Le Keréden

Le Keréden, known until December 2020 as the Institut de Locarn (Institut de Locarn, Cultures et Stratégies internationales), is a French think tank and lobbying club based in Locarn, a small town in the Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany. It was founded in 1991 by Jean-Pierre Le Roch, founder of the Les Mousquetaires retail group, and Joseph Le Bihan, then an honorary professor of geostrategy at HEC Paris. The institute was conceived as a liberal employers' think tank — sometimes described as a "Breton Davos" — intended to work for the economic and cultural development of Brittany while also serving as a center for international strategy. Its premises were inaugurated in 1994. Over the decades, Le Keréden has functioned as a networking and lobbying hub bringing together political, trade-union and associative actors from Brittany. It is associated with the creation of the Produit en Bretagne association, declared in 1995 with its registered office at the institute, and with the Diaspora économique bretonne (DEB) project aimed at mobilizing Bretons worldwide for the region's economic development. It also runs training programs, including the Parcours Guillaume Lejean for students and young graduates, and has organized a summer university since 2008. Member organizations have included the CGPME de Bretagne, the CCI des Côtes-d'Armor, Triskalia, EDF, France Télécom, Glon Sanders, SA Henaff, Legris Industries, STEF Vannes and SILL. In 2019 a new team led by Gilbert Jaffrelot took over and decided to change strategy. The aging hotel section, known as Breiz Ecolodge Hôtel Le Keredern, was renovated between 2020 and 2022. In December 2020 the organization changed its name to Le Keréden, seeking to move away from its elitist image while remaining at the service of Central Brittany. The institute has also faced controversy, including early accusations of ultraliberalism and rumors that it was an Opus Dei lodge, which it sought to dispel by renewing its leadership in 1999.

The Institut de Locarn, Cultures et Stratégies internationales was founded in 1991 in Locarn, a small town of about 500 inhabitants in the Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany, France. Its founders were Jean-Pierre Le Roch, founder of the Les Mousquetaires retail group, and Joseph Le Bihan, honorary professor of geostrategy at HEC Paris. Their initial aim was to create a liberal employers' think tank, presented as a "Breton Davos" — a new CELIB (Comité d'étude et de liaison des intérêts bretons) intended to "work for the economic and cultural development of Brittany" — and an institute for international strategy. The premises were inaugurated in 1994, with Archduke Otto von Habsburg-Lorraine, known for his links to Opus Dei, taking part in the inauguration. In 1995, the association Produit en Bretagne was declared at the prefecture on 9 February, with its registered office at the Institut de Locarn. The institute was also behind the "Diaspora économique bretonne" (DEB) project, which aimed to unite Bretons around the world so they could actively contribute to the region's economic rise. Through the DEB, the Parcours Guillaume Lejean was established — a training program in economic and international culture for about fifteen students and young graduates each year. The training courses offered by the institute were financed by Pôle emploi and the regional council, and integration exercises included night marches supervised by former legionnaires. The summer university has been organized since 2008. From its early days, the initiative was criticized and accused of ultraliberalism. Its isolated location fueled rumors that the institute was an Opus Dei lodge, a rumor also fed by the creation in June 1993 of the Association Coudenhove-Kalergi-Aristide-Briand, domiciled at the institute. In 1999 the institute renewed its leadership to refresh its image. In 2019, a new team presided over by Gilbert Jaffrelot decided on a change of strategy. The aging premises of the hotel section, called "Breiz Ecolodge Hôtel Le Keredern", were renovated between 2020 and 2022. The institute now sought to make people forget its elitist image while remaining at the service of Central Brittany. In December 2020, the Institut de Locarn changed its name to become Le Keréden. The organization continues its activities as a think tank and lobbying club, bringing together political, trade-union and associative actors from Brittany.

• 2022

  Renovation of the hotel section (Breiz Ecolodge Hôtel Le Keredern) completed after starting in 2020.

• 2020

  In December, Institut de Locarn changes its name to Le Keréden.

• 2019

  New team led by Gilbert Jaffrelot takes over and decides on a strategy change.

• 2008

  Summer university organized for the first time.

• 1999

  Leadership renewed to refresh the institute's image amid Opus Dei rumors.

• 1995

  Produit en Bretagne association declared on 9 February with registered office at the institute.

• 1994

  Premises inaugurated; Archduke Otto von Habsburg-Lorraine participates.

• 1993

  Association Coudenhove-Kalergi-Aristide-Briand created, domiciled at the institute.

• 1991

  Institut de Locarn founded in Locarn, Côtes-d'Armor, by Jean-Pierre Le Roch and Joseph Le Bihan.

A Breton business think tank and lobbying club, formerly presented as a liberal "Breton Davos", now seeking to shed its elitist image while serving Central Brittany.

• Université d'été

  Annual summer university organized since 2008.

• Parcours Guillaume Lejean

  Training program in economic and international culture for about fifteen students and young graduates each year.

• Diaspora économique bretonne (DEB)

  Project to unite Bretons worldwide for the region's economic development.

1. 1Institut-Locarninstitut-locarn.fr
2. 2Le Keréden - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Le Keréden - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org