About Brest and its region

Brest City

You will be welcome in Brest, at the westernmost tip of France. The exceptional setting of the deep, well-protected natural harbour was the main reason for the expansion of the town in the XVII^th century and the construction of the naval dockyards along the banks of the Penfeld River. Lacking architectural charm, like all towns rebuilt in haste at the end of the 40’s, Brest is a town of 220.000 inhabitants, oriented towards the sea, with a lively, colourful commercial port, a naval harbour and dockyard guarded by an impressive XIII^th century castle, and a yachting harbour with its famous sailors like Olivier De Kersauson.

The main activities of Brest include high-tech electronics, military naval constructions, mechanical engineering, telecommunications and food processing. Brest is also a large University town with six science and arts faculties, six major Graduate Engineering Schools, 30,000 students and over 3,000 research scientists.

Around Brest

Brest is located in Brittany, an historical country and cultural area in the west of France, tightely bound with the surrounding seas. It is bordered by the Channel to the north, the Bay of Biscay to the south, and the Celtic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, with the Ouessant Island, the island at the end of the world, the last land of Brittany before America. To the north east is the region of Normandy, with the magnificent Mont Saint-Michel, the most visited touristic site in France after Paris .