A palette rooted in the land: the blue of flax flowers, the gold of the broom, and the violet-blue of linen in bloom. Three colours, three stories, one place.
From the 16th to 18th centuries, the linen trade transformed Brittany into one of Europe's wealthiest regions. Flax seeds arrived from the Baltic at Roscoff, were cultivated in the Léon and Trégor, and the resulting toiles were exported worldwide via Morlaix, Landerneau, and Saint-Malo. The profits built the grand calvaires at Guimiliau, Pleyben, and Saint-Thégonnec — and the term "or bleu" (blue gold) referred to the delicate blue flowers of the flax plant that made it all possible.
Primary brand colour. Rich, warm, historically grounded. #4A6FA5 · rgb(74, 111, 165) · hsl(216, 38%, 47%)
The genêt à balais (Cytisus scoparius) — called balan in Breton — carpets the landes and coastlands of Brittany each spring in brilliant gold. So central is this plant to Breton identity that it gave French the word "balai" (broom) and named towns across the region: Bannalec in Finistère, Ploubazlanec in Côtes-d'Armor. Flowering branches were hung in houses and stables as protection — the broom was both humble and sacred, a plant of sweeping clean and fertile new beginnings.
Secondary brand colour. Warm, golden, energetic. #D8A23A · rgb(216, 162, 58) · hsl(39, 68%, 54%)
Botanical sources describe the flax flower (Linum usitatissimum) as "pale blue to bright blue-violet, with deeper blue veins radiating from the centre." Lin Violet captures that violet undertone — the shadow side of the flax petal, the colour you see when the light shifts. Where Aour Glaz is the open-sky blue of the flower, Lin Violet is its twilight cousin: more introspective, more sophisticated, equally rooted in the same plant.
Tertiary / alternative accent. Sophisticated, warm-cool. #5B6B9D · rgb(91, 107, 157) · hsl(225, 27%, 49%)
Lin et Or — the classic flax and gold pairing. Primary combination.
Tonal pairing — blue mark with violet wordmark. Subtle, editorial.
Premium, luxe. Use sparingly — events, special editions, dark UI.
Glaz→Violet gradient with gold mark, white text. Hero/feature use.
Warm, approachable. For print, stationery, warm-toned contexts.
Alternative premium. Violet background with gold accents.
| Colour | Role | Use for | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aour Glaz | Primary | Logo, headings, primary CTAs, links, brand moments | Large background fills (use tints instead) |
| Aour Balan | Secondary | Accents, highlights, product branding (Difenn), badges, icons | Body text (insufficient contrast on white) |
| Lin Violet | Tertiary | Alternative accents, secondary navigation, illustrations, data viz | Competing with Aour Glaz for primary role |
| Slate | Text primary | Body text, headings on light backgrounds | — |
| Mist | Text secondary | Captions, labels, meta text, placeholders | Primary content (too light) |
| Sand | Background warm | Page backgrounds, cards, warm sections | — |
| Pearl | Background cool | Page backgrounds, sidebar, cool sections | — |