Quimper in Brittany

Quimper (pronounced Kam Pair) at the confluence of the Odet and Steir Rivers makes a good headquarters for exploring southern Brittany. Spared the ravages of WWII which so affected the Coastal towns, Quimper retains the charm of earlier years.

The centre of the old part of Quimper is dominated by the Cathedral of St. Corentin, the spires of which can be seen from most of the town. The Gothic cathedral dates from the 13th Century. Along the right side of the cathedral, towards the back is the statue of Saint Du. This Franciscan monk devoted his life to the poor. Near the statue you will find loaves of bread on a table, left by one asking for a blessing. For the very poor who have nothing else to eat; the bread is always available. The Stained glass windows glow with rich deep colours when the sun strikes them. The altar is striking, almost shimmering in the light. As one looks down the nave, it becomes apparent that the front part of the church is off-centre from the back, but the church is so beautiful one doesn't mind.

Outside the cathedral a large open square often houses a Carousel and children play on the stones. It is surrounded by small shops in old houses. Many of the shops sell Faience, the rich pottery of Quimper. The styles range from sophisticated to provincial. Traditionally the colours are rich reds, yellows, and blues on a white background, with portraits of Breton life being popular. Between the Cathedral and the river is the Musee Departemental Breton. It features many examples of Breton life, of which the costumes are the most interesting. Here you'll find the famous Breton headdresses that the women wear for special Occasions. The headdress of each district is different and easily identifiable. Behind the museum if the "jardin" de l'Eveque. There's not much garden, but the wrought iron gate is interesting and one side of the garden is formed by one of the old walls of the town. The area around the square is semi or entirely pedestrianized so that walking is comfortable.
One of the main streets leading away from the square is the Rue du Chapel Rouge. There are several casual dining places along the rue, but for a truly Breton experience try the Creperie, "Le Rozell" this small place fills rapidly with diners as soon as it opens. An entire meal can be made of crepes here. Order them one at a time, starting, perhaps with a crepe fromage (cheese) or jambon (Ham), then have a crepe saucisse, (sausage) or oeuf-jambon, (egg and ham) for a grand finale have the crepe banane-chocolat, (banana-chocolate) or (my favorite0 poire-chocolate, (pear chocolate). Order the crepes one at a time. For beverage, have tea, cider, or wine and finish the meal with coffee.

The Musee des Beaux Arts (in the Hotel de Ville, 40 Place St. Corentin) has a wide variety of Flemish, Breton, French, and Spanish painters. An interesting exhibit is the drawings made by various artists. I didn't notice any Gaugin there, but it's well worth a visit.

The River Odet, joined by the Stier flows through Quimper. Along the river banks walkways are punctuated by benches, and tumbling masses of flowers. As you walk down this area restaurants abound. Quimper, as well as the rest of Brittany is famous for it "fruits de mer" or fruits of the sea. At one restaurant I ordered the "fruits de mer" as an appetizer. My first clue as to the size of the appetizer was the waiter bringing out a large stainless steel bowl and a water bowl and towel. A dinner plate filled to at least six inches with a wide variety of shelled sea creatures followed was brought out next. The topmost layer was prawns, then mussels, then oysters. The bottom layer was a variety of snails. I realized that all those shells that I had been picking off the beach had once been home to some creature. To attack these various creatures, one is provided with a slender stainless steel instrument that is forked at one end and has a pick at the other. Naturally, all the creatures came with shells. Savoured with a wonderful local wine, it took nearly 40 minutes to consume. The taste was magnificent. One could still smell the ocean air on the food. This was followed by the main course, sea trout. Barely managing to make it through a selection of cheese for desert, I needed the final coffee to give me energy to walk back to my hotel.
Quimper is 15km from the coast, close enough to have tidal ranges in its harbour. It is a good base for exploring the coast (where prices can be much higher, especially in tourist season) and for exploring inland Brittany. The inland may not be as well known as the coast, but it has a green and wild beauty of its own. A few miles away from the main cities and life slows to a crawl. If a truly relaxing vacation is what you want, then go to Brittany!
Article courtesy of Constance Montague