Travel Guide to Brest
Brest is a wonderful town which lies in a natural harbour in Brittany. As well as this it is home to the French national fleet. The town was recreated in the 1950’s after being bombed, there are only a few sights now remaining which show this. On the other hand there is a lot Breton hospitality, beer and food for visitors to enjoy.
Getting there and away to Brest
An international airport is located in Brest, which makes travelling easier. Instead of flying to Brest you fly to Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports, these airports offer nine flights per day to Brest; each flight has an hour gap. After this you can take a shuttle bus or a taxi from the airport into Brest.
Brest is 600kms from Paris.
Travelling by car, you can take the A10 from Paris, then the A11 until you get to Vitré, when it becomes the N12. On the other hand you can take the N165 from Nantes and you can travel for about 300 kms.
TGV high-speed trains leave Paris (Gare Montparnasse) to Brest which takes about 4 hours and 20 minutes.
The nearest ferry port to Brest is Roscoff which takes several crossings daily from Plymouth. The journey itself takes about 6 hours.
Major Attractions in Brest
The old castle is one of Brest main attractions, which is a 15 th Century looking structure which offers a superb panorama of the city. Three of the castle’s towers play host to the collection of the Musée National de la Marine.
The 14 th Century Tour Tanguy is one of the beautiful structures which were spared after the bombing. When sitting on the other side of the River Penfield, you can see the Musée de Vieux Brest. If you go east from the city centre for a few kms, next to the Port de Plaisance de Moulin-Blanc is Brest’s most current attraction, Oceanopolis. It is popular with a lot of families; this revolutionary complex currently includes 3 aquariums with varied sea life and a 3D cinema.
Things to Do in Brest
Brittany is a area of a lot of faces with a rich architectural heritage to it, surrounding other towns just as attractive as Brest, which includes Rennes, Nantes, Saint-Malo, Roscoff and Lorient.
Close to the medieval town of Quimper claims wonderful cathedral and beautiful cobbled streets.
As well as this the magnificent historical town of Morlaix is located between 3 hills by a bridge, which was once harbour town in the 16 th Century. Morlaix’s town centre is full of stoned and half-timbered houses. The wonderful marina is right in front of the town gates.
Relaxation Options in Brest
There are a variety of restaurants in the town they all suit different budgets. Rue Jean-Jaurs has plenty of bistros and bars, whilst the north, Guerin is the centre of the busy student-dominated quartier St-Martin.
Safety in Brest
When travelling to an unfamiliar environment, remain aware for potential hazards. Holidaymakers are more vulnerable to pick pocketing, theft or loss of personal effects. Outdoor activities and driving can place you at greater risk of having an accident. Language barriers and strange routines can also result in missed travel arrangements or problematic bookings. We strongly recommend you take out travel insurance for you and your family.
Weather in Brest
Brest , on the west coast of France, has a true temperate maritime climate. The winters are mild with temperatures of around 7C and the summer can be quite cool also, only reaching about 16C. It is quite a damp area, with up to 180 days of rain a year.