Brest, France
Encyclopedia
Brest is a city in the Finistère
department in Brittany
in northwestern France
. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton
peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon
. The city is located at one of the occidental edges of continental Europe
, hence the expression « Europe from Brest to Brest
». Counting 142,722 inhabitants, Brestois and Brestoises (2007 sensur), Brest is the main metropolitan area (reaching 300,300 inhabitants) of Western Brittany, only third behind Nantes
and Rennes
in the whole Brittany
, and the 22nd populous city of France; moreover, Brest provides services to the one million inhabitants of Western Brittany . Although Brest is by far the largest city in Finistère, the préfecture (regional capital) of the department, Quimper, is much smaller.
During the Middle Ages
, the history of Brest was the history of its castle
. Then Richelieu made it a military harbour
. Brest grew around its arsenal
, until the second part of the 20th century. Profoundly marked by the Allies bombing raids during World War II
, the city centre was completely rebuilt after the war. At the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, the deindustrialization of the city was followed by the development of the service sector. Nowadays, Brest is an important university town
with 23,000 students. Besides a multidisciplinary university, the University of Western Brittany
, Brest and its surrounding area possess several prestigious French elite schools such as École Navale
(the French Naval Academy), Télécom Bretagne
and the Superior National School of Advanced Techniques of Brittany (ENSTA Bretagne, formerly ENSIETA). Brest is also an important research centre, mainly focused on the sea, with among others the largest Ifremer
(French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea) centre, le Cedre (Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution) and the French Polar Institute.
Brest’s history has always been linked to the sea: the Académie de Marine
(Naval Academy) was founded in 1752 in this city as well as the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle was built there. Every four years, Brest hosts the international festival of the sea, boats and sailors: it is a meeting of old rigging
s from around the world.
Nothing definite is known of Brest before about 1240 , when a count of Léon ceded it to John I, the Duke of Brittany
. In 1342, John de Montfort surrendered Brest to the English
, in whose possession it was to remain until 1397. The importance of Brest in medieval times was great enough to give rise to the saying, "He is not the Duke of Brittany who is not the Lord of Brest". With the marriage of Francis I to Claude, the daughter of Anne of Brittany, the definitive overlordship of Brest – together with the rest of the duchy – passed to the French crown.
The advantages of Brest's situation as a seaport town were first recognized by Cardinal Richelieu, who in 1631 constructed a harbor with wooden wharves
. This soon became a base for the French Navy
. Jean-Baptiste Colbert
- the finance minister under Louis XIV - rebuilt the wharves in masonry and otherwise improved the base. Fortifications by Vauban
(1633–1707) followed in 1680-1688. These fortifications, and with them the naval importance of the town, were to continue to develop throughout the 18th century.
In 1694, an English squadron under John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton
, was soundly defeated in its attack on Brest
.
During World War I
Brest France was used as the disembarking port for many of the USA troops coming from America in 1917. Thousands of United States troops came through this port on their way to the front lines.
In World War II
, the Germans
maintained a large U-boat
(submarine
) base at Brest. The city was totally destroyed during the Battle for Brest
in 1944 after the Allied invasion of Normandy, with barely more than three buildings left standing. After the war, the West German
government paid several billion deutschemarks in reparations
to the homeless and destitute civilians of Brest in compensation for the destruction of their home city during the course of the war. Large parts of today's rebuilt city consist of utilitarian granite
and concrete
buildings. The French naval base now houses the Brest Naval Training Centre
.
In 1972, the French Navy opened its nuclear weapon
-submarine (deterrence) base at Île Longue
in the Rade de Brest (Brest roadstead
). This continues to be an important base for the French nuclear-armed ballistic missile
submarines.
(semé d'hermine of Brittany
). It is in a register of deliberations of the city council dated the 15th July 1683 that this coat of arms
was used for the first time.
Brest is best known for its Pont de Recouvrance
(Recouvrance Bridge, a massive drawbridge 64 m/210 ft high), the military arsenal and the rue de Siam (Siam Street)
. The castle and the Tanguy tower
are the oldest monuments of Brest.
The Musée de la Tour Tanguy, in the Tanguy tower
, houses a collection of diorama
s that depict the city of Brest on the eve of World War II. The Musée national de la Marine
de Brest, housed in the ancient castle
, contains exhibits which outline Brest's maritime tradition, as well as an aquarium, the Océanopolis marine centre. The city also has a notable botanical garden
specializing in endangered species
, the Conservatoire botanique national de Brest
, as well as the Jardin botanique de l'Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Clermont-Tonnerre
.
The city of Brest does not have much remaining historical architecture, apart from a few select monuments such as the castle
and the Tanguy tower
. This is due to heavy bombing by the Allies during World War II, in an attempt to destroy the submarine base
the Germans had built in the harbour. In the 1950s, the town was hastily rebuilt using a large amount of concrete. In Recouvrance
, the west bank of the town, there remains an authentic street of the 17th century, Saint-Malo Street.
A few kilometres out of town, there are more impressive landscapes, from sandy beach
es to grotto
s to tall granite
cliffs. Sunbathing, windsurfing
, yachting
and fishing
are enjoyed in the area. Brest was an important warship-producing port during the Napoleonic wars
. The naval port, which is in great part excavated in the rock, extends along both banks of the Penfeld
river.
