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Medieval town
Guingamp was a market town in the Middle Ages and is now an industrial town on the western side of the Armor Coast of Brittany. The town’s industries include food processing and electronic equipment manufacturing.
Guingamp has a beautiful town centre with several interesting monuments and is not far from the coast. Attractions are close together and it is an easy town to explore.
What to see in Guingamp
The best place to start your visit is the town square called the Place du Centre. This square is quite large and is surrounded by houses built of stone, some of which are half-timbered. The town has made an effort to make the square attractive and there are small fountains and a few cafes in the square.
The Fontaine de la Plomée at the southern end of the square is very impressive. It was built in the 15th century and was installed in its current location in the 16th century. This fountain was the main source of water for the centre of Guingamp from the 16th century to the early 20th century. There is a statue of a woman although it is not known who she represents. Possibilities include a Celtic god named Anna or the Virgin Mary.
The Basilica Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours is the most important monument and is located near to the square to the south. The church has been restored and modified over the centuries. It was damaged during the Second World War but was rebuilt.
The Rue Notre-Dame offers many shops and cafes.
Another interesting monument is a castle called Chateau de Pierre II. The fortress was built in the 12th century. It was demolished and rebuilt in the 14th century by Pierre II, Duke of Brittany. The castle still retains some of the ramparts and parts of some of the original towers.
You can also take a walk around the recently excavated part of the heart of the castle. Until recently this was home to the Guingamp Primary School.
You can see a modern sculpture called the Sculpteur de l’Arpenteur between the car park and the ramparts.
The 19th century town hall is another imposing building on the outskirts of Guingamp, behind which is a large public garden.
A big festival of Breton music was held in mid-August. It was very professional with groups of local performers dressed in traditional clothing who played music from the region. The town was very lively.
