Earthenware is to Quimper what porcelain is to Limoges. Known around the globe, earthenware has been made in Quimper for over 3 centuries. Traditional motifs, entirely painted by hand, show local scenes or flower patterns in a naïve Breton style. Until the 1960s, natural earth was used in the manufacture of earthenware. Many of these objects are still available today at a reasonable price.
Furniture and interior furnishings
Many examples of Brittany furniture are absolutely typical of the region. Take the closed bed – you’ll find them on most local farms. The doors close to keep in the warmth. Cosy! You’ll also see many different kinds of side dressers, plate cabinets, and wooden chests. Quite often they are easily transported, and found at “brocantes” (junk shops) and market stalls. Bargains can be had. Folding cutlery (you take it with you when you go to a friend’s place for dinner), butter holders, biscuit tins, wooden boules games – all are available if you look hard enough.
Sailing goes hand in hand with a certain style of life, and interiors are furnished in warm shades of wood, mainly exotic. Copper and rope decorate many local homes; this décor has the advantage of being useful and beautiful. So, go routing through the brocantes and find yourself an old wooden chest and a sextant, and you’ll begin to get the flavour of Brittany in your home.
The Crepe Pan
Le “Bilig” is the traditional pan for making crepes. At the outset it was a huge black pan with a long handle to allow it to be thrust into embers. Nowadays, you can buy them with a built-in heat source such as gas or electricity. Slide a blob of butter round the hot surface, pour on the batter in one go and spread it round with the wooden baton - quite a knack, but fun when you know how. Then flip the crepe over to cook the other side. Never clean the surface of the pan. A wipe with a soft cloth will suffice.
