Brest

Brest

Brest has been a victim of its own success, it has a vast, natural harbour and was an important navel base in WWII, which as such took a terrible pounding from German bombs.

The rebuilding of Brest for the most part lost most of the old parts, but some old style squares and streets overlooking the harbour still remain. There is also a 15th century castle and La Place Guérin, the haunt of local artists and poets, a welcoming place to eat in the evening.

The new Océanopolis, a marine theme park is well worth a visit and markets are held all over the town during the week.

The the Ile d’Ouessant, lies out to the west and now forms part of the Armorique nature reserve. A boat trip takes about an hour, and once there, you can explore the island by bike or minibus.