), at the west end of Brittany
.
It is situated to the north of a magnificent landlocked bay, and occupies the slopes of two hills divided by the river Penfeld
. The part of the town on the left bank is regarded as Brest proper, while the part on the right is known as Recouvrance
. There are also extensive suburbs to the east of the town. The hillsides are in some places so steep that the ascent from the lower to the upper town has to be effected by flights of steps and the second or third storey of one house is often on a level with the ground storey of the next.
Due to its location, Brest is regarded as the first French port that can be accessed from the Americas. Shipping
is big business, although Nantes
and Saint-Nazaire
offer much larger docks and attract more of the larger vessels. The protected location of Brest means that its harbor is ideal to receive any type of ship, from the smallest dinghy
to the biggest aircraft-carrier (the USS Nimitz has visited a few times).
Despite its image of an industrialised city whose activity depends mainly on military order, the service sector represents 75% of the economic activity. The importance of service sector is still increasing while the industrialised activity decaying, explaining the unchanged rate of working-class in Brest. Brest also hosts headquarters for many subsidiaries like the banking group Arkéa... Brest has the 9th French commercial harbour including ship repairs and maintenance. Research and conception is taking an increasing importance. Brest claims to be the largest European centre for sciences and techniques linked to the sea: 60% of the French research in the maritime field is based in Brest.
The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) was built by Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN) in Brest.
on 16 June 2006. In 2008 1.94% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools.
Breton is not commonly spoken in the city of Brest and is not an official language of France (like other French minority languages). It is being taught in some schools and universities. The association Sked
http://sked.infini.fr/ federates all Breton cultural activities.
Brest was the only French-speaking city in western Brittany before the 1789 French Revolution
.
meeting. The last such tall ship event was "Brest 2008".
Brest also hosts an annual Short Film Festival called "Festival Européen du Film Court de Brest".
The city was the setting for the 1982 art film Querelle
, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder
.
, is the main culinary feature apart from seafood
. There are many crêpe restaurants (called crêperies). Breton apple cider
is often featured.
Traditional biscuits include Traou Mad
, which is a full-fat butter biscuit, similar to Scottish shortbread
.
endurance event, Paris–Brest–Paris. Brest is home to Stade Brestois 29
, a football team in Ligue 1
.
The 2008 Tour de France
, a multi-day bicycle race, started in Brest.
with:
Colorado Denver, Colorado
, United States
(1956)
Devon Plymouth
, Devon
, England
(1963) Kiel
, Germany
(1964) Taranto
, Italy
(1964) Yokosuka
, Kanagawa
, Kantō
, Japan
(1970) Dún Laoghaire
, Ireland
(1984) Cádiz
, Spain
(1986) Saponé
, Burkina Faso
(1989) Constanţa
, Romania
(1993)
, Algeria
(1995)
Finistère
Finistère is a département of France, in the extreme west of Brittany.-History:The name Finistère derives from the Latin Finis Terræ, meaning end of the earth, and may be compared with Land's End on the opposite side of the English Channel...
department in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
in northwestern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
. The city is located at one of the occidental edges of continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, hence the expression « Europe from Brest to Brest
Brest, Belarus
Brest , formerly also Brest-on-the-Bug and Brest-Litovsk , is a city in Belarus at the border with Poland opposite the city of Terespol, where the Bug River and Mukhavets rivers meet...
». Counting 142,722 inhabitants, Brestois and Brestoises (2007 sensur), Brest is the main metropolitan area (reaching 300,300 inhabitants) of Western Brittany, only third behind Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
and Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
in the whole Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, and the 22nd populous city of France; moreover, Brest provides services to the one million inhabitants of Western Brittany . Although Brest is by far the largest city in Finistère, the préfecture (regional capital) of the department, Quimper, is much smaller.
During the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, the history of Brest was the history of its castle
Château de Brest
The Château de Brest is a castle in Brest, Finistère, France. The oldest monument in the town, it is located at the mouth of the river Penfeld at the heart of the roadstead of Brest, one of the largest roadsteads in the world...
. Then Richelieu made it a military harbour
Naval base
A naval base is a military base, where warships and naval ships are deployed when they have no mission at sea or want to restock. Usually ships may also perform some minor repairs. Some naval bases are temporary homes to aircraft that usually stay on the ships but are undergoing maintenance while...
. Brest grew around its arsenal
Brest Arsenal
The Brest Arsenal is a collection of naval and military buildings located on the banks of the river Penfeld, in Brest, France...
, until the second part of the 20th century. Profoundly marked by the Allies bombing raids during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the city centre was completely rebuilt after the war. At the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century, the deindustrialization of the city was followed by the development of the service sector. Nowadays, Brest is an important university town
College town
A college town or university town is a community which is dominated by its university population...
with 23,000 students. Besides a multidisciplinary university, the University of Western Brittany
University of Western Brittany
The University of Western Brittany is a French university, in the Academy of Rennes.-Notable alumni: Philippe Collin, anchor for France Inter Benoît Hamon, politician Christophe Miossec, singer , politician...
