The best things to see and do in Quimper (Brittany); half-timbered houses

I admit that I have always been fascinated by half-timbered houses that you find in some cities or towns during your travels through Spain or Europe.

The half-timbered houses They are a type of architecture that, from my point of view, gives a special attraction to the places where you can see them.

In Spain there are quite a few towns where you can see half-timbered houses, with its characteristic facades with intersecting wooden beams and frames filled with bricks or masonry.

To quote one that comes to mind quickly, covarrubias in the province of Burgos.

And in other European countries they are very common in towns or small cities such as, for example, Quedlinburg en Germany, where they say there are more than 1.200 half-timbered houses (I haven't visited it yet).

Or in Chester in Great Britain, with the long row of half-timbered houses on its main street Eastgate.

And also in various places in France, specifically in the regions of Alsace and Brittany.

What to see and do when visiting Quimper in Brittany

In my most recent trip to brittany, western France, I had the opportunity to walk through the center of the small town of Quimper, where the half-timbered houses are great protagonists along with the tall spiers of the Gothic cathedral of Saint Corentin.

La city ​​of Quimper, capital of an area that has traditionally been known as Cornwall (like the southern region of Great Britain), located west of the Brittany peninsula, was developed urbanistically from the aforementioned cathedral built in the 13th century.

Half-timbered houses in Quimper

And it is precisely in the streets that extend in front of this imposing monument, especially the main street in the center, Calle Kereon, or in the street Butchers (butcher shops), where you now find the main examples of half-timbered houses.

You have to keep in mind that in the year 1762 the city of Quimper suffered a terrifying fire, so most of the buildings are completely rehabilitated.

And, specifically, since the 90s of the last century in the Quimper historic center a process of restoration of half-timbered houses.

Thanks to this, currently in Quimper you can see up to 73 buildings with its rehabilitated facades.

I tell you that during your walk through Quimper you will be able to see beautiful half-timbered houses painted with different colors, some of them really old, which give great splendor to the city.

The vision of these houses, combined with the image of the ever-present cathedral towers, produce scenes that will take you back to the Middle Ages.

I will tell you that just to take this walk it is worth stopping in Quimper during a route through this area of ​​the region of Brittany.

Quimper Cathedral in Brittany

Now, the visit of the cathedral It must be another essential stage in your walk through Quimper.

When you enter inside the Gothic cathedral of Quimper Don't be surprised if you notice that the central nave is located “crowd“, which is a peculiar characteristic of this enormous monument.

Of course, first you will check that their towers culminated by high needles They take center stage in much of the views of this beautiful city ​​of Brittany.

Curiosities history of Quimper Cathedral

The construction of what is known as St. Corentin Cathedral It began in the year 1239 in the Gothic style prevailing at that time.

The construction process began with the main façade, where the The chorus, and gradually advanced until reaching the cruise.

It was a very slow process because the aforementioned choir area was not completely finished until the year 1410.

The façade was addressed from 1424, and the domes of the central nave They were not completed until almost the end of the 15th century.

For its part, it was in 1460 that the construction of the transept area was completed, and it is at this time that the apse according to the central nave.

The truth is that the reason is not known, but now from the entrance of the temple it will be easy for you to notice this slight misalignment.

Located very close to the Odet River that crosses Quimper, next to the temple you can access a patio and the remains of the old cloister.

The great height of the spiers of the towers, with their 76 meters, will allow you to have the cathedral in mind from various places in the city, especially from the street. Kereon, main axis of the historic center.

If you are fond of photography, you will find various places to capture scenes that combine these towers with the beautiful half-timbered houses.

Breton Museum in the Archbishop's Palace of Quimper

This cathedral area is closed by the old archiepiscopal palace, a building that since the 15th century was occupied by the bishops of cornwall and now it is the headquarters of Breton museum dedicated to presenting the traditions and culture of said french region.

Photos of Quimper in Brittany

As an invitation to your visit, here you have more photos of Quimper, in Brittany.