Located by the river Odet, Quimper has always been a sheltered place and a crossing point. As far back as the roman conquest a small urban centre settled round a port opened to the Mediterranean world, downstream from the actual town.

Later Breton immigrants chose to settle upstream, on the confluent (Kemper in Breton language). The choice of Quimper as an Episcopal town contributed to its development as it was already the residence of the powerful Count of Cornouaille. Since the 13th Century the building of the cathedral and the belt of walls have structured the town. The construction of the cathedral which lasted many centuries made it one of the major building in gothic art in Brittany.

In the 16th century Brittany became part of France with a royal administration which led to the building of private hotels, and in the following century by the construction of many convents related to the catholic reform. Nevertheless the town remained a town of merchants and ship-owners who built timbered- or stoned- houses.

The original site of Quimper

Locmaria's quarter, the 12th century roman church (one of the oldest building in Finistère) the ancient priory and the medieval garden.

The bishop’s town

- The ancient bishop’s palace houses the Breton museum.
- The down defences : 40% left of the original walls.
- The cobble stoned streets of the Episcopal town with half timbered houses- with each street, a reminder of ancient trades : Rue des boucheries (butcher’s street) place au beurre (butter square), rue Kéréon (shoemaker’s street)...

The Ducal town

- The attractive houses of Place Terre Au Duc St Mathieu street and church with its beautiful stained windows, venelle du poivre (pepper alley), rue René Madec.

St Corentin cathedral : A jewel of Breton gothic art

In 1239, Bishop Raynaud started the building of the actual cathedral on the remnants of an ancient roman cathedral.

From 1850, an architect from Quimper, Joseph Bigot started to restore the building, mainly by adding new furnitures, decorating the chapels and replacing the windows destroyed under the French Revolution by new stained-glass windows.

His most spectacular achievement remains the construction of the two spires from 1854 to 1856, financed by the town’s inhabitants

Thanks to recent restoration works of the interior polychromes and ribbed ceilings in yellow and ochre and the white washing of the facings, the cathedral is a true revelation of 15th century architecture. This colourful restoration was totally in the spirit of the first builders, in opposition to the austere look of religious monuments during the 19th century.