BREST

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BREST

The town of Brest is in the centre of a magnificent deep water harbour. It has all the advantages of a maritime town and it makes the most of them. It has a commercial port, a marina and the biggest centre in Europe devoted to the sea. It is a credit

Brest was rebuilt after the Second World War and is now the biggest town in Finistère. The castle overlooking the Penfeld river is evidence of its rich past. Built on Gallo-Roman foundations, it was completed by Vauban. It is very impressive with its inner walls, battlemented parapet, and keep. The Navy Museum exhibits fine collections evoking the epic period of great ocean going fleets or the history of the Naval dockyard (Tel :33 (0)2.98.22.12.39), in its fabulous vaulted halls.

On the other side of the Penfeld, the Tour Tanguy (Tanguy tower) gives an enormous dioramic history of the town (Tel : 33 (0)2.98.00.88.60). A tour of the Naval dockyard, Brest's main activity, can be made from 15th June to 15th September and during the Easter holidays. All that is required at the Porte de la Grande Rivière (Big River Gate) is a passport (Tel : 33 (0)2.98.44.24.96).

A stroll around Recouvrance is a must. This is the oldest quarter of Brest (Information : 33 02.98.05.06.64) where you will also find restaurants open at night. In addition to this, the Cours Dajot is a fine 600 metre (656 yard) promenade on which there is an American Monument and from it there is a splendid panoramic view of the deep water harbour of Brest.

The Musée des Beaux-Arts (Fine arts museum), rue Traverse, has beautiful art collections from the 17th to 20th centuries (Tel: 33 (0)2.98.00.87.96). The Fort Montbarey Memorial Site, allée Bir Hakeim, on the road to Le Conquet, recalls the events of the Second World War (Tel: 33 (0)2.98.05.39.46).

The marina has 1325 anchorages at the Moulin Blanc, and is the biggest in Brittany. Here, you will find water activity centres, sailing school, boat rentals, etc.

The Azénor company (Tel: 33 (0)2.98.41.46.23) as well as Vedettes Armoricaines (Tel: 33 (0)2.98.44.44.04) proposes different types of commentated tours of the harbour and the miliarty port. You can also choose to sail aboard the Recouvrance (Notre Dame de Rumengol). From the commercial port, you can leave for Ouessant.

Oceanopolis a tropical space as well as a polar space, in addition to its temperate pavilion. This centre will thus become the first Leisure Park of Sea Science in http://www.oceanopolis.com ; Tel: 33 (0)2.98.34.40.40).

Brest is rich in parks and gardens and has inviting walks in the Keroual woods, on the banks of the Penfeld, in the valley of Saint Anne of Le Portzic or the Eole park.
The small Stang Alar valley shelters the botanic gardens. This 22 hectare garden is a perfect place for a walk. Its greenhouses hold a great collection of endangered plants (Tel: 33 (0)2.98.02.46.00).

Beautiful cottage with stunning sea views ~~~