, Brest and its surrounding area possess several prestigious French elite schools such as École Navale
École Navale
The École Navale is the French Naval Academy in charge of the education of the officers of the French Navy.The academy was founded in 1830 by the order of King Louis-Philippe...
(the French Naval Academy), Télécom Bretagne
École Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications de Bretagne
Telecom Bretagne is one of the top French grande école and a high standard research centre providing high level training in Information Technologies and telecommunications...
and the Superior National School of Advanced Techniques of Brittany (ENSTA Bretagne, formerly ENSIETA). Brest is also an important research centre, mainly focused on the sea, with among others the largest Ifremer
Ifremer
Ifremer, standing for French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea is an oceanographic institution in France.- Scope of works :...
(French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea) centre, le Cedre (Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution) and the French Polar Institute.
Brest’s history has always been linked to the sea: the Académie de Marine
Académie de Marine
The Royal Naval Academy of France was founded at Brest by a ruling of 31 July 1752 by Antoine Louis de Rouillé, comte de Jouy, Secretary of State for the Navy...
(Naval Academy) was founded in 1752 in this city as well as the aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle was built there. Every four years, Brest hosts the international festival of the sea, boats and sailors: it is a meeting of old rigging
Rigging
Rigging is the apparatus through which the force of the wind is used to propel sailboats and sailing ships forward. This includes masts, yards, sails, and cordage.-Terms and classifications:...
s from around the world.
History
Duke of Brittany
The Duchy of Brittany was a medieval tribal and feudal state covering the northwestern peninsula of Europe,bordered by the Alantic Ocean on the west and the English Channel to the north with less definitive borders of the Loire River to the south and Normandy to the east...
. In 1342, John de Montfort surrendered Brest to the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, in whose possession it was to remain until 1397. The importance of Brest in medieval times was great enough to give rise to the saying, "He is not the Duke of Brittany who is not the Lord of Brest". With the marriage of Francis I to Claude, the daughter of Anne of Brittany, the definitive overlordship of Brest – together with the rest of the duchy – passed to the French crown.
The advantages of Brest's situation as a seaport town were first recognized by Cardinal Richelieu, who in 1631 constructed a harbor with wooden wharves
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
. This soon became a base for the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
. Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Jean-Baptiste Colbert was a French politician who served as the Minister of Finances of France from 1665 to 1683 under the rule of King Louis XIV. His relentless hard work and thrift made him an esteemed minister. He achieved a reputation for his work of improving the state of French manufacturing...
- the finance minister under Louis XIV - rebuilt the wharves in masonry and otherwise improved the base. Fortifications by Vauban
Vauban
Sébastien Le Prestre, Seigneur de Vauban and later Marquis de Vauban , commonly referred to as Vauban, was a Marshal of France and the foremost military engineer of his age, famed for his skill in both designing fortifications and breaking through them...
(1633–1707) followed in 1680-1688. These fortifications, and with them the naval importance of the town, were to continue to develop throughout the 18th century.
In 1694, an English squadron under John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton
John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton
John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton was an English admiral.- Biography :He was the second son of John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton, and succeeded to the title on March 6, 1681, by the death of his elder brother Charles, a captain in the navy.On December 14, 1688 he was...
, was soundly defeated in its attack on Brest
Attack on Brest
The Battle of Camaret was an amphibious landing at Camaret Bay on 18 June 1694 by the English and Dutch in an attempt to seize the French port of Brest and destroy part of the French fleet stationed there, as part of the Nine Years' War...
.
During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
Brest France was used as the disembarking port for many of the USA troops coming from America in 1917. Thousands of United States troops came through this port on their way to the front lines.
In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Germans
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
maintained a large U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
(submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
) base at Brest. The city was totally destroyed during the Battle for Brest
Battle for Brest
The Battle for Brest was one of the fiercest battles fought during Operation Cobra, the Allied breakout of Normandy which began on 27 July 1944, during the Battle of Normandy during World War II....
in 1944 after the Allied invasion of Normandy, with barely more than three buildings left standing. After the war, the West German
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
government paid several billion deutschemarks in reparations
War reparations
War reparations are payments intended to cover damage or injury during a war. Generally, the term war reparations refers to money or goods changing hands, rather than such property transfers as the annexation of land.- History :...
to the homeless and destitute civilians of Brest in compensation for the destruction of their home city during the course of the war. Large parts of today's rebuilt city consist of utilitarian granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
and concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
buildings. The French naval base now houses the Brest Naval Training Centre
Brest Naval Training Centre
The Brest Naval Training Centre is one of the main training centres for the French Navy...
.
In 1972, the French Navy opened its nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
-submarine (deterrence) base at Île Longue
Île Longue
Île Longue is a peninsula of the roadstead of Brest. It is the base of the SNLE, the French ballistic missile submarines, and as such one of the most secretive and heavily defended places in France.-Geography:...
in the Rade de Brest (Brest roadstead
Roadstead
A roadstead is a place outside a harbor where a ship can lie at anchor. It is an enclosed area with an opening to the sea, narrower than a bay or gulf. It has a surface that cannot be confused with an estuary. It can be created artificially by jetties or dikes...
). This continues to be an important base for the French nuclear-armed ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
submarines.
