Page 170 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Brittany

168  BRIT T AN Y REGION B Y REGION

E Musée de la Faïence Cathédrale St-Corentin
14 Rue Jean-Baptiste-Bousquet.
Tel (02) 98 90 12 72. Open Apr–Sep: Impressed by the religious faith of Corentine, whom he met on
Mon–Sat. & Ménez-Hom, so the legend goes, King Gradlon invited the
The museum is laid out in the hermit to become Bishop of Quimper and gave him land on
Maison Porquier, a former which to build a cathedral. History records that in 1239 Bishop
faience factory in the heart of Rainaud decided to start building the choir of his projected
the Locmaria district, where the cathedral. The light and airy building that resulted was achieved
18th-century kilns are also
located. Recent building work by means of new construction techniques: ribbed vaulting
in this district is in keeping with supported by flying buttresses. The choir was built out of line
the character of the area. with the nave to accommodate an older chapel containing the
The museum highlights the tomb of Alain Canhiart, who repelled Norman invasions in 913.
elements necessary for making
pottery, namely water, clay
and fire. The natural occurrence . Stained-Glass Windows
of clay and water The great vertical spaces of the
in the vicinity is nave, the choir and the transept
the reason are lit by superb stained-glass
why Quimper windows made in a local
became a workshop in the 15th century.
prime centre
of pottery Odetta vase with
manufac ture. hydrangea motif
There is also
a display of Quimper pottery,
with work by Alfred Beau, and
pieces by major throwers and
painters. The creation of the mark
Odetta HB Quimper in 1922
and the beginnings of studio
pottery are also documented.
Faïencerie HB-Henriot
Place Bérardier, Locmaria. Tel (02) 98
90 09 36. Open for guided tours only.
8 times vary; phone ahead. &
In 1984, two Americans, Paul
and Sarah Janssens, acquired
the HB-Henriot faience factory.
Continuing Quimper’s faience-
making tradition, the factory is
the only one still to produce
pieces with freehand decoration.
Environs
The 16th-century Calvaire de
Quilinen, in open countryside
between Quimper and
Châteaulin, is worth a visit.
About 1 km (0.5 mile) further KEY
on is the Gothic Chapelle de
St-Venec, dedicated to the 1 Small chapel 5 Bell turret on the tower
brother of St Guénolé, which 2 The old high altar 6 St-Guénolé and
has a fountain framed by beneath a canopy decorated St-Ronan Window, dating
slender twisted columns. The with seraphim, was shown at from the 19th century,
church at Cast, 8 km (5 miles) the Exposition Universelle in depicts the two saints, one
south of Châteaulin, is known Paris in 1867. the founder of the Abbaye
for a 16th-century sculpture 3 Spires, in the Pont-Croix de Landévennec and the
called St Hubert’s Hunt. The style, were added in 1854. other the hermit of Locronan.
belvedere at Griffonez, on a 4 Twin towers, 76 m 7 West door
bend of the Odet 7 km (4 miles) (250 ft) high, are pierced
north of Quimper, offers a view by double openings.
of the Gorges de Stangala.
For hotels and restaurants see p227 and pp239–41

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