Discover Quimper and its two rivers

Follow the Stéïr, then take the small streets to walk through the city centre and reach the Locmaria district and its Romanesque church. Walk along the Odet, the main river that crosses Quimper, following the old towpath and the quays.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 9.97 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Easy

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 59 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 59 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 65 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Departure from the car park in front of the Léon Goraguer School at Moulin Vert (north-west district of Quimper).
Access by bus lines 4 and 5.

(S/E) Head towards the River Stéïr in a north-easterly direction, go around a lovely children's playground and walk up the river. Continue to the weir and cross it.

(1) Leave the path on your right and climb up opposite towards the shared gardens (book box) and turn right to descend towards the Promenade du Manoir des Salles.

(2) Ignore the metal footbridge opposite and continue left along the river for about 1 km.

(3) Pass another wooden footbridge on your right, spot the Manoir des Salles (16th century) between the trees and continue along the river. Note the small island in the river called "l'île aux veuves" (Widows' Island) and continue to a grassy area planted with trees on your left, where you will see a wash house and two fountains (the only remains of a former 15th-century manor house) and arrive at a roundabout. Go around it on the right and continue along Rue Henri de Bournazel. Pass an old level crossing, ignore Rue Jean-Baptise Colbert on your right and arrive at some buildings on your right.

(4) Turn right into a passage between the buildings (parking arrow) and you will come to a new footbridge over the Stéïr. Cross it and continue down the river for about 500 metres, keeping the river on your left and the pay car park on your right. Pass a small footbridge on your left, go past a children's playground and walk around the nursery school.

(5) Leave the banks of the Stéïr and turn right onto Venelle du Moulin au Duc. This will take you to Rue du Chapeau Rouge. Turn right/left and continue along Venelle du Pain Cuit, which leads to Venelle de la Gaze. You will arrive at Rue Laënnec, where you turn left and, a few metres further on, turn right into Venelle du Poivre. This turns at a right angle and leads to Rue René Madec. Turn right and then left near the entrance to the Monoprix store to cross the river.

Head right towards the traffic lights, cross and take the bridge called Pont Pissette. On your right, you will see the confluence of the Odet and Stéïr rivers (Quimper, in Breton Kemper means confluence).
Turn right, passing a memorial to General de Gaulle, then continue to the traffic lights to cross the road and reach the former Tourist Office building, which has now been converted into a coach park.

(6) Walk past this building, cross the esplanade and take the stairs to reach the Promenade du Mont Frugy, a wooded hillside overlooking the town. This wide tarmac path initially climbs to the left (signposted for pedestrians only). At the first bend, leave the wide path on the right and continue straight ahead. The tree-lined path joins a staircase on the right.

(7) Turn right, climb the few steps and continue along the wide path. Stay on the upper part of the Frugy and ignore all the exits on the right and left (there are a few views of Quimper through the gaps in the trees). You will come to a barrier followed by a series of steps leading down to Rue Haute at the traffic lights.

(8) Cross over, turn right opposite a restaurant, then left onto Place du Stivel. Continue along the pedestrianised Rue Jean-Baptiste Bousquet, which runs alongside the Musée de la Faïence. The Romanesque church of Locmaria and its cloister, located on the left, are well worth a visit. Enter the old priory through a porch, cross it and turn right behind the Prieuré restaurant to reach a one-way street.
Walk along the medieval garden and continue along the street on the left. When it turns left, take the path on the right that runs alongside the Odet and leads to the Pont de Poulguinan, the last bridge over the Odet, built in 1974.

(9) Follow the path that leads to this bridge and cross using the secure pedestrian crossing. At the end of the bridge, go down to the left onto the towpath, pass under the bridge and follow this wide path with information panels (view of the Locmaria district you have just crossed).
Head north-east until you reach a footbridge about 800 metres away and cross it (beautiful view of the river and the cathedral spires).

(10) Continue left along Allée du Locmaria, which runs alongside the river, until you reach the first bridge. Cross this bridge opposite the Palais de Justice and follow Quai de l'Odet to the left. Continue past two notary offices. At the bus shelter, look for a gate that opens onto a small public park. Cross the street and enter the park with children's playground equipment

(11). At the exit, continue along Rue Joseph Halleguen and you will come to Venelle de Kergos, which you follow to the left. Turn right onto Rue Louis Hémon and, at the junction with Rue du Palais, turn left. The street turns right and passes between a car park on the left, where the statue of La Tour d'Auvergne stands, and the gendarmerie on the right.

Go around the Théâtre de Cornouaille on the left and cross the large esplanade diagonally. On your right, you will see a pretty garden in front of the Ursulines Media Library. Go around it on the left and walk past the old buildings of the 118th Infantry Regiment to reach the traffic lights on Rue de Falkirk, with Saint-Mathieu Church slightly to your right. Cross the road and turn into Rue du Chapeau Rouge.

(12) Turn left into the Chapeau Rouge shopping arcade, which continues into Venelle de la Providence. Turn left to cross the large Providence car park, following the pedestrian walkways. You will arrive in front of the Cinévile cinema complex, which you will go around on the right.

(13) Climb the metal staircase to pass under the old railway bridge (future greenway) and reach Rue Abel Villard. Cross at the pedestrian crossing, follow it for a few metres to the left and then take the first street on the right. Continue along this street until you reach Rue du Cosquer, which you follow to the right until you reach a roundabout.

