These practical and personalized Breton bowls are a common sight in French kitchen cupboards. So what is the story behind these bowls, and how do the French use them? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the bol breton!
What is a Breton bowl, and what is it used for?
A Breton bowl, or bol breton in French, is an item most French people have in their homes. The name bol breton refers to Brittany, or Bretagne in French, which is a region in northwestern France where many French people spend their summer vacations. The bowl is, still to this day, a popular souvenir for French people to bring back from their lovely vacation, as well as a perfect gift for children, or even for Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day.
The bowl is also called bol à prénom, which refers to that its owner’s first name is written on the bowl, or bol à oreilles, which refers to the ears, or handles, the bowl has.
The bol breton is something you can often see at French breakfast tables. Children love to drink hot chocolate from this bowl with their own name on it. The handles on each side make it easy to hold on to the bowl with the hot contents inside. But not only children enjoy a hot drink in the bol à oreilles! Adults often have their own bowls as well for their coffee or tea. In addition to filling the bowl with a hot drink, you can also have your breakfast cereal in this practical bowl!
If you enjoy French TV-series or movies, keep an eye out for this bowl in breakfast scenes, and you are very likely to spot it!
What does the Breton bowl look like?
Not only is the Breton bowl practical, it also looks charming! You will recognize it by the two handles and a name written on the front. Family members often have their own bowls, so there is no chance of confusing which bowl belongs to whom! Rather than only having first names written on the front, these days you can also find bowls with other French words written on them, such as Mom, Dad, Sweetheart, and I love you.
These beloved ceramic bowls are traditionally white with a blue border. On the inside of the bowl there is a motif of a couple of Bretons (locals from Brittany). At the very beginning, the motif only included a little Breton, but later on he was joined by a lady! These two characters are now always together and dressed in traditional Breton costumes. This folk motif makes the bowl a perfect souvenir with a connection to the Breton culture and its traditions.
Nowadays you can also find bowls with borders in other colors than blue, for example green, red, yellow, pink, and black. The motif on the inside can also vary – there are versions with animals, flowers, and other regional motifs, such as the Eiffel Tower.
You can essentially order any name or phrase you’d like, as the companies are used to personalizing the bowls. They know, better than perhaps anyone, that there are countless different ways of spelling the same name. In addition, customers often have requests and want their bowl to say something unique, or for example something in French slang. The companies do occasionally refuse inappropriate requests!
What is the story behind the Breton bowl?
The popular bol à oreilles has a long history – the first bowl took form in the 18th century. As a result of French people getting their first paid vacations in 1936, French tourists started spending their vacations in Brittany. This is when the production of Breton bowls really started. There are different manufacturers who claim they are the ones who came up with the idea and design for this iconic bowl.
One of them is Quimper’s Pottery, the Faïencerie Henriot-Quimper, who started having Bretons as decorations on their earthenware already at the end of the 17th century. But it wasn’t until the French tourists started visiting the region that Quimper’s Pottery introduced the folk motifs on their otherwise plain bowls to make for nice souvenirs.
The Faïencerie Nistar, on the other hand, claims to have been the first ones to add names on these French bowls. According to them, the bowl is originally called bol à prénom, referring to the name on the bowl, and only later became known as bol breton, as so many of them were produced in Brittany.
It is, however, said that Raymond Cordier, working at the Faïencerie de Pornic, is the one who created the bol breton as we know it today. In 1950 he put together the well-known characteristics with the blue border, the Breton motif, and the personalized first name on the front.
The Breton bowl is still as popular today as it was back in the days, with thousands of bowls sold each year. The Faïencerie Henriot-Quimper produces around 10,000 bowls a year, and the Faïencerie Nistar produces 80,000 bowls a year. The Faïencerie de Pornic, on the other hand, produces as many as 400,000 bowls a year! How many bowls the factories produce is partly connected to their respective production methods. Continue reading to find out how the Breton bowls are actually made.
How are the Breton bowls made?
The production process of the Breton bowl is long. Some of the producers, however, have had to outsource some of their production overseas to keep costs down, and some have even been forced to shut down completely, due to competition from countries like China. There are still a few companies that keep all stages of the production in France, while other companies only work with the bowl in the later stages.
The Faïencerie de Pornic, for example, imports bowls that they only need to decorate. They have made the process effective. The Breton motifs are not hand-painted, but they are applied directly on the bowls instead. The first name, on the other hand, is painted on by hand. Writing names on the bowls might look easy, but it’s a unique skill that requires a lot of practice. It can take up to half a year or even a year to get a hang of it!
Have a look at the short French video here to see how they do it at the Faïencerie de Pornic, while getting some good vibes from Brittany!
At the Faïencerie Henriot-Quimper as well as at the Faïencerie Nistar, the bowls are produced on site and hand-painted.
It all starts with some clay that is shaped into a bowl using a mold. After the clay has dried, any alterations can still be done by hand if necessary. Then the bowls are ready for the first round in the oven! They go in for 8 hours, and afterwards they need plenty of time to cool down. After two days the decorating can start! And after being hand-painted, the bowls get one last round in the oven.
To see what the production process looks like at the Faïencerie Nistar, check out this short video in French!
Where can you get your own?
Kind of feeling like getting your own bol breton now, right? That’s absolutely understandable, because they are oh so charming!
In Brittany you will be able to find many local shops selling these bowls. They are usually displayed in a way that you can easily browse the names to find your own among them all. There are normally many variations in spelling as well, so unless you have a very unique name, you should be able to find yours!
However, in case you are not able to find your own, it’s always worth asking the seller in the shop. They might be able to prepare one for you on the spot! And if you are not planning a trip to Brittany any time soon, you can order one online. There are several different shops offering this online, so browse around to find an option that you will love for years to come.
Fun fact: the Faïencerie de Pornic kept track of the top 500 names on their Breton bowls in 2017. The top five names that year were Camille, Louise, Manon, Louis, and Marie. And they had roughly 2,000 names that were requested only once! If you are curious to see the complete list of names, you can find the PDF on their website on the bottom of this page.
How much do these famous French bowls cost, then? Depending on the production method, the price can be anything from around 10 euros to 40 euros when bought from a French producer.
Enjoy the search of your own Breton bowl, and all the lovely French inspired breakfasts to come!
