The Citadel (La Citadelle)

The Ville Close of Concarneau is a walled town on a small island in the harbour, reached by a short bridge from the quay, and it is probably the most photographed place on the south Brittany coast. The island is only a few hundred metres long, and its granite walls and towers rise directly from the water, so the view from the mainland, especially at high tide and in the early morning, has an almost theatrical quality. Within the walls, the little town is still a living neighbourhood, with shops, craft workshops, cafes and houses, but the atmosphere of an old fortress remains.

The settlement began as a refuge on the rock, and it grew into a medieval stronghold during the later Middle Ages, when the dukes of Brittany and their rivals fought over this coast. The ramparts were strengthened several times, and in the seventeenth century the military engineer Vauban and his successors reinforced the defences as part of the system guarding the coast. Today the stone walls, gates and towers form a continuous ring that visitors can partly walk, with views over the old port, the fishing boats and the modern town on the opposite shore.

The main street, the Grande Rue, runs through the middle of the island, lined with granite houses, some with half-timbering, that now hold souvenir shops, galleries and small restaurants. Side lanes lead to quiet corners and to the ramparts, and it is worth stepping off the main line to find them. The Musée de la Pêche, the fishing museum, is housed in old buildings inside the walls, and it tells the story of the Breton fleets, from sardine boats to ocean trawlers. A trawler is displayed at the quay outside, which adds to the maritime character of the visit.

Concarneau grew outside the island from the nineteenth century, when canneries opened and the port became a centre for sardines and later tuna. Painters followed, drawn by the light and the boats, and the town was part of the Breton artistic circuit that included Pont-Aven. A small ferry called the Petit Bac crosses the harbour to the Passage district, and the Vieux Port and the Place de la Liberté are good places for a meal. The Concarneau Aquarium, the Musée de la Mer, and the beach at Les Sables Blancs complete the list of other things to do in town. Each August, the Festival des Filets Bleus celebrates the local fishing heritage with parades, music and costume.

It suits families, photographers and anyone interested in maritime history. Early or late visits avoid the crowds that fill the lanes in summer.