Coat of arms
The meaning of the coat of arms of Brest is half France (the three fleurs-de-lis of the former kingdom of France), half BrittanyBrittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
(semé d'hermine of Brittany
Flag of Brittany
The flag of Brittany is called the Gwenn-ha-du, pronounced , which means white and black in Breton. It is also unofficially used in the département of Loire-Atlantique, although this now belongs to the Pays de la Loire and not to the région of Brittany, as the territory of Loire-Atlantique is...
). It is in a register of deliberations of the city council dated the 15th July 1683 that this coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
was used for the first time.
Population
Sights
Pont de Recouvrance
The pont de Recouvrance is a vertical-lift bridge in Brest, France, across the river Penfeld. Opened on 17 July 1954, it was the largest vertical-lift bridge in Europe until the opening of the Pont Gustave-Flaubert in 2008...
(Recouvrance Bridge, a massive drawbridge 64 m/210 ft high), the military arsenal and the rue de Siam (Siam Street)
Rue de Siam
The Rue de Siam is the main arterial street of Brest. Its name comes from the arrival of three ambassadors led by Kosa Pan, sent by the King of Siam on the 29th of June 1686 to meet Louis XIV in Versailles. They went with six mandarins, three translators, two secretaries and a retinue of servants,...
. The castle and the Tanguy tower
Tour Tanguy
The Tour Tanguy, Bastille de Quilbignon or Tour de la Motte Tanguy is a medieval tower on a rocky motte beside the Penfeld river in Brest, France. Probably built during the Breton War of Succession, it faces the château de Brest and is now accessed by a road off the square Pierre Péron, at one end...
are the oldest monuments of Brest.
The Musée de la Tour Tanguy, in the Tanguy tower
Tour Tanguy
The Tour Tanguy, Bastille de Quilbignon or Tour de la Motte Tanguy is a medieval tower on a rocky motte beside the Penfeld river in Brest, France. Probably built during the Breton War of Succession, it faces the château de Brest and is now accessed by a road off the square Pierre Péron, at one end...
, houses a collection of diorama
Diorama
The word diorama can either refer to a nineteenth century mobile theatre device, or, in modern usage, a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum...
s that depict the city of Brest on the eve of World War II. The Musée national de la Marine
Musée national de la Marine
The Musée national de la Marine is a maritime museum located in the Palais de Chaillot, Trocadéro, in the XVIe arrondissement of Paris. It has annexes at Brest, Port-Louis, Rochefort , Toulon and Saint-Tropez...
de Brest, housed in the ancient castle
Château de Brest
The Château de Brest is a castle in Brest, Finistère, France. The oldest monument in the town, it is located at the mouth of the river Penfeld at the heart of the roadstead of Brest, one of the largest roadsteads in the world...
, contains exhibits which outline Brest's maritime tradition, as well as an aquarium, the Océanopolis marine centre. The city also has a notable botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
specializing in endangered species
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
, the Conservatoire botanique national de Brest
Conservatoire botanique national de Brest
The Conservatoire botanique national de Brest is a notable botanical garden located at 52 Allée du Bot, Brest, Finistère, in the region of Brittany, France. It is open daily without charge....
, as well as the Jardin botanique de l'Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Clermont-Tonnerre
Jardin botanique de l'Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Clermont-Tonnerre
The Jardin botanique de l'Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Clermont-Tonnerre is a botanical garden located on the grounds of the Hôpital d'Instruction des Armées Clermont-Tonnerre at Rue du Colonel Fonferrier, Brest, Finistère, in the region of Brittany, France...
.
The city of Brest does not have much remaining historical architecture, apart from a few select monuments such as the castle
Château de Brest
The Château de Brest is a castle in Brest, Finistère, France. The oldest monument in the town, it is located at the mouth of the river Penfeld at the heart of the roadstead of Brest, one of the largest roadsteads in the world...
and the Tanguy tower
Tour Tanguy
The Tour Tanguy, Bastille de Quilbignon or Tour de la Motte Tanguy is a medieval tower on a rocky motte beside the Penfeld river in Brest, France. Probably built during the Breton War of Succession, it faces the château de Brest and is now accessed by a road off the square Pierre Péron, at one end...
. This is due to heavy bombing by the Allies during World War II, in an attempt to destroy the submarine base
Submarine base
A submarine base is a military base that shelters submarines and their personnel.Examples of present-day submarine bases include HMNB Clyde, Île Longue , Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Naval Submarine Base New London, and Rybachiy Nuclear Submarine Base .The Israeli navy bases its growing submarine...
the Germans had built in the harbour. In the 1950s, the town was hastily rebuilt using a large amount of concrete. In Recouvrance
Recouvrance, Brest
Recouvrance is the section of the city of Brest, France which lies on the right bank of the river Penfeld. It is a popularly and historically Breton quarter, in contrast to the largely Francophone quarter of Brest-même or Brest-proper on the left bank....
, the west bank of the town, there remains an authentic street of the 17th century, Saint-Malo Street.
A few kilometres out of town, there are more impressive landscapes, from sandy beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es to grotto
Grotto
A grotto is any type of natural or artificial cave that is associated with modern, historic or prehistoric use by humans. When it is not an artificial garden feature, a grotto is often a small cave near water and often flooded or liable to flood at high tide...
s to tall granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
cliffs. Sunbathing, windsurfing
Windsurfing
Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...
