There are a number of festivals, holidays and other events celebrated in Brest each year. The main ones are listed below.
January 1: New Year's Day (national holiday)Celebrate the new year with a Fest-noz, a traditional Breton dance! By the ocean, the city of Brest offers many festive activities on New Year's Eve, often dedicated to Breton food and culture.
May 1: Labour Day (national holiday)On the first of May, it is customary to offer a sprig of lily-of-the-valley to close ones. Many vendors occupy the pavement on that occasion!
June 21: Make Music Day (national)Breton folk songs, harps and violins, but also folk dances, drinking songs and sea shanties invade the city's public spaces. On daylight saving day, Brest celebrates the spirit of music and puts local folklore in the spotlight!
July 14: Bastille Day (national)This holiday celebrates both the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, the key event marking the beginning of the French Revolution, and the end of the privileges enjoyed by the clergy and the aristocracy. In Brest, the 14th of July, with festive activities and fireworks, is always a high point during the International Maritime Festival. At night, Brest harbour shines with thousands of lights, creating a beautiful backdrop for the sailboats.
August 15: Assumption Day (national holiday)To celebrate the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, several “Grands Pardons” (atonements) take place in parishes all around Finistère. In Porcaro, Morbihan, more than 10,000 bikers gather to celebrate the “Madonna” with their blessing.
Third weekend of September: European Heritage Days (national)The aim of the European Heritage Days is to open up numerous sites and monuments, many of which are normally closed to the public. A great opportunity for a lovely stroll through the city to admire architectural treasures!
December 25: Christmas (national)Month | Min. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Max. Average Temperature (°C/F°) | Average Rains (MM) | Best Time to Travel |
---|---|---|---|---|
January | 4 | 9 | 144 | Not the best period to go |
February | 4 | 9 | 112 | Not the best period to go |
March | 5 | 11 | 96 | Not the best period to go |
April | 6 | 13 | 92 | Not the best period to go |
May | 9 | 16 | 79 | Good period to go
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June | 11 | 19 | 60 | Good period to go
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July | 13 | 21 | 67 | Good period to go
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August | 13 | 21 | 67 | Good period to go
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September | 12 | 19 | 84 | Good period to go
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October | 10 | 16 | 129 | Good period to go
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November | 7 | 12 | 134 | Not the best period to go |
December | 5 | 10 | 148 | Not the best period to go |
The Brest-Bretagne airport is located 10 kilometres north-east of the city of Brest.
The A tramway line connects major places of interest downtown Brest, such as monuments, main streets and shopping malls. Busses take you in and out of the city, to the neighbouring cities. The city's road traffic is fairly fluid and parking lots numerous. Renting a car is therefore the best way to get around.
Getting around the city is fairly easy in Brest. Several large parking lots are available downtown, place de la Liberté, on Dupleix, Malherbe and Yves Collet streets (price ranging from EUR 1 to 1.60 per hour, depending on your location).
The A tramway line crosses the city and connects major touristic places. It is an ideal way to get around the city, every day from 5 a.m. to 0:30 a.m. A network of 17 bus lines connects the city to neighbouring towns like Bohars, Guilers, Plouzané and Plougastel, from 6:00 a.m. to 0:30 a.m. Public transportation prices in Brest (for both bus and tramway) are EUR 1.50 one-way, EUR 4 for a day pass, and EUR 12.50 for a book of 10 tickets.
Taxis drive in and around town with a EUR 1.72 /km fare during daytime and EUR 2.58 /km at night, on Sundays and during holidays. Initial charge is EUR 2.10. You may find them at the bus station, in dedicated taxi stations, or hail one on the street.
Upon your arrival in Brest, you can get in touch with local tourism professionals for further information and to help organise your stay.
Official tourism sitePlace de la Liberté
BP 91012
29210 Brest Cedex 1
Telephone: +33 (0)2 98 44 24 96
www.brest-metropole-tourisme.fr/en
The currency used in Brest is the Euro (EUR).
1 JOD = 1.24 EUR
1 EUR = 0.81 JOD
The above exchange rate is given for information because is variable.
See your doctor before you travel. There are several private and public hospitals in Brest, as well as quality general practitioners and medical specialists.
VaccinationsThere are no vaccination requirements for visitors to France. For more information, contact Air France's international vaccination centre:
There are no specific food safety risks. French government authorities promote good hygiene practices and put in place strengthened control procedures for sites especially frequented by tourists during the summer months.
WaterTap water is safe to drink in Brest.
Directory of foreign embassies and consulates in France
The directory made available online by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs (in French only) includes addresses and contact details for all foreign embassies and consulates in France: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/le-ministere-et-son-reseau/annuaires-et-adresses-du-maedi/ambassades-et-consulats-etrangers-en-france
For more information, please visit the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en
As a general rule, a visa is required to enter France. Foreign nationals in the two categories listed below are not required to carry a visa for stays of 90 days or less:
For stays of more than 90 days, a long-stay visa is required. Travellers from all other countries must be in possession of a visa, regardless of the length of their stay. Visa applications must be submitted to the nearest French Embassy or French Consulate in the country of permanent residence well in advance of departure. For further information, visit the website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/getting-a-visa/
To enjoy peace of mind during your stay in Brest, visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country.
Here are a few basic French phrases that will make your stay in Brest a little easier:
Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon: Bonjour
Good evening: Bonsoir
Good bye: Au revoir
Yes: Oui
No: Non
No thank you: Non, merci
Thank you very much: Merci beaucoup
I don't understand: Je ne comprends pas
Could you repeat that?: Pouvez-vous répéter ?
Please: S'il vous plaît
What time is it?: Quelle heure est-il ?
Excuse me: Excusez-moi
Airport: Aéroport
Train station: Gare
Taxi: Taxi
Hotel: Hôtel
Hospital: Hôpital
Bank: Banque
Telephone: Téléphone
I'm (…): Je suis (...)
I'm looking for (…): Je recherche (...)
How much is (...)?: Quel est le prix de (...) ?
Do you have (...)?: Avez-vous (...) ?
Where can I find (...)?: Où puis-je trouver (...) ?
Where can I buy (...)?: Où puis-je acheter (...) ?
I'd like (…): Je voudrais (…)
Tipping
In Brest like elsewhere in France, a service charge is always included in the bill. If you are particularly pleased with the service, you may certainly leave a few extra euros on the table. But this additional tip is neither expected nor necessary.