THE CLOSE CITY

When visiting Concarneau, don't forget to stop off at the Ville Close, the town's historic center. It's one of the symbols of the Breton coast, with a history that goes back several centuries and features granite walls almost three meters high, to which it owes its name. This enclave was once a stronghold of Cornouaille. Imagine an (almost) medieval fortress on the water, in the middle of the marina, surrounded by huge walls and crowded with tourists: you're back in the Middle Ages! Situated on an islet 350 m long and 100 m wide, the city is encircled by imposing ramparts, which evoke the area's military past and have undergone numerous modifications over the centuries. They have been listed as historic monuments since 1899, while other fortifications, notably the Tour du Gouverneur and Tour du Majeur, have been listed since 1913. Its belfry, which dominates the entrance, was built later, but this has not prevented it from becoming the town's emblem. Every year, many visitors enjoy strolling through the narrow streets, some 350 m long. They also discover numerous gardens and ramparts offering a breathtaking view of the Bay of Concarneau, the fishing port and the marina. Quite charming... Concarneau is a fishing town, always populated by sailors, with a very pleasant atmosphere.

To allow access to the small islet on which it sits in the heart of Concarneau, the Ville Close is linked to the land by two small bridges leading to an impressive Vauban gate. However, connoisseurs prefer to enter via a backdoor entrance: they take the "bac du passage", a small boat that links the Ville Close with the Lanriec district on the other bank. The Ville Close has a small quay to accommodate the ferry and its passengers after the 200 m crossing, which takes just a few minutes. Locals like to call it the world's shortest cruise! As far back as the Middle Ages, a ferryman used to shuttle passengers between the Ville Close (evidence of the ferry's presence from the ^mid-18th century onwards), but the right of passage was long privatized. Over the centuries, the ferry sank several times, due to its poor condition or bad weather. From the ^20th century onwards, the ferry was used by villagers, fishermen, workers, merchants, housewives and schoolchildren on their way to town. In those days, cruising was done by sculling (i.e., with elbow grease!). Today, visitors climb aboard a small motorboat to reach the Ville Close for the modest sum of 1 euro.

Among the buildings and sites to discover in the Ville Close, don't miss :

The ramparts. It's this impressive wall that best tells the story of the Ville Close. In the Middle Ages, the rocky islet was home to a priory belonging to Landévennec Abbey and a community of fishermen and merchants. Stone ramparts were erected in the ^13th century to protect the town from English attack. Previously, the town had been protected only by wooden fortifications. Gradually reinforced, the ramparts are now between 2.5 and 3 m thick and feature 9 towers.

The belfry. Erected in 1906 on the site of the former watchtower, it marks the entrance to the fortified town. Its clock has been telling the town's inhabitants the time for over a century. The belfry still contains the original mechanism, long since replaced by an electric one. Its bell and the boat-shaped weather vane on the campanile are also noteworthy. On the surrounding wall, a sundial bears the Latin inscription tempus fugit velut umbra, meaning "time passes like a shadow".

Saint-Guénolé church. Although the current building dates from the ^19th century, it was built on the remains of an earlier church dating from the ^12th century, around which the town grew.

The Fishing Museum, housed in a former arsenal on rue Vauban, with part of the museum afloat on theHemerica, a trawler built in Saint-Nazaire in 1957 and in operation until 1981. Here you can discover the engine room and explore the collections, learning more about the workings of a trawler, the organization of life on board and fish preservation.

Today, some fifty houses are inhabited in the Ville Close. Fifty years ago, there were still some 1,000 inhabitants, living to the rhythm of the boats' comings and goings. Souvenir stores have largely replaced the small businesses, but the site still offers a lovely stroll that you can combine with a gourmet break in one of the many restaurants or crêperies that populate these streets. To take the pulse of the Ville Close, simply stroll down Rue Vauban, kouign-amann in hand, then sit down on a terrace in Place Saint-Guénolé. Another highlight of these visits: singers, artists and jugglers regularly come to liven up the Ville Close, especially in summer. And don't leave without your wooden clogs or leather bag!