Within the well-kept secret that is the delightful historic city of Quimper is a well-kept secret of its own – the Mona Lisa! The impressive collection at the city’s Musée des Beaux Arts includes a 16th-century copy of Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece, a replica so perfect that when the original was stolen in 1911, the authorities considered moving the Quimper Mona Lisa to Paris as a substitute.
There’s something apt about a great work of art residing in a town that often seems like a work of art itself. Start your discovery of Quimper at
St Corentin Cathedral, the heart of the ancient walled city. The 13th-century cathedral stands on the foundations of an older church, and next door a former bishops’ palace now houses the Breton Departmental Museum, in a building that dates back to around 1645. On Sundays in July and August, and the last Sunday of each month from September to June, you can climb to the top of the cathedral for the ultimate view of the city.
Marvel at this charming city’s ancient walls and timber-framed buildings, and get up close and personal with one of the world’s great works of art (sort of)
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Inspiring sights
The old town of Quimper boasts a stunning cathedral
For a holiday rich in culture and discovery, book with Brittany Ferries
to explore Quimper further
Just outside the city, there’s a lot to be explored. A few kilometres northeast of Quimper are the Stangala gorges, a green paradise that follows the surprisingly twisty path carved by the River Odet through the Breton rock. The Odet is a coastal river that rises near Saint Goazec and flows 62 kilometres into the Atlantic at Bénodet. It is lined with castles, manors, forests and landscapes that change at almost every bend. It is often called the most beautiful river in France, and it’s not hard to see why.
If you want to explore the Odet up close, the Club Canoë Kayak Quimper rents out one- to four-seater kayaks by the hour, or by the day during July and August. It also offers guided kayak tours and paddleboarding lessons.
‘The Locmaria Garden relives the spirit of monastery gardens of the Middle Ages’
WHERE TO STAY
Hôtel Kregenn
A four-star hotel in the centre of Quimper, not far from the cathedral. Unusually, it has private car parking (€7/£6/night), equipped with an electric charger.
Au Coin du Bois
Just 15 minutes outside Quimper, this charming collection of cabins – with a spa and restaurant – offers a chance to relax in the heart of nature.
Alternatively, you can arrange your accommodation through Brittany Ferries when you book your ferry crossing by clicking here.
Pretty in pink
The gorgeous Jardin du Prieuré Locmaria is hidden in the heart of town
The perfect all-in-one
getaway
Saint-Malo
Experience the region’s relaxed,
old-world feel
BRITTANY OVERVIEW
From here, you’ll see that the old centre is marked by the city wall, some 40 per cent of which still stands. On the other side is the city of the Dukes of Brittany, where the machinery of state – the court, the prison, the mill – resided. The Place Terre au Duc faces the episcopal city, state versus church, across a bridge on the River Steïr.
Further south is where the working people of the town lived, in an area known as Locmaria. This is where Quimper was originally settled, and there are museums devoted to the potters, furniture makers and craftspeople who helped the city grow. Its 11th-century church is the oldest in Quimper. Don’t miss Locmaria Garden near the priory, which revives the spirit of monastery gardens of the Middle Ages.
There’s so much to see and do here that you’ll need to plan. The tourist office offers a selection of downloadable English-language brochures, maps and guides for all ages. For children, there’s an “Explorer’s Map”, which turns the sights into a series of mini games to keep young minds occupied.
in medieval Quimper
make history of your own
‘See the Odet – one of the most beautiful rivers in France – up close on a kayak tour’
Twin peaks
The gothic Saint Corentin Cathedral is close to the river
Fine figures
Don’t leave without visiting the Musée des Beaux Arts
Reflected glory
The cathedral’s stained glass is one of its biggest draws
Look up
Half-timbered houses flank the streets of Quimper
Sneak peek
The twin spires
are visible from many angles
High water mark
The Odet makes Quimper one of the region’s most attractive cities
Mossy banks
Woodland riverside walks are great fun all year round
On the surface
Even if you haven’t kayaked, before you can take a lesson in Quimper
Four-star luxury
One of the places you can stay is Hôtel Kregenn
Elsewhere, 6km to the northwest of Quimper is the start of a voie verte (“green path”), a cycleway and footpath built on the abandoned railway line to Douarnenez, on the coast. Another voie verte to the south links Pluguffan, just outside Quimper, to Pont-l’Abbé (there are plans to extend it all the way to Quimper from 2024).
If you prefer a game of golf to blissful walks in the countryside, there’s a particularly picturesque nine-hole riverside course called the Golf du Domaine de l’Orangerie de Lanniron just south of Quimper, in the grounds of what was once the bishops’ 15th-century summer residence.
Great for beach holidays and
enjoying nature
CARNAC
Set sail from Plymouth with Brittany Ferries and getting to Quimper couldn’t be easier – it’s just a 90-minute drive from the arrival port of Roscoff. Alternatively, sail overnight from Portsmouth to Saint-Malo and you’ll be there in time for lunch.
Getting to QUIMPER
Timeless terraces
There’s an old-world feel to the centre of town
Glazed over
Quimper is known the world over for its tin-glazed pottery, or faience
Photos ©Alexandre Lamoureux, ©Bernard Galeron, ©Musée des Beaux-Arts de Quimper, ©Musée de la Faience, ©Joana Saldon, ©Best Western Hôtel Kregenn