Why go
- Subprefecture and commune in Brittany, France.
- Served by Ouessant Airport (OUI).
History
Brest is a port city in the French department of Finistère, Brittany. Located in a sheltered bay not far from the western tip of a peninsula and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second largest French military port after Toulon. The city is located on the western edge of continental France with 142,346 inhabitants (2023), Brest forms Western Brittany's largest metropolitan area, ranking third behind Nantes and Rennes in Brittany, and the 26th most populous city in France (2023); moreover, Brest provides services to the one million inhabitants of Western Brittany. Although Brest is by far the largest city in Finistère, the préfecture of the department is in the much smaller town of Quimper.
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 11 airlines, 11 direct destinations
- Air France AF (A319, 318, A321, F50, CRK, Dash 8-400) · 5 routes: London*, Marseille, Paris, Paris, Southampton*
- Airlinair A5 (CRJ-700, CRK, ERJ-145) · 2 routes: Lyon, Nice
- VOLOTEA Airways V7 (717) · 2 routes: Ajaccio, Bastia
- Alitalia AZ (318, A321) · 1 route: Paris*
- CityJet WX (F50) · 1 route: London
- easyJet U2 (A319) · 1 route: Lyon
- Flybe BE (Dash 8-400) · 1 route: Southampton
- Iberia Airlines IB (A320) · 1 route: Barcelona*
- Nationwide Airlines CE (BEH) · 1 route: Bordeaux
- Ryanair FR (737-800) · 1 route: Marseille
- Vueling Airlines VY (A320) · 1 route: Barcelona
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 1 direct destination
- Airlinair A5 (ATR 42) · 1 route: Paris
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Getting there by ferry
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Ouessant Airport (OUI); 6 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: BES has direct flights to 11 destinations on 11 airlines (incl. Barcelona, London, Lyon, Marseille, Paris…). By water: 3 ferry terminals within 20 km (nearest: Gare Maritime (Molène et Ouessant), 2.5 km); routes include Brest - Le Fret, Le Conquet - Brest, Brest – Ouessant.
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Brest, France. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Local transit
Trains & rail
Coaches & shuttles
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.