(14) Cross the small, newly created concrete esplanade on the right-hand side of the Steïr (with chairs, a small table and even a deckchair), continue along the pavement, then turn right onto the path that runs behind the houses and arrives at the Moulin Vert plain, where an eco-grazing area with sheep has been set up.

(15) Turn left and head for the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 6 m - Léon Goraguer School Moulin Vert
  2. 1 : km 0.36 - alt. 5 m - Weir - Steïr (rivière)
  3. 2 : km 0.69 - alt. 6 m - Walk from the Manoir des Salles
  4. 3 : km 1.25 - alt. 6 m - Footbridge
  5. 4 : km 1.83 - alt. 8 m - Passage between the buildings
  6. 5 : km 2.42 - alt. 4 m - Venelle du Moulin au Duc.
  7. 6 : km 3.03 - alt. 5 m - Start of the climb
  8. 7 : km 3.49 - alt. 27 m - Turn right at the fork.
  9. 8 : km 4.46 - alt. 13 m - Crossing the Rue Haute
  10. 9 : km 5.42 - alt. 4 m - Climb up to the Poulguinan Bridge.
  11. 10 : km 6.5 - alt. 3 m - Allée de Locmaria - Odet
  12. 11 : km 7.22 - alt. 3 m - Entrance to the garden
  13. 12 : km 8.24 - alt. 6 m - Galerie du Chapeau Rouge
  14. 13 : km 9.03 - alt. 7 m - Metal staircase
  15. 14 : km 9.43 - alt. 6 m - Roundabout
  16. 15 : km 9.74 - alt. 5 m - Fork in the road
  17. S/E : km 9.96 - alt. 6 m - Léon Goraguer School Moulin Vert

Notes

Toilets are located near the car park at the start of the walk (50 metres to the right) and near the former tourist office.
The time indicated only takes into account the walking time: everyone can adapt according to the time they have available.
A map of Quimper distributed by the tourist office may be useful.
There are various markings along the route: yellow, white-red and light blue. Ignore these and follow the description and map instead.
It is best to choose a time that corresponds to high tide: the path along the Odet is more beautiful then.
There are two favourable periods: autumn for the colour of the foliage, or winter because the view from the top of Le Frugy is clearer.

Worth a visit

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
loulou29B
loulou29B

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

smooth

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Audrey_C
Audrey_C

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

A gentle, easy hike and a lovely walk that allows you to discover parts of Quimper (outside the old town) that you would never imagine as a tourist.

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maurice29
maurice29

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 05, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The route is a bit complicated, so you really need to follow the map at all times, but otherwise it's an interesting way to discover the city.

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le goff brigitte
le goff brigitte

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 29, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The group really enjoyed this hike and also the walk through the narrow streets.
It's a shame we did it in rainy weather.

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FLOCH
FLOCH ★

Sorry, but the car park is easy to find if you look at a map.
It's surprising that the Léon Goraguer School isn't marked on the GPS.
On Google Earth, there's no problem finding the school.

In the practical information, I clearly stated that there are several colours of markings that intersect, and for this reason, you have to rely on the description.

FLOCH

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coataudon
coataudon

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

The car park at the start near the school is not signposted on site or on my GPS, even though it is quite new. It is unclear which signs to follow, but luckily with the map and a little sense of direction, we manage to find it anyway.

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ROULLAND BERNARD
ROULLAND BERNARD

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Magnificent
very beautiful walk, exploring the centre of Quimper through the narrow streets. I recommend it...

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gazok54
gazok54 ★

Thank you, Nadou Cozic.
Not even lost! Mission accomplished for Visorando.

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Nadou Cozic
Nadou Cozic

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 14, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk: the Steir river in full flow, the Odet river threatening to burst its banks, Mont Frugy offering a different view of Kemper, the narrow streets we don't usually walk through, nature awakening... pure bliss!
We didn't even get lost!
Thank you for this wonderful opportunity, we'll be back in the spring.

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farges marie jos
farges marie jos

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 26, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

It was very good. I knew all the parts of the route, but the whole thing was well done.

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poraon
poraon

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 07, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A beautiful hike, easy and very well described and marked. The walk along the water, discovering the little alleys and old houses, followed by the crossing of Mount Frugy, and finally the climb up the Odet... A real treat!
Many thanks to Floch!

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FLOCH
FLOCH ★

Thank you for your comment.
As a resident of Quimper, I was keen to showcase both of the main rivers, the passage through little-known alleyways and the panoramic view from Le Frugy.
I am glad you appreciated this choice.

Best regards.

FLOCH (Moderator)

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foen
foen

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 14, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I would like to thank Floch very much for this very well-described route, which allows you to see the beautiful city of Quimper from an original perspective.
foen

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FLOCH
FLOCH ★

Thank you for your comment.
For point 10, I will amend it as follows

Pass two garages, a printing shop on the right-hand side and a bar called "Ruz Boutou" on the left-hand side, then turn right into a narrow passageway called Rue Edmond Rostand (10).

I think this will be clearer.

Best regards.

FLOCH (Moderator)

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JS29
JS29

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 13, 2015
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A lovely walk, combining town and countryside, easy going.

The only downside is point 10 on the way back. You need to be precise to find the "path" that leads back to the bridge (Rue Cosquer).

Otherwise, highly recommended for visiting Quimper in an original way.

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