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BREST has very little what makes the Finistere in Brittany so beautiful. It is remorsely modern! Unless you're a fan of concrete and ugly modern buildings. The most optimistic say, "it is a dazzling post war architecture, resembling a low rise New York, and looks very impressive when highlighted by a sudden burst of sunlight against a backcloth of gray, scudding skies.
It has not always been like that, but Brest was so heavily destroyed during WWII (6 weeks of non-stop bombardments), that the reconstruction fell into the wrong hands and the much, much too quick.
Today, you will only find some remains of the old Brest in 15th century TANGUY tower, including a museum about the history of Brest. And off course, only the naval traditions remain, founded by Richelieu in 1631 and developed by Napoleon. The promenade along the commercial port is the Cours Dajot.
Between Brest and the Crozon peninsula lies the superb natural harbor of ROYALE, the French Marine. Other curiosity is OCEANOPOLIS, a scientific and technical research center of sea environment.
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Douarnenez |
What you can do is to spend a few hours in LANDERNEAU, wit its pretty
poopen-air market at the river Elorn.The PONT DE ROHAN (16th century) attracts a lot of people, one of the rare European bridges still existing with houses on both sides.
From Brest to Quimper you must of course make a stop at DOUARNENEZ.
I don't know many places that succeeded to be an active fisher port and an agreeable bathing resort at the same time like Douarnenez. And it is ONE of the MOST important fisher ports in France. Legend says it stays where the sunken island of "YS" was standing.
Nothing precious or pretentious about this village. A working, workmanlike Breton port and canning center. For a whiff of the sea, go to the port when the sardine, lobster and deep-sea fishing boats are unloading their catches. And if you don't lodge in an apartment with a kitchen, and can't cook all these delicacies, no problem: the Port de Rosmeur is lined with restaurants.
A few beautiful beeches like the "PLAGE DES DAMES", a yacht harbor and sailing school.
The neighboring town of TREBOUL is a thalassotherapy center, open all year. And the famous "Pardon", takes place every year at STE.ANNE LA PALUD.
But remember, whichever way you go, all roads west eventually lead to the incomparable
  POINTE DU RAZ. This is Finistere's most breathtaking sight, a spectacle that eclipses all others, despite in summer months it might be overcrowded with tourists. It is indeed a magnet for tourists, despite its very difficult location at the north end of a bay, with NO interest!
An advice: come early or late in the day.
A reminder: just off the point lies the tiny ILE DE SEIN,the last refuge of the druids, according to old legends.
Bibliography
Brest en flânant, Georges-Michel Thomas, Pierre Peron et Jean Le Goualch (1984)- Histoire de la ville et du port de Brest, Prosper-Jean Levot - Douarnenez histoire d'une ville, Jean-Michel de Le Boulanger- La Bretagne du Mont Saint-Michel à la Pointe du Raz ( Paris, Ed. Delachaux Niestlé) de Bournerias M., Pomerol C., Turquier Y.
(1985)
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