduled publication of Tintin e Tibet in Breton.

• 2025

  Published first two Mortelle Adèle albums in Breton; also Ar Skouarn Dorr (Tintin).

• 2024

  Published Krank e veudoù aour, a Breton edition of Tintin.

• 2023

  Published a world map puzzle in Breton with the Office public de la langue bretonne.

• 2022

  Published Ar Marc'h Dall, a bilingual book-CD about a 1979 cantata.

• 2018

  Published Kan ar Bed, a book-CD by Arnaud Elégoët and Joris Inadias.

• 2017

  Participated in the distribution of the Breton edition of Tintin en Amerika.

• 2016

  Published a Breton-English imagier dedicated to Petit Ours Brun.

• 2006

  Had published several Titeuf albums in Breton, some with student participation.

• 2000

  Published first title, Sell 'ta!, a Breton adaptation of the 25th Boule et Bill album.

• 1999

  Founded in Quimper by Arnaud Elégoët.

Associative publisher dedicated to Breton-language literature for young readers, combining entertainment with language preservation and pedagogical projects.

• 2000

  Sell 'ta! (Boule et Bill)

• Titeuf in Breton (multiple albums)

• Thorgal in Breton

• Tom-Tom et Nana in Breton

• Tintin in Breton (Tintin en Amerika, Krank e veudoù aour, Ar Skouarn Dorr, Tintin e Tibet)

• 2025

  Mortelle Adèle in Breton (Diaoulez Aelez)

• Arzhig Du (Petit Ours Brun in Breton)

• 2018

  Kan ar Bed (book-CD)

• 2022

  Ar Marc'h Dall (book-CD)

• 2023

  World map puzzle in Breton

1. 1Bannoù-heol: BD, livre jeunesse, livre audio, roman en bretonbannouheol.com
2. 2Chante ! L'incroyable histoire des sœurs Goadec en breton – Kan 'ta ! Buhez vurzhudus ar c'hoarezed Goadecbannouheol.com
3. 3Bannoù-Heol - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Bannoù-Heol - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org