3 Best Sights in Brittany, France

In the mid-18th century Quimper sprang to nationwide attention as a pottery manufacturing center. Normans, whose distinctive Rouennaise faïence was already famous, imported the techniques. But the Quimpérois customized them by replacing the pottery’s usual blue-and-white patterns with brighter Breton scenes depicting local life. Today's colorful designs, based on floral arrangements and marine fauna, are still often hand-painted. To understand Quimper's pottery-making past—and see more than 500 examples of style Quimper—take one of the guided tours at the Musée de la Faïence.

Just south of town, this museum explains everything you ever wanted to know about farming oysters and has a display of 1,500 different types of shells.

The unique Port-Musée combines maritime-theme museum displays with open-air exhibits. Along the wharves you can visit the workshops of boatbuilders, sailmakers, and other old-time craftspeople, then go aboard the historic trawlers, lobster boats, and barges anchored beside them. On the first weekend in May you can even sail on an antique fishing boat.