A Day in Quimper, Bretagne, France
Locronan and Quimper have long been on my list of places to visit in Brittany; Locronan for its charm and Quimper for its faïence, shopping, and cultural activities. Last spring, we made a weekend getaway to Quimper and Locronan, staying the night just outside the charming village of Locronan. Two days was a perfect introduction to the Finistère department of Brittany and enough time to know that we want to revisit as soon as we can.
Quimper, Brittany’s capital city, lies about 20 minutes from Locronan and a little over 2 1/2 hours by car from Rennes. Quimper is a large city for Brittany, with about 67,000 inhabitants (as of 2015). Two rivers, the Steïr and Odet, flow through Quimper and feed into the coast just 15 km away. In fact, Quimper got its name from the Breton word kemper, which means the meeting of two rivers.
The route to Quimper was well-marked and, upon arrival, we quickly found a parking space near city center. We spent a good part of the morning walking about the narrow and winding streets, marveling at the unique architecture and admiring the homes and shops with their brightly colored shutters and arched windows.
At city center is a large, open square, reminiscent of so many European cities. Numerous shops, restaurants, and cafes welcome travelers and locals alike.
Quimper has a plethora of cultural activities to choose from, including 6 museums to suit just about everyone’s taste. Those interested in fine art will be pleased with the selection of works at the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper (fine arts museum), history buffs will enjoy the Musée Départemental Breton (Museum of Breton history), and those who love all things pottery will appreciate the Le Musée de la Faïence de Quimper (the Museum of Faïence). Quimper has been known since the late 1600’s for its faïence, and I admit that it took quite a bit of willpower not to bring home a suitcase full of these hand-painted treasures.
The narrow streets were easy to navigate and not overly crowded. I think this little side street was my favorite…
Being dog lovers, we found this art gallery to be especially inviting …
We were blessed with perfect weather, and the skies were a shade of blue that I like to refer to as “Brittany blue”. While there are those who say the weather is horrible in Brittany, I beg to differ! There is nothing quite like that bright blue Brittany sky.
Before heading out of town, to nearby Locronan, we stopped for lunch at a little restaurant that overlooks the town square, sipping wine and savoring the local fare.
Though full, we considered one more stop at this charming patisserie …
Quimper is a perfect destination for those looking to experience cultural activities and events. There are numerous concerts throughout the year and, every July, for the last 90 years, is the Fete de Cornouaill. This beloved, week-long celebration attracts about 250,000 visitors annually, all of whom cherish the sound of folk songs and hauntingly beautiful music, watching dancers in their traditional clothing, and tasting delicious local cuisine. The festival is scheduled to take place July 21 to 26 this year, but it will likely be postponed due to the current health crisis. I have included links below to keep updated on the event. Further information can be found here:
https://www.festival-cornouaille.bzh/en/ (English) or here: https://www.festival-cornouaille.bzh/fr/ (French)
Things to see in Quimper:
Cathedral de Saint Corentin https://travelguide.michelin.com/europe/france/brittany/finistere/quimper/cathedrale-st-corentin
Musee des Beaux-Arts de Quimper http://www.mbaq.fr/
Musee de la Faience http://www.musee-faience-quimper.com/
Musée Départemental Breton http://musee-breton.finistere.fr/fr/
General information:
Quimper is about 205 km (127 miles) Northwest of Rennes
Quimper is about 570 km (354 miles) West of Paris
Street views with map https://travelguide.michelin.com/europe/france/brittany/finistere/quimper/rue-kereon
Restaurants in Quimper
L’Épée Quimper’s oldest brasserie. 14 rue du Parc02 98 95 28 97 Hours:brasserie noon-2.30pm & 7-10.30pm Mon-Sat, cafe 10.30am-midnight Mon-Sat, noon-2.30pm SunPrice:mains €12-32, menus €15.50-39. Visit the website here: https://www.cafedelepee.fr/ Note: We have not eaten here, but plan to as it has rave reviews
Allium An upscale restaurant, be sure to reserve in advance. https://www.restaurant-allium.fr/fr/
Places to Stay:
Hotel Escale Oceania http://www.rodou-glaz.com/en/chambre-hotes-presentation.php Modern hotel with bar
Hotel Latitude Ouest https://www.latitudeouest.bzh/ Reasonable prices in a peaceful setting, very close to Locronan, family friendly (We stayed here during our trip to Quimper and Locronan)
Bed and Breakfast of Rodou-Glaz http://www.rodou-glaz.com/en/chambre-hotes-presentation.php Bed and breakfast in the countryside, close to Locronan and Quimper
Nearby towns:
Locronan, about 20 minutes by car
Pont-Aven, about 25 minutes by car
I hope you enjoyed this tour of Quimper as much as we did. We look forward to revisiting this magnificent city and hope that you add it to your places to visit one day.
Stay safe and well, everyone.
Amy, from Tales from Brittany
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