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| Brest | ||
| region | Brittany | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 139.602 (2018) | |
| height | 34 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Brest is the largest city (but not the prefecture) in the department Finistère in the Brittany. It is the westernmost metropolis in France and has a long tradition as a port city and naval base.
background
Brest is located on a deeply cut and protected bay of the Atlantic (Rade de Brest), which forms a natural harbor at this point, not far from the westernmost tip of France (Finistère - "End of the Earth"). Brest has therefore been an important naval port for centuries.
The inner city of Brest was almost completely destroyed in the Second World War (1944). The city got its present appearance essentially during the planned reconstruction (Reconstruction) from 1948. The main creator of this plan was the architect and town planner Jean-Baptiste Mathon. Many buildings in the city center are designed in a uniform, neoclassical style.
The district of Brest, west of the Penfeld River, is 1 Recouvrance
. Significantly more historic buildings from the pre-war period have been preserved here than in the "actual Brest" (Brest-même). Recouvrance is traditionally the Breton-speaking district, while in Brest-même French was and is spoken. Recouvrance was an independent municipality until 1680, when it was "annexed" by Brest.
getting there
By plane
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Brest Airport - 1 Aéroport Brest-Bretagne
(IATA: BES) - is the main airport in Brittany. There are several times a day Air-France-Flights from the two Paris airports Orly (ORY) and Charles-de-Gaulle (CDG). Other connections within France are Chalair (Bordeaux several times a day, Caen once a day), Hop! (Lyon several times a day, Lille once a day) and Ryanair (daily Marseille). TUIfly flies to / from holiday areas on the Mediterranean Sea (Malaga, Mallorca) and Marrakech. From the German-speaking countries you need a connection, usually via Paris. The small airline Finist'air flies twice a day with a turboprop aircraft (Cessna 208) from Brest to the island Ouessant and back.
The airport is located approx. 11 km northeast of the city center. A shuttle bus (Navette) runs 1–2 times an hour from the airport to the bus stop Porte de Guipavas (Travel time 10 minutes). There you can change to tram line A, which goes to the city center (including Place de Strasbourg and Liberté). The ticket costs € 1.50 and allows you to change to trams and other bus lines (valid for one hour).
By train
The TGV high-speed train leaves the Paris train station every 1–2 hours Montparnasse to Brest (via Rennes). The journey takes around 3½ hours. Coming from Germany or Switzerland, you have to change trains in Paris and also change the train station (from Gare du Nord or Est to Gare Montparnasse).
From Rennes to Brest it takes around 2 hours with the TGV (no high-speed line), with the regional express (TER; only during rush hour mornings and afternoons / evenings) 2:15 to 2:20 hours. The trains stop in St-Brieuc on the way , partly also in Lamballe, Guingamp and Morlaix. Seven TER trains run from Quimper to Brest per day (travel time 1:15 hours), otherwise buses. Connections between Brest and Roscoff always require a change in Morlaix and take between 1:15 and 2 hours.
The 2 railway station (Gare de Brest) is at the east end of the city center. Here you can change to city bus lines 1, 3, 4 and 5. There are no luggage lockers in the train station.
By bus
In the street
By boat
The 3 Cruise port is not far from the city center, you can reach it on foot or with a free shuttle bus.
mobility
The city of Brest's public transport system is called Bibus and is operated by Keolis Brest. It consists of a modern tram (tramway) with so far one line (A), which was inaugurated in 2012, a cable car (telephérique, Line C) as well as 29 bus routes, which are marked with numbers.
The area around Brest can be reached with regional buses on the network Penn-ar-Bed (Viaoo29).
Tourist Attractions
Churches
- 1 Église Saint-Louis de Brest.
Main church in downtown Brest. It was built in the modern style between 1953 and 1958. The previous Baroque building from 1686–1785 on the same site was destroyed in the Second World War.
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- 2 Église Saint-Sauveur de Brest.Baroque church of the Jesuit order in the Recouvrance district, built in the 1740s.
Castles, chateaus and palaces
- 3 Château de Brest, 6 boulevard Jean-Moulin.High to late medieval castle. Located at the mouth of the Penfeld River in the Bay of Brest, which is protected by headlands, it is strategically ideally positioned to control the resulting natural harbor. Due to this favorable location, there was a Roman at this point already in antiquity castellum. Much of the towers and walls date from the 13th to 16th centuries. The complex was significantly redesigned again in the 17th century under Vauban, the most gifted fortress builder of his time. The fortress is still owned by the French Navy and is home to the seat of the Prefect of the Sea for the entire French Atlantic coast. Part of the château is also open to visitors and serves as a branch of the national naval museum.
