Quimper

Quimper is the historic capital of Cornouaille and its cathedral, begun in 1239, has a peculiarity visible from inside: the choir and nave are not aligned, the axis bending by several degrees, usually explained by the builders working around marshy ground and existing structures. Faience has been made here since 1690, tin-glazed earthenware hand-painted with Breton figures, flowers and blue and yellow borders, and the surviving factory takes visitors through the process. The old town is timber-framed around the cathedral, and the Festival de Cornouaille each July is one of the largest gatherings of Breton music and costume.

History

Quimper, from the Breton kemper, "confluence", grew where the Steir meets the Odet; it was settled in Roman times, was a bishopric by AD 495 and became the capital of the counts of Cornouaille, joining the Duchy of Brittany in the eleventh century, and it suffered heavily in the War of the Breton Succession before the duchy passed to the House of Montfort in 1364. The Romanesque church of Locmaria dates from the eleventh century, and the cathedral of Saint-Corentin, dedicated to the city's first bishop and built between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries, is the oldest Gothic building in Lower Brittany, its twin towers 76 m high with spires added in the nineteenth century and its 15th-century glass of rare quality. Quimper faience has been made here since 1690, using the bold designs of Jean-Baptiste Bousquet (Wikipedia, Quimper).

The main sights

• The bent cathedral - a nave and choir out of alignment by several degrees.
• The faience workshops - hand-painted earthenware made since 1690.
• The timber-framed old town - lanes around the cathedral and the Odet.
• The Festival de Cornouaille - Breton music and costume each July.

When to go

April to October; the Festival de Cornouaille falls in late July and fills the city. Faience factory tours run on weekdays and need booking. Brittany's weather is wet year-round.

Before you go

Factory tours are limited and must be booked. The festival makes accommodation impossible without planning. Much faience sold in shops is not locally made.

Nearby

Locronan lies northwest; Pont-Aven is southeast.