Early Inhabitants

• While the story of King Gradlon is open to debate, it is true that in the fifth and sixth centuries, Celts from Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Cornwall sailed across the English Channel and settled in Brittany (the name means "Little Britain"). The people of this region speak Breton, a Gaelic dialect similar to what is spoken in Ireland and Scotland. For most of their history, the Bretons remained independent, only becoming part of France officially in 1532.
  
  

Town

• Quimper's skyline is dominated by the twin spires of its Gothic cathedral, the construction of which began in 1239 and was finally finished in 1515. In the historic downtown, the narrow streets are lined with half-timbered houses that date from the Middle Ages. Along the Odet River, which runs through Quimper, are handsome stone buildings that date from the Renaissance era.
  
  

Pottery

• The faience pottery--ceramics decorated with colored glazes--that has become world famous was first made in Quimper in 1708 by a master potter named Pierre Bousquet. By the end of the 19th century, three faience factories were operating in Quimper: the Porquier; the Grande Maison, also known as the De la Hubaudiere; and the Faiencerie d'Art Breton. At all three factories, decoration of the pottery was done by hand.
  
  Collectors of Quimper pottery prefer vintage faience produced before World War II. Since 1945, the factories in Quimper have adopted modern methods and modern machinery so that each piece of pottery produced is uniform in shape and decoration. Collectors believe mechanization has stripped Quimper pottery of its character and charm.
  
  

Motifs

• Most Quimper pottery is decorated with Breton men and women in traditional dress. Inspired by the town's close proximity to the sea, some elaborate Quimper serving pieces are painted with still-lifes of shellfish, or a scene of the sea god Neptune riding across the waves. Quimper potters also made figurines of Breton villagers and of favorite Breton saints.
  
  

Famous Quimperois

• Quimper was the birthplace of Elie Freron (1718-1776), a harsh critic of French philosopher and novelist Voltaire; Rene Laennec (1781-1826), a physician who invented the stethoscope; and Max Jacob (1876-1944), the writer and painter.