Quimper: events

Good to know about going out in Quimper

Quimper was born where two rivers meet, and the Odet still runs through the middle of the city, lined with quays and crossed by footbridges. The cathedral of Saint-Corentin and its twin spires rise above an old centre of pedestrian streets and timber-framed houses. To the south, the Locmaria district carries on the faience tradition, made here for more than three centuries and one of the images the city is known by.

The administrative capital of Finistère and a student town, Quimper is also the cultural heart of Cornouaille: the season of its halls, museums and associations runs from autumn to spring, with concerts, theatre, exhibitions and talks, while summer carries the celebrations into the streets, the squares and along the Odet. Breton culture has a strong place here, from Celtic circles to bagadoù, with classes and fest-noz evenings all year. Market mornings bring the covered hall and the centre to life.

In practice: the historic centre is largely pedestrian and crossed on foot, parking is easier in the car parks on the edge of town, and the station links the city to the rest of Brittany. The Odet, which runs on down to the sea, is tidal as far as the city: its level changes from one hour to the next.