Buildings
- 4 Tour Tanguy, Square Pierre Péron (Tram "Recouvrance"). Tel.: (0)2 98 00 80 80.Thick medieval defense tower from the 14th century in the Recouvrance district. The tower now houses that Musée du vieux Brest (Museum of old Brest), which uses dioramas to illustrate the cityscape before its destruction in World War II.Open: October – May: Mon, Wed Thu 2–5pm, Sat Sun 2–6pm; June – September daily 10 am–12pm and 2–6pm; French school holidays: daily 2–6 pm.Price: free entry.
- Fortifications by Vauban
- 5 Pont de Recouvrance.88 meter long and 70 meter high lift bridge over the Penfeld River. When it was inaugurated in 1954, it was the largest lift bridge in Europe.
- 6 Ateliers du Plateau des Capucins.Former buildings of the military port from the 19th century. Since 2009 they have been redesigned into a commercial and cultural center with a media library, the center of the new "eco-quarter" Capucins should be. The studios are connected to the cable car and tram.
Monuments
- 7 Naval Monument de Brest (Tour rose).The American naval memorial, the most striking element of which is a 30.5-meter-high tower made of pink granite, was donated in 1930 and commemorates the participation of the US naval forces in the First World War in Europe. On July 4th, 1941 - the American national holiday - the original tower was blown up by the German occupation forces. After the end of the war, it was rebuilt true to the original in 1958. The interior of the tower is not open to the public.
Museums
- 8 National Museum of the Marine, Rue du château, 29200 Brest. Tel.: 33 (0)2 98 22 12 39, Email: [email protected], [email protected].
Methods of payment accepted: cash.
- 10 Musée Mémorial Fort Montbarey (on Montbarey)
- 14 Oceanopolis.A cultural-scientific adventure park on the subject of seas and oceans. 1000 different types of marine life are represented here.
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Streets and squares
- 15 Place de la Liberté.Central square of the city center, which was redesigned as planned in 1948. It is popularly short place Lib ' called. The neoclassical town hall is located on this square (hôtel de ville) and the Memorial to the Fallen (monument aux morts). The large open space is used for public events.
- 16 Rue de Siam.The main axis of downtown Brest. Its name is reminiscent of a visit to a Siamese (i.e. Thai) embassy in France during the reign of Louis XIV (conversely, there is also a “rue de Brest” in the Thai capital Bangkok). A chanson by Édith Piaf bears the title Rue de Siam. The street is car-free, reserved for pedestrians and the tram. In its center there have been water features designed by the modern artist Marta Pan since 1988.
- 17 Cours Dajot.About 500 meters long, elm-lined pedestrian promenade near the harbor leads from the direction of the train station towards the castle. The Brest Palace of Justice and the American Naval Monument are located on the Cours Dajot.
- 18 Rue Saint-Malo.One of the oldest streets in the Recouvrance district. Here you can still find houses made of roughly hewn natural stone from the 17th and 18th centuries that served as dwellings for the lower social classes. From 1736 the Refuge Royal was located here, a home for "girls of low virtue and bad way of life", i.e. prostitutes (whose trade, of course, flourished in view of the many seafarers stationed in Brest), underage and unmarried mothers, stray women, but also rebellious, unadjusted Women and girls. It was created in 1782 by the "beautiful Tamisier" imprisoned (la Belle Tamisier) set on fire. Part of the rue Saint-Malo was spared the destruction of the Second World War. However, the houses were run down, were considered unsanitary and were gradually being abandoned by their residents. In 1965 it was decided to demolish it. But this could be prevented by citizens' initiatives, so that this historical and special part of Brest was saved. Nowadays there are small shops for handicrafts, cafes and regular events with performances by artists, musicians, etc. in the alley.
activities
- Foire Saint-Michel in September
shop
kitchen
Cheap
medium
Upscale
nightlife
accommodation
Cheap
- 1 Hotel Les gens de mer, 44 Quai de la Douane, 29200 Brest. Right at the ferry port. Simple accommodation with a short walk to the departure point for the ferry to Île d'Ouessant (which leave early in the morning). Breakfast in the dining room, which is reminiscent of a youth center. Bus stop: "Les Iles" on line 4, 3-4 buses run every hour to the train station and the city center, direction "Hôpital".
medium
Upscale
Learn
Work
security
health
Practical advice
trips
- 24 km west of Brest are on Pointe de St-Mathieu the ruins of the Saint-Mathieu Abbey. There you can take wonderful walks along the cliffs.
- To the Crozon peninsula with the Rows of stones from Lagatjar and the bizarre rock at Cape Pointe de Penhir.
literature
Web links
- http://www.brest.fr - Brest official website