, yachting
Yachting
Yachting refers to recreational sailing or boating, the specific act of sailing or using other water vessels for sporting purposes.-Competitive sailing:...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
are enjoyed in the area. Brest was an important warship-producing port during the Napoleonic wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. The naval port, which is in great part excavated in the rock, extends along both banks of the Penfeld
Penfeld
The Penfeld, Penfell in Breton, is a 16 km-long French coastal river. On its left bank has grown up the town of Brest in Finistère.-Course:...
river.
Geography
Brest is located amidst a dramatic landscape near the entrance of the natural rade de Brest (Brest roadsteadRoadstead
A roadstead is a place outside a harbor where a ship can lie at anchor. It is an enclosed area with an opening to the sea, narrower than a bay or gulf. It has a surface that cannot be confused with an estuary. It can be created artificially by jetties or dikes...
), at the west end of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
.
It is situated to the north of a magnificent landlocked bay, and occupies the slopes of two hills divided by the river Penfeld
Penfeld
The Penfeld, Penfell in Breton, is a 16 km-long French coastal river. On its left bank has grown up the town of Brest in Finistère.-Course:...
. The part of the town on the left bank is regarded as Brest proper, while the part on the right is known as Recouvrance
Recouvrance, Brest
Recouvrance is the section of the city of Brest, France which lies on the right bank of the river Penfeld. It is a popularly and historically Breton quarter, in contrast to the largely Francophone quarter of Brest-même or Brest-proper on the left bank....
. There are also extensive suburbs to the east of the town. The hillsides are in some places so steep that the ascent from the lower to the upper town has to be effected by flights of steps and the second or third storey of one house is often on a level with the ground storey of the next.
Climate
Transport
- The railway station of Brest, Gare de BrestGare de BrestGare de Brest is the station serving Brest, France. It is the western terminus of the Paris–Brest railway. The new station, built above the town's harbour in 1932 on the site of its 1865 predecessor, includes a tall clock tower and a semi circle passenger hall...
, is linked to RennesGare de RennesRennes railway station is situated in the town centre of Rennes, France. It is situated on the Paris–Brest, Rennes–Saint-Malo and the Rennes–Redon railways....
and ParisGare MontparnasseParis Montparnasse is one of the six large terminus railway stations of Paris, located in the Montparnasse area in the XIVe arrondissement. The station was opened in 1840, and rebuilt completely in 1969...
as well as regional (TERTER BretagneTER Bretagne is the regional rail network serving Brittany, in the north west of France.- Rail :-Road:*Carhaix - Rosporden*Vannes - Pontivy - Saint-Brieuc*Lorient - Loudéac - Saint-Brieuc*Fougères - Laval*Rennes - Mont-Saint-Michel*Rennes - Pontivy...
) services to BrittanyBrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. TGVTGVThe TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
trains to Paris take approximately four and a half hours to reach the capital. - Brest international airport, Brest Bretagne AirportBrest AirportBrest Airport is an airport serving Brest, a city in Belarus....
, is mainly linked to ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, NiceNiceNice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, LyonLyonLyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, Dublin. The primarily operator is Air FranceAir FranceAir France , stylised as AIRFRANCE, is the French flag carrier headquartered in Tremblay-en-France, , and is one of the world's largest airlines. It is a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance...
(via its subsidiary Brit AirBrit AirBrit Air is a regional airline based on the grounds of Morlaix Airport at Ploujean, Morlaix, Brittany, France, operating scheduled services as an Air France franchise out of Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport, Paris-Orly Airport and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport.-History:The airline was established in...
). Brest international airport is the main airport of the region of Brittany in terms passager traffic with 45 % of this traffic of the region, representing 919,404 passengers in 2010. A new terminal has been in service since December 12, 2007 and can accommodate up to 1.8 million passengers annually. - The harbour of Brest is mainly dedicated to bulkBulk cargoBulk cargo is commodity cargo that is transported unpackaged in large quantities. This cargo is usually dropped or poured, with a spout or shovel bucket, as a liquid or as a mass of relatively small solids , into a bulk carrier ship's hold, railroad car, or tanker truck/trailer/semi-trailer body...
, hydrocarbon and freight containers. The harbour's facilities can accommodate to world largest modern ships.
Economy
Shipping
Shipping has multiple meanings. It can be a physical process of transporting commodities and merchandise goods and cargo, by land, air, and sea. It also can describe the movement of objects by ship.Land or "ground" shipping can be by train or by truck...
is big business, although Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
and Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire
Saint-Nazaire , is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.The town has a major harbour, on the right bank of the Loire River estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean. The town is at the south of the second-largest swamp in France, called "la Brière"...
offer much larger docks and attract more of the larger vessels. The protected location of Brest means that its harbor is ideal to receive any type of ship, from the smallest dinghy
Dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
to the biggest aircraft-carrier (the USS Nimitz has visited a few times).
