Pont-l’Abbé

In the 1700s and 1800s, the port of Pont-l’Abbé was a major trading centre. Grain, fish, potatoes and pinewood were exported, while wine, salt and timber from the north were landed.

Today, the port is home to a few boats and offers a pleasant stroll as well as a magnificent view of the bridge and the castle keep.

The Pont-l’Abbé bridge is one of the few inhabited bridges in France.

It used to be a bridge dam, a potato starch factory and a flour mill before giving way to embroidery workshops, including the Le Minor company with its famous dolls. Today, it is still inhabited and houses shops.

This limestone and bronzework by François Bazin dates from 1931. It represents the 5 ages of life: four women and a child:

• the grandmother
• the mother
• the sister
• the young girl
• the little girl

They are thinking of their sons, brothers, husbands or grandsons battling the storm at sea. On the sides, two bronze bas-reliefs illustrate scenes from Breton legend.

Nespoon, a young Polish artist, has created a 70-square-metre fresco on a wall in the Place des Carmes.

The designs, initially stencilled, are inspired by Bigouden embroidery: flowers, rosettes and semi-circles.

Don’t miss this unique work of art!

The estuary of the river at Pont-l’Abbé is classified as a site of major ecological interest: there are 9 signposts to accompany your nature walk.

The towpath is a real reminder of the commercial port. You’ll come across a cobbled dyke, pine woods, a tide mill and islets that are home to many birds… The landscapes shaped by the tides will surprise you with their beauty.