The harbour town of Paimpol lies at the eastern entrance to the Cotê de Granit Rose. As the ferries to Île de Bréhat leave shortly behind Paimpol, many holidaymakers view the picturesque little town from the car at best. Wrongly so, because the beauty of the “Isle of Flowers”, 10 minutes from the mainland, also radiates to Paimpol and the surrounding area. A stopover is always worthwhile!
Living by and with the sea
Paimpol looks back on a long tradition. From the Middle Ages until its heyday in the 19th and early 20th centuries, Paimpol was a centre of fishing. The fishermen of the North Breton town specialised in catching cod. The routes of the boats led through the rough Atlantic as far as the coasts off Iceland and Newfoundland.
The hard existence of the fishermen and their families not only inspired the author Pierre Loti to write his book “An Iceland Fishermen”, published in 1886. The chanson “La Paimpolaise” by Théodore Botrel is also about the fate of the sailors.
In the tradition of the song, Paimpol is now the venue for the biennial “Festival du chant de marin”, where sea shanties from all over the world are sung to thousands of visitors. The festival only takes place in odd-numbered years, the next date being August 2019.
The port has now lost its once high significance. But Paimpol still has a connection to the delicacies of the sea. There is a special kind of oyster, the paimpolaise. In the village of Loguivy, about 10 minutes by car from Paimpol, things get exotic: the “blue lobster” served in the restaurants here is famous beyond the borders of Brittany among gourmets.
Places of interest in Paimpol
In the small town of Paimpol, visitors will find sights around the former fishing harbour, where yachts and pleasure boats now rock depending on the tide. Narrow alleys, half-timbered houses and many cafés and restaurants in the centre behind the marina invite you to take a stroll through the town and enjoy a snack afterwards. Special attractions are the Place du Martray and the Latin Quarter.
In the museum, lovingly collected exhibits tell of the history of the city and the seafarers of times gone by. Open from April to the end of October, the museum is a real alternative for young and old, especially if the Breton weather spoils carefree outdoor activities.
A beach worth mentioning is the Plage de la Tossen, located on the eastern edge of the town. If you follow the coast a little further in this direction, you will come across the Abbaye de Beauport. The monastery was built in the 13th century, but during the French Revolution, the complex, praised as the most beautiful abbey in Brittany, fell victim to destruction. Visitors have to pay an entrance fee of 6 euros for the beautiful view over the bay.