Despite its image of an industrialised city whose activity depends mainly on military order, the service sector represents 75% of the economic activity. The importance of service sector is still increasing while the industrialised activity decaying, explaining the unchanged rate of working-class in Brest. Brest also hosts headquarters for many subsidiaries like the banking group Arkéa... Brest has the 9th French commercial harbour including ship repairs and maintenance. Research and conception is taking an increasing importance. Brest claims to be the largest European centre for sciences and techniques linked to the sea: 60% of the French research in the maritime field is based in Brest.
The French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) was built by Direction des Constructions Navales (DCN) in Brest.
Mayors of Brest
- since 2001: François Cuillandre
- 1989 - 2001: Pierre MaillePierre MaillePierre Maille is a French politician.Maille was Mayor of Brest from 1982 to 1983, succeeding Francis Le Blé, who died in office in 1982, and from 1989 to 2001. He belongs to the French Socialist Party, and since 1998 has led the general council of the department of Finistère.-References:...
(2nd term) - 1985 - 1989: Georges Kerbrat
- 1983 - 1985: Jacques Berthelot
- 1982 - 1983: Pierre MaillePierre MaillePierre Maille is a French politician.Maille was Mayor of Brest from 1982 to 1983, succeeding Francis Le Blé, who died in office in 1982, and from 1989 to 2001. He belongs to the French Socialist Party, and since 1998 has led the general council of the department of Finistère.-References:...
- 1977 - 1982: Francis Le Blé
- 1973 - 1977: Eugène Berest
- 1959 - 1973: Georges Lombard
- 1958 - 1959: Auguste Kervern
- 1954 - 1958: Yves Jaouen
- 1954 - 1954: Lucien Chaix
- 1953 - 1954: Yves Jaouen
- 1947 - 1953: Alfred Pierre Marie Chupin
- 1945 - 1947: Jules Lullien
- 1944 - 1945: Jules Lullien
- 1942 - 1944: Victor Eusen
- 1929 - 1941: Victor Le Gorgeu
- 1921 - 1929: Léon Nardon
- 1920 - 1921: Hippolyte Masson
- 1919 - 1920: Louis Léon Nardon
- 1912 - 1919: Hippolyte Masson
- 1908 - 1912: Louis Arthur Delobeau
- 1904 - 1908: Victor Marie Aubert
- 1900 - 1904: Charles Berger
Breton language
The municipality launched a linguistic plan to revive Breton as a language through Ya d'ar brezhonegYa d'ar brezhoneg
Ya d'ar brezhoneg is a campaign launched by the Ofis ar Brezhoneg in order to stimulate the use of the Breton language in daily life in Brittany, western France. In the first phase, started on 5 October 2001, civil society was targeted. Over 560 enterprises and organisations have signed the...
on 16 June 2006. In 2008 1.94% of primary-school children attended bilingual schools.
Breton is not commonly spoken in the city of Brest and is not an official language of France (like other French minority languages). It is being taught in some schools and universities. The association Sked
Sked
Sked is shortened version of the word Schedule. It can refer to a flight schedule, a baseball schedule, or any other type of schedule.A sked is a pocket-sized bifold or trifold schedule about the size of a baseball card printed for a sports team...
http://sked.infini.fr/ federates all Breton cultural activities.
Brest was the only French-speaking city in western Brittany before the 1789 French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
Culture
The city is host to several events to celebrate its long maritime history. The largest is held every four years, when the town organises a tall shipTall ship
A tall ship is a large, traditionally-rigged sailing vessel. Popular modern tall ship rigs include topsail schooners, brigantines, brigs and barques. "Tall Ship" can also be defined more specifically by an organization, such as for a race or festival....
meeting. The last such tall ship event was "Brest 2008".
Brest also hosts an annual Short Film Festival called "Festival Européen du Film Court de Brest".
The city was the setting for the 1982 art film Querelle
Querelle
Querelle, a 1982 film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, adapted from French author Jean Genet's 1947 novel Querelle de Brest. It marked Fassbinder's final film as a writer/director; it was posthumously released just months after the director died of a drug overdose in June 1982.-Plot:The plot...
, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Rainer Werner Maria Fassbinder was a German movie director, screenwriter and actor. He is considered one of the most important representatives of the New German Cinema.He maintained a frenetic pace in film-making...
.
Food
Brittany's most famous local delicacy, the Breton crêpeCrêpe
A crêpe or crepe , is a type of very thin pancake, usually made from wheat flour or buckwheat flour . The word is of French origin, deriving from the Latin crispa, meaning "curled". While crêpes originate from Brittany, a region in the northwest of France, their consumption is widespread in France...
, is the main culinary feature apart from seafood
Seafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
. There are many crêpe restaurants (called crêperies). Breton apple cider
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
is often featured.
Traditional biscuits include Traou Mad
Traou Mad
Traou Mad is a French delicacy produced in Pont-Aven, Brittany, France being a full fat butter biscuit served for breakfast. Traoù Mat stands for Good Things in Breton.Traou Mad is a registered trademark....
, which is a full-fat butter biscuit, similar to Scottish shortbread
Shortbread
Shortbread is a type of unleavened biscuit which is traditionally made from one part white sugar, two parts butter, and three parts oatmeal flour. The use of plain white flour is common today, and other ingredients like ground rice or cornflour are sometimes added to alter the texture...
