Place de la Cathédrale

The Place de la Cathédrale, also called Place Saint-Corentin, is the open space in front of Quimper's cathedral, and it is the natural starting point for a walk through the old town of this Breton city. Quimper takes its name from the Breton word kemper, meaning confluence, and the old centre lies where the Steir river joins the Odet, with stone bridges, embankments and flower-decked quays close to the square. The twin spires of the Cathédrale Saint-Corentin rise above the rooftops and give the square its focal point, and from the cobbled space in front of the west door you can look up at the whole facade, including the statue of King Gradlon on horseback between the towers.

The legend that gives the cathedral its name is part of the atmosphere here. Corentin was a hermit who is said to have lived on a miraculous fish that renewed itself each time he took a piece. When the legendary King Gradlon met him, according to the story the king appointed him the first bishop of Cornouaille and offered him his own castle. Gradlon is also a figure in the story of Ys, the Breton city that was swallowed by the sea, and his statue on the facade links the square to these old tales. The details of the cathedral's building history, from the start of work in 1239 to the completion of the spires in the 1850s under the architect Joseph Bigot, are told on the page for the cathedral itself.

Around the square the streets are lined with half-timbered houses with overhanging upper floors, many painted in soft colours, and they house crêperies, cafés and craft shops. The Rue Kéréon, with its old houses, leads off from the square, and the Place au Beurre, once the butter market, is only a short walk away. Next to the cathedral stands the former bishop's palace, which houses the Musée Départemental Breton, with its collection of Breton furniture, costume and archaeology, and the Musée de la Faïence introduces the famous pottery of Quimper, which is still made in the city.

The square is open to everyone at any time, and the cathedral has its own opening hours, which are best checked in advance. A market is held on certain days in the streets around. In July the Festival de Cornouaille fills Quimper with Breton music and dance, and the square is a lively place during the festival.

It suits visitors who like to wander, photographers, and anyone planning to see the cathedral and the museums in a single morning. Allow an hour for the square and the surrounding lanes, and more if you visit the museums.