Quimper

Saturday 17 August

A rather grey and overcast day - so unusual after weeks of sunshine and blue skies.  We settled into our comfortable and pretty house this morning and enjoyed the possibility of sitting outside (not that we really wanted to in this weather).   The weather is set to improve tomorrow so we thought that visiting the coast could wait for  a sunny day.  Instead we drove to Quimper, the largest town in the Finistere department, where we figured cloudy skies would not matter.   We arrived at a quiet time during lunch - even the parking meters are suspended from noon until 2 pm!  Quimper is dominated by a really old and quite splendid cathedral with flying buttresses and a huge intricate spire - a beautiful example of Gothic architecture. 

Cathedral from the cloisters

 As we arrived in the square at the entrance to the cathedral a wedding ceremony was about to take place so we were able to see the bride and her many little flower girls and page boys.  There are plenty of interesting shops to poke around in in the old section of the city and of course many do cater to the tourist trade offering all kinds of cute Breton trinkets.  The most interesting and unique items are the beautifully decorated faience ceramics, the best of which are frightfully expensive.  Some are in traditional patterns of bright primary colours and depict Breton men and women in folk dress.  Other examples have flowers and most striking are the modern designs which have motifs of sailing boats.



Quimper street

Quimper is also full of restaurants and Jessica, Baptiste and I found a gem, "Le Petit Gaveau" where the food was delicious and very reasonable. Maree and Mel, having eaten already, went off to check out the sights of the town. After eating we also had a look around the town. The confluence of two rivers occurs in the middle of the city and there are many bridges decorated with pots of bright flowers. Many of the buildings are ancient half-timbered structures three or four stories high.


Riverside flowers, Quimper

Another gorgeous old shop selling wonderful macaroons

 Most of the centre is pedestrianized - not much room for vehicles in the narrow lanes.  This afternoon Quimper was a busy place with crowds of people on the streets and in the stores and cafes.  It is a city with a good vibe - not large (population 60 something thousand) but has a big town feel.  The buildings are quaint and quirky without being 'film-set' perfect.  We enjoyed visiting Quimper and look forward to a return visit next week when Jess has a hairdresser appointment.

Faience Shop - beautifully decorated

 Home to Le Merdy for some dinner and then Maree and I went for a drive to Douarnenez Port as the grey clouds were beginning to roll away.  We had a stroll on the quay - along with many locals who were out enjoying the long evening beside the water.  Douarnenez could not be described as a pretty place but it has lots of character and is obviously very much a working town, rather than a tourist resort.

Port, Douarnenez