Quintin – A Charming French Town

Quintin is a charming French town southwest of Saint-Brieuc city, and is only a short drive from our village. The smallish town has lots to offer to visitors with its blend of old-world charm and modern attractions. Quintin is built in the heart of the scenic “Le Gouët” river valley and is set on a hill perpetually overlooking the serene waters of Étang de Quintin (Quintin Lake).

Quintin - A Charming French Town

Situated between Armor and Argoat, Quintin, which was a fortified town and the centre of the Marian cult, boasts thirteen classified historic monuments. That's a lot of historical monuments for one small town!

It's architecturally rich urban heritage, which is principally the legacy of two centuries of prosperity arising from the manufacture of linen, is what makes it so attractive. 

Totally Enchanting

Buildings range through the centuries in Quintin. There's the ancient Basilique Notre-Dame and Château, old Convent, half-timbered houses from the 16th century and granite residences from the 17th and 18th centuries, and the more modern housing, local pool and community halls. Add menhirs to the mix, and Quintin just about covers all the ages of time.  

Built in the heart of the lovely "Le Gouët" river valley, this town in spring or summertime bloom is especially pretty. In springtime, the town's pale granite house façades are decorated with flowering purple wisteria. Bright camellias grow in gardens and tall hollyhocks grow from crevices and small spaces to add breathtaking colour. 

Quintin is where our family celebrated its first Fête Nationale day in France and the experience is firmly etched in our memories. With the Fête Nationale being in the middle of summer (14 July) we dressed lightly but took extra warm clothing just in case it chilled. And chill it did! After fresh crepes dripping with sugar and lemon and potent local cider, we danced a quick jig with a few locals to warm up a bit.

Fête Nationale at Quintin

The atmosphere was lively and fun with a makeshift dance floor erected in the carpark opposite Étang de Quintin and picnic tables jammed around the dance floor. The smell of cooking sausages and fresh crepes is embedded on my memory. We took our pew on a couple of public park benches on the lake's edge and waited for the evening fireworks.

We made firm friends with a family sitting beside us and enjoyed each other's company so much, that one of the children even became a penpal with my daughter for a while. The dazzling fireworks display was better than we expected. We couldn't believe how freezing the evening air became though as it got closer to fireworks time. Our Aussie family was obviously too used to hot weather because we wished we'd packed and worn thermal underwear in the middle of a French summer! 

Since spending that first Bastille Day celebration at Quintin, we've returned again for the fantastic fireworks, high energy of the large crowds, sizzling food and night-time dancing.

The Appeal of Quintin

The town's appearance can be broken down into a few different styles. There are the classified historical monuments; the elegant half timbered houses surrounding the central square; the outer uneven cobbled lanes and roads with smaller homes; a large secret walled garden and an impressive open lake. 

Quintin's classified monuments

Château de Quintin

The 'newer' castle overlooks the lake and was built in the 17th and 18th centuries, but never finished. There are tours you can do of the château pavilion and two foundation wings. The imposing château is surprisingly huge close up.

The Bagneux family currently call Château de Quintin home and are committed to its upkeep and sharing the estate's history. Over the years we've lived in France there has been slow, but almost continuous, restoration work undertaken. The entrance is on Place 1830.

I've recently toured Château de Quintin and written all about its interesting history, what I found during the tour and shared lots of my photos. I'm sure you'll love the post - Château de Quintin.

Basilique Notre-Dame 

Basilique Notre-Dame is a 19th century Neo-Gothic basilica that is dedicated to the patroness of spinners. Of great importance for the basilica is the relic believed to be a piece of the Virgin's girdle. Spinners and weavers are an integral part of this town given its history of being a major producer of linen fabric.

To visit Basilique Notre-Dame find yourself a carpark on rue de la Basilique and walk the short distance to the cathedral's entrance or drive to the end of the rue (street) and enter the carpark beside the cathedral. From this side carpark the stunning display of hydrangeas is not to be missed during spring or summer.

Musée-Atelier des Toiles

You'll find this weaving and linen museum and its workshop on rue des Degrés. It documents the history of the town and its importance as the centre of the linen cloth industry. During the 17th and 18th centuries the cloth produced in the town was of such a high standard that it was exported far and wide, even to America and Spain! The museum focuses on this period of the town's history.

Each November Quintin puts on a big festival that celebrates the towns wheat and linen industry. The Fête des Tisserands Wheat Festival (photos above) is great fun with a huge street parade, food stalls and pop-up dining areas, weaving and spinning displays, donkeys, and a street market. The market has everything from baskets, sweets, clothes, antiques, ice-cream and handmade crafts. Temporary dancing floors are set up and everyone joins in on the fun with Breton dancing taking centre stage - literally!

Fête des Tisserands (Weavers Festival) at Quintin video

Street Singers Festival

Each November Quintin holds a toe-tapping, music and dancing street festival. In 2024 there were 20 artists and groups that filled the streets with music as they popped up and moved around the town’s streets. Every year there’s at least one big street parade and this year there was three parades! The costume period for the event is the 1930s.

