What to see and do in Pont Aven, a fairytale town for painters in Brittany

There are towns that just by seeing some of their corners you imagine them as an ideal setting to be painted by an artist.

I already told you that that is the case of Pont Aven, in the zone of Cornwall, which I precisely arrived at by doing the painters' route through Brittany, western France. and which, among other painters, was portrayed by Paul Gauguin.

We were lucky to start the best way possible Pont Aven visit, enjoying the very bucolic image of the sunset in its port on the shores of the narrow estuary of the River Aven.

And then we continued our visit seeing what was the studio where for many decades the painters who came to visit met. Pont Aven,

These and craftspeople They were connoisseurs of the very beautiful corners that they could portray during their stay in this town in the French region of Brittany.

Traces of Paul Gauguin and other artists in Pont Aven (Brittany)

It was in 1866 when the young American painter Robert Wylie, who was studying at the Paris School of Fine Arts, He decided visit Pont Aven and spend a season.

It was one of the first examples of painters addressing Brittany after the arrival of the railway to Quimper in 1862.

In the end he settled in Pont Aven, and even learned to speak Breton while wearing traditional Breton clothing.

Robert Wylie He died in 1877 after painting numerous paintings with traditional scenes and the history of Brittany.

For its part, Paul Gauguin l Pont Aven in 1886 and returned several more times in subsequent years.

Their paintings of breton traditions served as inspiration to other artists who visited Pont Aven in later decades during which they lived together impressionist and realist painters...although they did not relate to each other.

How to visit Gauguin's studio in Pont Aven (Brittany)

If you are very interested in this topic, in Pont Aven You can have the opportunity to visit said studio.

Now semi-abandoned, it maintains the atmosphere experienced by the numerous artists who passed through it, the last of whom left not long ago, in 1994.

Through Pont Aven Tourist Office you can request the visit of Gauguin's studio.

The current owners of the beautiful manor house where the studio is located open their doors so that visitors can see it and thus breathe its atmosphere.

Before the arrival of the artists, Pont Aven It was already an important port where ships arrived from Nantes y Bordeaux who brought salt and wine; Then they took granite, cereals and potatoes.

As French sailors arrived on ships and stayed in the town for a while, the inhabitants of Pont Aven, who initially only knew how to speak Breton, eventually learned French.

This, together with the hotels that were set up to house these sailors, led to Pont Aven It became an ideal place for artists to stay.

What to see and do when visiting Pont Aven (Brittany)

During your walk along Pont Aven you will discover a beautiful town with stone houses, many of them from the 17th century, and beautiful corners on the banks of the river.

Lose yourself in those corners, where the numerous 15th century mills that are preserved in the course of the river, of which there are still 14 active ones.

Precisely on the paths that run along both banks of the river, between gardens and large trees, is where you will find various pictorial prints, as information panels will show you.

Of course, I tell you that Pont Aven It is a tourist town, with numerous shops with very careful window displays.

The numerous art Galeries (up to 60) that you will find during your walk will remind you of the long tradition of artists in Pont Aven.

And they also highlight the gastronomy stores with local specialties, such as canned sardines, which were historically produced in this area of ​​Brittany.

But, above all, the Pont Aven cookies and other native sweets such as Kouign Amñn, overwhelming Typical Brittany cake, made with bread dough, butter and sugar, and originating from the beginning of the 20th century.

Tu Pont Aven sightseeing tour you can complete it with a boat ride on the Aven estuary, lasting an hour and a quarter and departures always depending on the tides, during which you can enjoy its beautiful coastal landscapes.

Photos of Pont Aven in Brittany

Here you have more photos of the beautiful town of Pont Aven, In the area Cornwall, which will surely encourage you to visit it for a while. trip through brittany.

Mapa: cómo llegar a Pont Aven en Bretaña

The pretty village of Pont Aven you find it south of the french region of brittany, not far from the city of Quimper, just over two hours by car northwest of Nantes.