Brest Safe in its harbour, a town that looks to the future

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Brest

Forget everything you thought you knew about Brest, and come and explore the heart of this naval port, nestled in one of France’s most beautiful natural harbours. On the menu: the amazing Pont de l’Iroise bridge, a stroll along the lively quays as far as the castle museum, and of course Océanopolis. Explore the city on foot, bike, bus, tramway or even from the sky on the first urban cable car!

Getting there

Brest is Brittany’s second largest administrative centre, and has a great deal to offer. Although it was heavily bombed in 1944, this is by no means the town’s most interesting feature: it has rebuilt itself around a vision of the future, with incredible constructions like the Pont de l’Iroise bridge, which crosses the river Elorn. An amazing feat of architecture, this magnificent cable-stayed bridge was opened in 1994. Admire it from Albert Louppe bridge, which is for pedestrians and cyclists only. It’s a great place to take a walk and enjoy the view of the famous Brest harbour, the ‘Rade de Brest’, a sheltered area of the sea big enough for great ships to lie at anchor.

Take a turn along the quayside

Another key feature of a visit to Brest is its commercial port. One of the best ways of getting a feel for the town’s character is to stroll along the docks at the Quai Commandant-Malbert. You’ll be able to see the hundreds of coloured buoys put in place by Finistere’s Lighthouses and Beacons department, shipyards building wooden boats, the legendary schooner La Recouvrance and the Abeille-Flandres, one of the most powerful tugboats in the world.

360° Brest

Brest, it is also innovative and exemplary projects, such as the “Plateau des Capucins” which obtained the Ecodistrict Label in 2009. This site is situated on one of the two banks of the Penfeld, a 16 km long coastal river, and offers an admirable 360° view over the city. At the same time district of business and culture, the city mixes monumental construction sites intended for the shipbuilding and places of art such as the Médiathèque or the Fourneau. Add to it that Brest is very accessible, in particular because it is connected with the other bank of the river by the 1st urban cable car (téléphérique) of France, which offers another incredible view of Brest, this time seen from above.

The only one in Europe

Continue your way along the commercial port’s great breakwater and you will find yourself practically at the foot of the castle and maritime museum. Finally, whatever you do, you mustn’t leave Brest without paying a visit to Océanopolis, the only ocean discovery centre of its kind in Europe. The centre boasts enormous aquariums and a seal clinic – as well as giving visitors the opportunity to touch some of the marine creatures living there!

Enjoy an incredible view over Brest from the urban cable car

In the wake of the first sailors aboard La Recouvrance Yann Fournier and his crew will meet you at the Château de Brest Marina for a trip back in time, in the very heart of one of the widest bays in the world. Get ready to hoist...

Information & bookings

Tourist Office Brest

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Club de plongée de la rade de Brest Diving If you like taking pictures underwater, get your camera ready! Throughout the year, setting out from Moulin Blanc marina, the volunteers at the club will share their passion... Brest

Musée Mémoires 39-45 Museum Very near the Pointe Saint Mathieu headland, the former German command blockhouse relates the history of the Second World War in Brittany, told by those who lived through it. Plougonvelin

Union Sportive des Activités Mer et Voile (USAM) Sea kayaking For over thirty years, the USAM has been giving beginners classes and advanced lessons to young and old. Based in Moulin Blanc Marina in Brest, near Océanopolis, this club... Brest

Musée de l'école rurale en Bretagne Museum At the foot of the Ménez-Hom mountain, a former infants’ school now a museum, with blackboard and ink pens included. Trégarvan

Domaine de Menez Meur Zoo - Wildlife park Some rare Breton breeds roam the 700 hectares of the Armorique Regional Natural Park, with its typical moors, heather and 'bocage' (a patchwork of fields with high hedges).... Hanvec

Découverte nature en kayak For young geologists and indeed for anyone who wants to see something different, this kayak trip is an ideal way to discover some unusual landscapes on the water’s edge in the... Crozon

Phare Saint-Mathieu Historic site and monument This is the westernmost point of mainland France. Full of history and memories, the lighthouse at Pointe Saint-Mathieu is a symbolic monument for all the sailors of Brittany. Plougonvelin

Musée de l'ancienne abbaye de Landévennec Museum Visit the ruins of Landévennec Abbey and learn more about the site’s historical significance at the Abbey museum. Landévennec

