Quimper, the Town, Part II

We came to Quimper for the faience. We came away with so much more.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that Quimper is a charming and historic town that affords a good glimpse into the culture of Brittany.

Quimper was founded  in the 5th century, and to visit is to step back in time.  The Odet River runs through town and pedestrian bridges, decked with flowering baskets, connect the main streets on either side of it.  The city of 60,000 is dominated by a cathedral, with it's square, and has a warren of cobblestone streets radiating from it.  The streets are lined with four story buildings that seem to be typical of ancient European cities.

The center of town - The Cathedral of Saint Corentin of Quimper.

A typical Quimper street scene.

Many building have faience statues tucked into pedestals or niches.

Buildings line parts of the Odet River.

I have never seen so many specialty shops in one place:

Flower shop.

Seafood at the market.

More seafood.

Have you heard of a sardine shop?

My favorite, marcarones.

When we checked in to our hotel, the manager asked if we wanted a room in the front of the building, or a quieter room in back.  We chose the room in back, without realizing that there was a good reason for our decision:  it is festival season. It was serendipity that we arrived in Quimper during the annual Festival de Cornouaille - a huge cultural fair that happens right in the middle of town.

The streets running along the river were lined with tents that one typically sees at town festivals.  In addition, people had come from all over Brittany to join in the fun. Many of the participants were dressed in their traditional garb, which looks a lot like the clothing of the people on my Quimper faience. The most noticeable part of the festival were the bagpipe bands, and men in kilts.  Who knew bagpipes existed anywhere but Scotland?  Throughout the day, we saw and heard bands practicing, or performing.  By evening a regular battle of the bands had started.  While eating our crepe and cider dinner at an outdoor café we saw band after band march by, with their bagpipes blaring.  With our unaccustomed ear, the bands all seemed to be playing the same tune.  Perhaps, an ethnomusicologist could distinguish the tunes.  In any case, we were glad of our room at the back of the hotel.

We happened by a threshing demonstration.

This isn't a decorative display.  It's the tools the threshers are going to use - with a classic hat.

The threshing team is getting ready.

Here they go. The men move in a clockwise attitude, chanting, and beating the crap out of the stalks of grain.

Now, they form a trench in the center of the stalks and they scoop up the grain.....

and take it to the mill for the ladies to work their magic.

Voila!  Buckwheat.

We watched dancers.

A few more delights:

The HenRiot train kept chugging through the festivities.

A couple of ponies obligingly gave rides to the kids.

We saw lots of cooks preparing buckwheat crepes, and we had crepes for dinner almost every night we were in France.  Since cider is a traditional drink, we usually ordered cider (the alcoholic kind) with our crepes.  What surprised us about the cider was, it was always served in a teacup - usually a faience teacup.

This is a picture on a tray from the HenRiot museum.  One woman is making crepes, and the others are drinking cider from their tea cups.  This is still going on today.

Quimper was such an unexpected treat.  It will live in our memories as a magical city where the people are still enjoying centuries old traditions.

Quimper, the Faience, Part I

In 1976 Taylor and I got married.  We had a rather casual wedding, with no guests, and no gift registry.  However,  my best friend's mother, Mrs Finn, gave us a charming faience casserole dish.

The beginning.

Being an unconventional bride, I found this pottery to be utterly charming. I started looking for information about it and learned that it was made by the HenRiot company in Quimper, France. This company has been making faience (pottery) since 1690.  It was just starting to appear on the shelves in the U.S.in the 70s and, although it was hard to find, I was able to buy it for the next 30 years, or so.  My mother also found the pottery to be charming and she bought me a large platter to match Mrs. Finn's casserole.

Before I knew it, I became a "collector."  I bought Quimper (pronounced 'Cam-pear') in retail specialty stores, in antique stores, at flea markets, and friends gave it to me as gifts.  Over the years, I gathered enough dishes to have a small Thanksgiving gathering, and enough unusual pieces to make me smile.  About 10 years ago, HenRiot quit importing to the U.S. and it was even harder to buy the dishes.  However, I don't really need any more.  I have plenty. Now, part of the thrill is finding it in an antique shop.

When we determined to travel to the U.K. this year, and to branch out to Normandy, we asked ourselves, "Why not go to Brittany and visit Quimper?"  Brittany, after all, is next door to Normandy. And, that is why we came to Quimper.

Welcome to the HenRiot Quimper factory in Quimper, France!

We toured the factory.  I wasn't comfortable taking pictures in the factory, but I won't forget it.  The factory is in a new "old" building.  The original building is now a museum. The factory is large, well lit and clean.  The company employees 26 craftspeople and they sell 130,000 pieces per year.  Each item is created by a single person, start to finish and signed by the individual artist.  We saw how the various pieces are turned on a wheel and stamped out of clay or poured into a mold.  Each piece is then dipped into a glaze and  painstakingly painted. The results are glorious.

This was one of the few unglazed pieces.

I've never seen so much Quimper available at one location.

I have a vase with these Breton ladies that I bought in Connecticut.

Some of the pieces are very modern.

The next day we went to the museum, where we saw lots of unusual pieces from the past and learned about the history of the company and the various artists who have worked there over the years.

This extravaganza is about 5 feet tall.

Many pieces have to do with marriage, and life in the country.

Four seasons.

I love the pastel coloring on this charming girl. She looked so familiar to me.

When we got home, I looked through my own collection of Quimper, and there she was - my girl.  My girl belonged to my Auntie Thelma.  I recall that Thelma always had her on the fireplace mantel.  When she died my cousin Maren gave me custody of the girl.  She doesn't have the typical HenRiot signature on the bottom, but she sure looks like Quimper, doesn't she?

Is she, or isn't she?

Mrs. Finn started this story in 1976. Without her we would have never come to this part of the world.  This is also a little bit of the the story HenRiot Quimper.  However, there's more to the town of Quimper than faience.  Part II to come.