A day in Quimper

June 18, 2019

I woke early to soft rain on the tent and went back to sleep. Breakfast wasn't until 9 and this was to be a rest day.

The rain stopped and restarted, so I wore my rain gear to trek to the restaurant, armed with everything I'd need to spend the morning there. This property is huge; according to the leaflet I was given at check-in, it belonged for a millennium to "Quimper and Léon bishops, counts of Cornouaille." It was sold by the French government in 1791 and acquired by an ancestor of the present owners in 1833. The campground was created in 1969 "in order to maintain the domain's survival and provide a tourist asset." In addition to the rather large campground, there is a 9-hole golf course, golfing practice area, formal gardens, several cottages (in addition to the usual mobile homes to rent in the campground), tennis courts, swimming pools, ... So it's a long walk to the restaurant.

After breakfast, good enough to repeat tomorrow, I sat around for hours, updating this journal, booking my train ticket from Nantes to Paris and accommodation in Nantes (early train) and Paris. It was after noon by the time I headed back to my campsite to deal with my laundry. That done and hung up, back to the restaurant before lunch service ended at two for a decent and reasonably-priced three-course lunch. By the time I got going to go and see Quimper, it was 4 p.m.

It was a bit of a long walk and I took a wrong turn. Luckily a dog walker noticed me staring at my phone and set me right. It was a rather long walk and I eventually decided to take the bus, but on the way I passed a bike shop! Open! When I asked about a valve core tool, the English-speaking salesperson gave me a small one, no charge. Thanks, Giant Quimper!

The central part of Quimper was pleasant to visit. Enough people around to feel lively but not jammed with tourists. I spent an enjoyable couple of hours and then took the bus back. I'd bought a basket of strawberries in the market and ate those for dinner since I was still rather full from lunch. More relaxing by my tent until bedtime.

Part of the walk from the campground to the restaurant

Inside the Cathédrale St-Corentin. According to my guidebook, when the nave was added to the existing chancel in the fifteenth century, it was built out-of-line to avoid the swampy edge of the then unchannelled river.

Inside the Cathédrale St-Corentin. I like this one because the mother is reading with the child.

Inside the Cathédrale St-Corentin. I always associate St Roch with the RCMP schooner, the first ship to completely circumnavigate North America. For some reason, I never connect it with a saint.

Inside the Cathédrale St-Corentin. Jeanne d'Arc, I presume. I haven't seen many depictions of her.

One of the many bridges across the Oder, Quimper

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