Memo from J-P

For this page of oldquimper.com, we give the floor to Jean-Pierre, who serves as the CFO (Chief Feline Officer) of The Meadows Collection.  Appointed to that position in 2007, he has gamely agreed to attempt the daunting task of taking over the duties previously fulfilled by the late, but ever-present-in-our-hearts, Porquier-Beau...whose image continues to grace the upper left corner of this link.

Jean-Pierre is now twelve-years-old, which translates to sixty-four in human years. He is still very young-at-heart and so full of enthusiasm that he has bravely stepped up to the plate.

It is with great pleasure that we pass along the latest Memo from J-P:

Greetings to all.

First a little bit about me:

I was born in Paris and am thoroughly français despite paperwork that lists me as being a chat de la fôret norvégienne (Norwegian Forest Cat). My full name is Châtelain Jean-Pierre. Châtelain because being born in 2007... December 21, 2007 to be precise...means that in accordance with French regulations, my name must begin with the letter 'c'.  Those born in 2008 have names that begin with a 'd', those born in 2009 have names beginning with the letter 'e' and so on.

Châtelain is a French term from the Middle Ages used to distinguish the seigneur or lord of the manor. We live in Quimper now, so it's more like lord of the apartment...but the important part is that I rule the roost, so to speak. Jean is in reference to Jean-Baptiste Bousquet who settled in Quimper in 1699 and Pierre is in honor of his son, Pierre Bousquet, who in 1708 founded Quimper's first modern -day pottery factory.

Every once in a while I like to put the spotlight on a specific topic…it might be an unusual example of Quimper pottery or perhaps a further look at a place or structure…something  that I feel will further your enjoyment of French faïence. 

And then sometimes I take this opportunity to share with you some of our adventures in Quimper...because one of the results of being so gab-smacked enamored of Quimper pottery has led to the inevitable and now we live in Quimper...right in the middle of Old Town !

I'm an indoor cat, but I do see a lot from our windows and the folks are always up for an adventure. Here's a quick rundown of what we were up to last month...it will give you a bit of a taste of the sights and sounds of living in Quimper. 

The routine around here is slowly evolving, but there are some aspects that make it seem a bit like living in a science-fiction novel. Lounging on my cat tree that overlooks rue Kéréon, I am able to see that there is more activity in Old Town Quimper...people are scurrying about wearing masks now that they are able to venture further afield.  There's not much reason to go too far, however, since many businesses, most museums and practically all restaurants remain closed.

Even the store mannikins wear masks...

The folks did, however go on a few outings.  One of the results of the confinement is that they have embraced the trend for making "Dutch oven bread" ...which, in turn has accelerated the need for brisk walks to ( hopefully ) counteract the increased caloric intake. This group of sculptures that they see on their way to the grocery store...

...now hits a little too close to home.

So they donned their colorful masks crafted out of Dad's old shirts...the masks provided to all the residents by the Mayor's office are a subdued beige and reserved for more "formal" occasions. Once masked, they ventured out into the outdoors. Here's some of what they saw:

The term "window-shopping" in French is translated as lèche-vitrine...which literally translates to "lick-window".  

And that's all one could do when enjoying the window display at the Henriot pottery...because the pottery remains closed to visitors. So I am unable to provide artist names or prices, but hopefully, these photographs will give some insight into current Quimper pottery production !

The weather has been quite warm here of late. The local paper reported that Quimper was named the second sunniest town in France for the month of May...and the article went on to note that of the top five sunniest cities, three were in Brittany !

 Lorient had the most hours of sunshine from May 1 to May 24 with 235 hours; Quimper had 232 hours; Ajaccio (in Corsica) had 226 hours; Saint-Quentin (northern France between Arras and Reims) had 221 hours and Vannes had 220 hours.

Wilting in the heat, the folks dusted off their hiking boots and headed to the woods of Gouesnac'h in search of some shade. Some of the sights they saw:

This is Notre Dame de Vray Secours, a chapel tucked into the woods. Authorized by a local marquis in 1698, construction was completed in 1729.  The waters from its adjacent fountain were historically reputed to have healing properties...especially for infants. 

Other structures they came across included this abandoned home...

...in a beautiful setting with still sound walls, but no roof...what tales could this fixer-upper tell ?

Providing stark contrast...

...this is Chäteau de Penfrat...built in 1859 using plans designed by Joseph Bigot, the architect responsible for many landmarks in the area...including the spires of the Cathedral Saint-Corentin in Quimper. Originally a hunting lodge, it is not functioning as a B&B for now, but usually some of the rooms are available to be enjoyed by visitors. 

That's my memo for this month;  I hope you enjoy my sharing of our adventures in Quimper!