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Discover the Quimperlé area, a maritime land in Southern Finistère
Quimperlé and the surrounding area is just bursting with natural, cultural and historical treasures for you to discover. Straddling land and sea, this part of Southern Finistère offers all sorts of activities for a great holiday amongst family or friends.
Banks of the Belon, Moëlan sur Mer
Firstly, there are the rias, which are an emblematic feature of our region. At high tide, the sea washes up the rias and creates amazing landscapes where fauna and flora flourish of their own accord. With their quintessential Breton scenery betwixt land and sea, the Aven, Bélon and Laïta rias are ideal places for walking and various companies offer kayaking or boat trips.
The Belon
Entrance to the Port of Doëlan
All along the coast, there are beaches and inlets where you can enjoy all that the seaside has to offer: supervised bathing, watersport activities, as well as less developed beaches. Tourists are delighted every year by the quality of our beaches, especially in environmental terms, and 5 beaches have been awarded the blue flag mark of distinction for clean waters.
Grands Sables beach, Le Pouldu
Kerfany beach, Moëlan sur Mer
For those who like to get out on the water, between them the rias and the sea provide all sorts of nautical activities: sailing, kayaking, canoeing, bodyboarding, surfing, stand-up paddling, sea fishing… something for every taste! The choice is yours whether to take lessons, to join an organised trip or simply to hire equipment and go at your own pace.
Quimperlé
Quimperlé, Lower Town
For those interested in exploring heritage sites, the Quimperlé area boasts a rich and diverse offering. Quimperlé itself is a welcoming and attractive town which sits at the confluence of three rivers – the Isole and the Ellé meet here and flow on together as the Laïta. Split into high town and lower town, and centred around the Sainte-Croix abbey, a Romanesque jewel, Quimperlé is dotted with buildings from various eras: the Archers’ House, the Rue Dom Morice, the Saint-Colomban and Notre-Dame de l’Assomption churches, the Ursuline chapel. There are also numerous historical monuments in the surrounding area, from megaliths to chapels, and calvary shrines called ‘calvaires’ which are distinctive to Breton art and culture.
Quimperlé, Lower Town
Keen walkers and ramblers will find that the Quimperlé countryside is ideal for their pursuits. Between the coastal path and forest trails, there are over 1,200km of routes to choose from in this little corner of Brittany, with plenty of natural and cultural discoveries to make on the way.
'Les Roches du Diable' (The Devil's Rocks)
One of the many natural wonders you will come across is the jumble of boulders known as The Devil’s Rocks, steeped in legend. Many routes across the region are also suitable for cyclists or those on horseback. You will find practical information and route suggestions on this Tourist Office website: www.brittanytourism.com/to-see-to-do/iconic-routes
The Aven-Belon bay
And lastly, there are plenty of local specialities for foodies to enjoy. There is the flat Bélon oyster, renowned for its nutty flavour, which develops during cultivation in the Belon ria.
Oyster beds in the Belon
Cider is also produced in this area, and whilst this most quintessential of tipples is made all across Brittany, the taste and character varies by area, as do the methods of fermentation. And then there is the famous andouille sausage from Baye, made by artisan butchers according to a traditional recipe passed down through the generations since the early 20th century.
Buckwheat crêpe with Baye andouille, at Le Garzon Crêperie in Moëlan sur Mer
A maritime land, the Quimperlé area proudly possesses many small ports where, upon the return of the fishing boats each afternoon, you can buy freshly caught fish directly from the dockside.
Come to Quimperlé, everything is in place for a wonderful stay!
Matthieu Papin
‘Quimperlé-Terre Océane’ Tourist Office