Bénodet's situation at the mouth of the Odet river has played a large part in shaping the city's history. Although the port is a 6th century construction, the city was an outer harbour for Quimper as far back as the Middle Ages - it was a crossroad for trade with Bordeaux, but also Spain, England and the Netherlands. Legend has it that the local fishermen hunted whales all the way to Newfoundland and thus discovered America prior to 1492.

The city's golden ere only truly began in the 19th century because of its reputation as a seaside resort. Bénodet has always been a bath and spa resort, or simply a place of well-being; but it is also a place with a rich maritime history. The Bord de Mer Museum, along with the Glénan achipelago, are sites that testify to the fich natural and historical heritage of the region.