The festival is fantastic fun with hot food stalls selling crêpes, roasted nuts, frites (hot chips), saucisses (sausages) and local produce. I find the scent of roasting nuts and artisan sausages sizzling on hot plates fills the cold crisp November air making my mouth water.

I usually find my favourite one or two performers and follow them around a bit as they set up and perform in different areas of the small town. You can expect guitars, singers, accordions and at night there’s large concerts to attend.

My sons are adults now, but for the younger kids there is a small animal farm where you can pet and touch the animals. Traditional crafts like butter making and wood turning are displayed and always interesting to watch.

Central Quintin

Central Quintin is a combination of granite buildings and well preserved half-timbered houses. The intersecting main streets of Quintin are Grande rue, rue Notre Dame, rue aux toiles, rue des Carmes and Place du Martray.

Many of these granite buildings were homes of the wealthy textile merchants. Co-ordinating ornate shutters and doors with brass handles look all the more beautiful in spring with cascading mauve wisteria moving softly in the breeze. Add colourful camellias and hollyhocks standing tall against the granite walls and you'll understand how easy it is to be enchanted with Quintin.

Creperie Ty-Ann Chez Roger

When guests stay with us in France, we take them to try traditional Breton crépes at the Creperie Ty-Ann Chez Roger. It's in the main street of Quintin so it's easy to dine in, explore the town and convent garden, then walk around the lake just down the hill.

Quirky, very friendly and with a traditional menu this sweet looking cafe is a must when in Quintin. 

Carmelite Park (Roz-Maria), Quintin

Only a quick walk from the mini-marché and town library is a former Catholic convent and garden. Built in 1619 the convent of the Carmelite Fathers was established with the aim to resume the education of the population who might have been attracted by the Protestantism which had developed in the region.

The structured garden they created occupies the lower part of the former convent property and when the camilla trees are in bloom, it is truly spectacular. There are fountains, arbours and grassy areas for a picnic. Because of the aged camilla trees, the garden has wonderful shady areas that are perfect for escaping the hot summer sun.

Weekly Markets

Regular trips to nearby Quintin are the norm for us when we live at our French village home (we also live part of the year in Newcastle, Australia). Read more about our French/Australian life here. There's a couple of markets held each week - one larger one for the usual produce and products and the weekend organic market. 

The weekend organic market held near the Tourism Office in the centre of town is small, but it has all the food staples we need for the week. There is also an extraordinarily well stocked gourmet grocery store called L'Epicerie Quintinaise that I recommend you pop into for any supplies or snacks you may need while travelling. It's an elegant boutique style mini-market with the freshest produce and beautifully displayed groceries.

Boulangeries

Daily fresh bread, baguettes and cakes are part of our everyday life and Quintin has two bakeries to choose from in the centre of town. Grab some cakes and have a picnic beside the lake. 

Quintin - The outer parts of the town

Étang de Quintin (Quintin Lake)

Étang de Quintin, overshadowed by the château and main part of the town, is a focal place for outdoor activity. Walking the paths around the lake's edge and through the surrounding park is relaxing and possible even on drizzly days. The paths are flat and easy to walk on. 

Menhir de la Roche Longue, Quintin

The surrounding park of the lake even has two ancient menhirs, Menhir de la Roche Longue and Menhir des Cotes d'en Bas. You can reach the menhirs by cycling or walking from the lake. 

I've found not all menhirs are easily accessible in Brittany and sometimes I've had to tramp through thick woods or walk kilometres across muddy fields to see a menhir or dolmen. I recommend viewing these historical landmarks because of their close location to town. Head to 3 rue René Pleven for a good view. 

Menhir de la Roche Longue is one of the eight largest menhirs in Côte d'Armor standing seven metres high, so it's an important one to view.

Piscine Ophéa

If you're travelling with children and they need to let off a bit of steam, then the modern swimming pool Piscine Ophéa, just past Étang de Quintin, is a great family option. The complex has a number of pools and covered slides that will whizz you around until you splash into the large pool.

Useful Addresses

Château de Quintin - Place 1830, 22800 Quintin 

Basilique Notre-Dame - rue Notre Dame, 22800 Quintin

Musée-Atelier des Toiles - 1 rue des Degrés, 22800 Quintin

Menhir des cotes d'en bas - 3 rue René Pleven, 22800 Quintin

Basilique Notre-Dame - rue Notre Dame, 22800 Quintin

Creperie Ty-Ann Chez Roger - 17 Grande rue, 22800 Quintin

L'Epicerie Quintinaise -  6 Place du Martray, 22800 Quintin

The Tourist Office is easy to find in its dramatic black and white half-timbered building in the centre of town. Office de Tourisme -   Place 1830, 22800 Quintin

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