Plage du Trez Hir Supervised beach Plougonvelin

Plage de Sainte-Anne La Palud Supervised beach Plonévez-Porzay

En kayak au fil de l'Aber Ildut In a bay that is sheltered from the wind and swell, you can take advantage of the riches of Aber Ildut: animal and plant life, history. Your guides will tell you all about the... Lanildut

Le Brestoâ - Compagnie Maritime de la Rade Ocean cruises The ship's captain of the Brestoâ has been sailing the seas off Brest for around twenty years and he will ensure you see all there is to see. And it’s even better if you choose... Brest

Aquawest Advance Ride - Lac de Ty colo Jetskiing It is on Ty Colo Lake in Saint-Renan that the first water-ski tow centre in Brittany has been set up. From March to November, beginners and more advanced students can enjoy the... Saint-Renan

Rand'eau palmée à Plouguerneau Young and old alike can discover the sea bed around the Coast of Legends during this underwater trip in shallow waters close to the underwater plant and animal life. Young... Plouguerneau

Les abers en stand up paddle Plouguerneau

Aber Wrach Plongée Diving “Before considering it as a job, diving is our passion.” With their flippers on, Ludovic Granier and Eric Ledormeur, manager and instructor at Aber Wrac’h Diving makes it very... Landéda

Camaret-sur-mer and Crozon The Crozon peninsula, shaped like a gigantic cross in the Iroise sea, sums up the essence of Brittany. The landscape shifts from spectacular cliff scenery to heather-covered...

Valley of the Aulne estuary This peaceful oasis is a delight to discover. The serenity in this small patch of land, which hugs the Aulne River as it meanders out to sea, encourages peaceful meditation....

Ushant and the Iroise Islands The island of Ushant (Ouessant in French), 18 miles (30km) off the coast of Le Conquet, is where you’ll find France’s most westerly point, Pointe de Pern. The island is well...

Hamlet of Meneham Giant dollops of stone give an otherworldly look to the peninsulas around Kerlouan on the north Finistère coast between Roscoff and Brest. While virtually every back garden...

Menez Hom Dominating the Bay of Douarnenez, the long-backed Menez-Hom hill was sacred to prehistoric people and inspired Breton legends. Take in the sensational views from the top, over...

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Presqu’île de Plougastel and Daoulas Abbey A handful of very well-protected peninsulas stretch out into the back of the Bay of Brest. Religious men founded abbeys in these privileged locations, such as that at Daoulas....

The abers and the lighthouse trail There’s a sublime quality to the scenery along the Côte des Abers, also called the Côte des Légendes. Here, sea meets untamed coastline and the tides make inroads into the...

Landerneau In the bay of Brest, between the Léon and Cornouaille areas, and between the river and the sea, Landerneau has a remarkable architectural heritage. The jewel in its...

La Pointe Saint-Mathieu Near the steep cliffs battered by the sea and winds, a striking lighthouse watches over the ruins of a former abbey. It’s a compelling scene. Pointe Saint-Mathieu feels like...

Getting there

Getting to Brest

If you’re heading for Brest, air travel is a good choice, there are several airlines offering regular, low-cost services, including direct flights from London Southsend airport. There are also regular low-cost services from several of France’s large city airports (Paris-Orly, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Toulon, Bordeaux, Toulouse).
By train, Eurostar takes 2 hours and 16 minutes from London to Paris, then it will take 3 hours and 25 minutes from Paris-Montparnasse on the high-speed line, which offers 11 trains per day.
By car, the ferry port at Roscoff is less than an hour’s drive away, while driving from Saint-Malo takes 2 hours and 35 minutes. You can also drive to Brest on the toll-free RN12 dual carriageway from Rennes and the N165 from Nantes.
The long-distance bus operators Eurolines, Flixbus and Ouibus allow you to travel to Brest more cheaply.

Travelling in and around Brest

There’s an all-day shuttle bus service between Brest-Guipavas Airport and the town-centre, which takes just 10 minutes. It’s very easy to get around Brest on foot, or you can travel on both buses and trams with a single Bibus ticket. Brest even has a cable-car carrying passengers from the Rue de Siam to the Capucins district: you’ll get an incredible view over Brest and its bay that shouldn’t be missed. If you’re looking for a trouble-free holiday, use the buses on the Penn-ar-Bed network, which serves the whole of the Finistère department.

From April to September, save time by taking a boat trip to the Crozon Peninsula: Le Brestoâ boat company operates services from Brest to Le Fret every morning and late afternoon. And if you’re tempted by the open sea, there are boats from Brest harbour that take you to Ouessant, Molène and the Ile de Sein.

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