.
Sport
Since 1901 Brest has served as the midpoint for the epic 1200 km (745.6 mi) bicycleBicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
endurance event, Paris–Brest–Paris. Brest is home to Stade Brestois 29
Stade Brestois 29
Stade Brestois 29 is a French football club based in Brest. The club was founded in 1903 under the name Armoricaine de Brest and adopted its current name in 1950...
, a football team in Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
.
The 2008 Tour de France
2008 Tour de France
The 2008 Tour de France was the 95th Tour de France. The event took place from 5–27 July 2008. Starting in the French city of Brest, the tour entered Italy on the 15th stage and returned to France during the 16th, heading for Paris, its regular final destination, which was reached in the 21st stage...
, a multi-day bicycle race, started in Brest.
Research and education
Primarily research centre of western Brittany, Brest and its surrounding area is the home of several research and elite educational establishments:- a multidisciplinary university, Université de Bretagne OccidentaleUniversity of Western BrittanyThe University of Western Brittany is a French university, in the Academy of Rennes.-Notable alumni: Philippe Collin, anchor for France Inter Benoît Hamon, politician Christophe Miossec, singer , politician...
(UBO) http://www.univ-brest.fr/ - Brest has also several grandes écolesGrandes écolesThe grandes écoles of France are higher education establishments outside the main framework of the French university system. The grandes écoles select students for admission based chiefly on national ranking in competitive written and oral exams...
and other undergraduate or graduate schools:- École nationale d'ingénieurs de BrestÉcole nationale d'ingénieurs de BrestThe École nationale d'ingénieurs de Brest is a French grande école leading to the French “Diplôme d’Ingénieur” under the authority of the French Ministry of Education and Research.- Introduction :...
(ENIB) (in PlouzanéPlouzanéPlouzané is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-History:The shores south of Plouzané are in a strategic location for the defense of the Goulet de Brest...
next to Brest) http://www.enib.fr/ - Télécom BretagneÉcole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications de BretagneTelecom Bretagne is one of the top French grande école and a high standard research centre providing high level training in Information Technologies and telecommunications...
(ENST Bretagne) (in PlouzanéPlouzanéPlouzané is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-History:The shores south of Plouzané are in a strategic location for the defense of the Goulet de Brest...
next to Brest) http://www.enst-bretagne.fr/ - École nationale supérieure de techniques avancées de Bretagne (ENSTA Bretagne, formerly ENSIETA) http://www.ensta-bretagne.fr/
- Institut supérieur de l'électronique et du numérique de Brest (ISEN Brest) http://www.isen.fr/?id=77
- École Supérieure de Commerce de BretagneESC Bretagne Brest, Brittany, FranceÉcole Supérieure de Commerce de Bretagne à Brest , also called The Graduate school of Management of Brittany, France,is a French business School in the city of Brest in northwestern France....
http://www.esc-brest.fr/ - École NavaleÉcole NavaleThe École Navale is the French Naval Academy in charge of the education of the officers of the French Navy.The academy was founded in 1830 by the order of King Louis-Philippe...
(French Naval Academy) (in LanvéocLanvéocLanvéoc is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in north-western France. The École Navale, the French naval academy, is located here.-References:** ;-External links:* *...
next to Brest) http://www.ecole-navale.fr/ - To be noted that Brest is one of the hosts for the Indiana University Honors Foreign Language Program
- École nationale d'ingénieurs de Brest
- Brest has several research organisations:
- the largest IfremerIfremerIfremer, standing for French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea is an oceanographic institution in France.- Scope of works :...
(French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea) centre (in PlouzanéPlouzanéPlouzané is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-History:The shores south of Plouzané are in a strategic location for the defense of the Goulet de Brest...
next to Brest); about 1000 people work there. - Le Cedre (Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution)
- the French Polar Institute (in PlouzanéPlouzanéPlouzané is a commune in the Finistère department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-History:The shores south of Plouzané are in a strategic location for the defense of the Goulet de Brest...
next to Brest) - The Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic ServiceNaval Hydrographic and Oceanographic ServiceThe Naval Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service is a French administrative public body administered by the Ministry of Defence. It was set up by decree number 2007-800 on 11 May 2007...
(SHOM)
- the largest Ifremer
Personalities
Brest was the birthplace of:- Jean-Michel Huon de KermadecJean-Michel Huon de KermadecJean-Michel Huon de Kermadec was an 18th century French navigator. In September 1791 he was chosen to command the Espérance on the Bruni d'Entrecasteaux expedition to find the lost expedition of Jean-François de La Pérouse. The expedition explored Australia and the South Pacific...
(1748–1792), navigatorNavigatorA navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to... - Charles-Alexandre Léon Durand LinoisCharles-Alexandre Léon Durand LinoisCharles-Alexandre Léon Durand, Comte de Linois was a French admiral during the time of Napoleon Bonaparte. He won a victory over the British at the Battle of Algeciras in 1801 and was reasonably successful in a campaign against British trade in the Indian Ocean and South China Sea in...
(1761–1848), admiralAdmiralAdmiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
during the time of Napoleon Bonaparte - Prosper GarnotProsper GarnotProsper Garnot was a French surgeon and naturalist.Garnot was born at Brest. He was an assistant surgeon under Louis Isidore Duperrey on La Coquille during its circumnavigation of the globe . Along with Rene Primevere Lesson he collected numerous natural history specimens in South America and the...
(1794–1838), surgeonSurgerySurgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
and naturalistNatural historyNatural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study... - Victor SegalenVictor SegalenVictor Segalen was a French naval doctor, ethnographer, archeologist, writer, poet, explorer, art-theorist, linguist and literary critic....
(1878–1919), naval doctorPhysicianA physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, ethnographer, archeologist, writer and poet - Jean CrasJean CrasJean Émile Paul Cras was a 20th century French composer and career naval officer. His musical compositions were inspired by his native Brittany, his travels to Africa, and most of all, by his sea voyages...
(1879–1932), French composer and career naval officer - Georges Thierry d'ArgenlieuGeorges Thierry d'ArgenlieuGeorges Thierry d'Argenlieu, in religion Louis de la Trinité was a priest, diplomat and French Navy officer and admiral; he became one of the major personalities of the Free French Forces and the Forces navales françaises libres...
(1889–1964), priestPriestA priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
, diplomatDiplomatA diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
and French NavyFrench NavyThe French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
officer and admiral - Alain Robbe-GrilletAlain Robbe-GrilletAlain Robbe-Grillet , was a French writer and filmmaker. He was, along with Nathalie Sarraute, Michel Butor and Claude Simon, one of the figures most associated with the Nouveau Roman trend. Alain Robbe-Grillet was elected a member of the Académie française on March 25, 2004, succeeding Maurice...
(1922–2008), writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and filmmaker - Pierre BricePierre BricePierre Brice is a French actor, mainly known for his role as fictional Apache-chief Winnetou in German Karl May films.- Life and films :...
(born 1929), actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity... - Béatrice DalleBéatrice Dalle-Biography:Dalle was born in Brest, Finistère, France, as Béatrice Cabarrou. In 1985 she married the painter Jean-François Dalle but they divorced in 1988....
(born 1964), actress - Christophe Miossec (born 1964), singer
- Yann TiersenYann TiersenYann Tiersen is a musician from France. His musical career is split between studio albums, collaborations and film soundtracks with a distinctive sound that is always involved...
(born 1970), minimalist multi instrumentalist/musicianMusicianA musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession.... - Larsen Touré (born 1984), footballer (naturalized GuineaGuineaGuinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
n) - Gonzalo HiguaínGonzalo HiguaínGonzalo Gerardo "El Pipita" Higuaín is an Argentine professional footballer. He was born in France, attaining Argentine citizenship in 2007, and now holding dual nationality...
(born 1987), footballer (naturalized ArgentineArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
) - Laury ThillemanLaury ThillemanLaury Thilleman is a French beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss France 2011 on December 4, 2010. She made the top 10 at Miss Universe 2011 and will also represent her country in Miss World 2011.-Miss France:...
(born 1991), Miss France 2011Miss France 2011Miss France 2011, the 64th Miss France pageant was held in Caen, Lower Normandy, on December 4, 2010 where Miss France 2010, Malika Ménard of Normandy crowned her successor Laury Thilleman of Brittany. She will represent France at Miss Universe 2011 and Miss World 2011...
International relations
Brest is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
Colorado Denver, ColoradoColorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(1956)
Devon PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
(1963) Kiel
Kiel
Kiel is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 238,049 .Kiel is approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the north of Germany, the southeast of the Jutland peninsula, and the southwestern shore of the...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(1964) Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(1964) Yokosuka
Yokosuka, Kanagawa
is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 419,067 and a population density of 4,160 people per km². It covered an area of 100.62 km²...
, Kanagawa
Kanagawa Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...
, Kantō
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(1970) Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire or Dún Laoire , sometimes anglicised as "Dunleary" , is a suburban seaside town in County Dublin, Ireland, about twelve kilometres south of Dublin city centre. It is the county town of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County and a major port of entry from Great Britain...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
(1984) Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
(1986) Saponé
Saponé, Burkina Faso
Saponé is a town in the Saponé Department of Bazèga Province in central Burkina Faso. The town has a population of 13,697 and is the capital of Saponé Department and is located approximately 40 kilometres south of Ougadougou....
, Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
(1989) Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
(1993)
Friendly relationship
Brest has an official friendly relationship (protocole d'amitié) with: BejaïaBéjaïa
Béjaïa, Vgaiet or Bejaya is a Mediterranean port city on the Gulf of Béjaïa in Algeria; it is the capital of Béjaïa Province, Kabylia. Under French rule, it was formerly known under various European names, such as Budschaja in German, Bugia in Italian, and Bougie...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
(1995)
External links
- Aerial photos of the whole city and urban community
- Brest Airport Travel Guide
- Interactive City Map of Brest
- Official website of Brest town hall (with webcam)
- Satellite picture by Google Maps
- Brest Cultural Heritage
- Brest improvisation theatre
- Brest Weather Forecast
- "Brest, ma ville, mon âme" Photo gallery :a discovery of the city by Erwan Corre
- Wiki-Brest, a community wiki containing articles about the city (in French).
- German submarine base in Brest