L’Odet

The Odet

The Quimper audio-guided tour takes you to the edge of the Odet, one of the three waterways that make the identity of the city, at the confluence of which it was born.

The most beautiful river of France

The Steïr, the Odet and the Frout are the three waterways without which Quimper would not be the same: the name of the city, from the Breton kemper, means moreover "confluence". The Odet, which King Francis I liked to call the "most beautiful river of France", flows between the Montagnes Noires, at Saint-Goazec, and the Atlantic Ocean. It contributed to the economic development of the city, by providing it with the clay necessary for the famous Henriot faience factory, still present in Quimper. Several times subjected to operations to raise the banks following floods, it lends itself today to numerous activities, on the water as on foot, along its footbridges.

What there is to see

The Odet crosses Quimper with its peaceful waters, lined with flowered quays and crossed by numerous footbridges. Cradle of the city and its faience, the river offers a charming setting for a walk, on foot along the banks or by boat. It is one of the finest breathing spaces of Quimper, inseparable from its identity.

Practical information

The Odet crosses the centre of Quimper. Its banks and its footbridges can be walked freely on foot at all hours; cruises on the river are offered according to the hours and the season, to be checked on site.

What does the name Quimper mean?

"Confluence", from the Breton kemper, in reference to the meeting of the Steïr, the Odet and the Frout.

What link does the Odet have with the faience of Quimper?

It provides the clay necessary for the famous Henriot faience factory, still present in the city.