Brest

27/07/2025 - Stage 2 - 110,4 km - Flat

Stage city for the 1st time
Sub-prefecture of Finistère (29), Maritime Prefecture for the Atlantic
Population: 140,000 and 210,000 for the 8 communes of Brest Métropole.
Personalities: Paul Deschanel (former President of the Republic), Yann Tiersen, Christophe Miossec (singers), Olivier de Kersauzon (sailor), Alain Robbe-Grillet, Yann Queffelec (writers), Béatrice Dalle (actress), Irène Frachon (doctor, whistleblower), Benoit Hamon, Jean-Jacques Hurvoas (former ministers), Charlotte Bonnet (swimming), Corentin Martins (football), Eric Berthou, Valentin Madouas, Olivier Le Gac (cycling)
Specialities: pancakes, seafood, salted butter caramel, kig ha farz, strawberries, beer
Sport: Stade Brestois 29 (football, Ligue 1), Brest Bretagne Handball (women's Division 1), Brest Bretagne Nautisme (1st sailing club in France), Pôle France Olympoic Yachting. Events: Brest is the port of record for round-the-world sailing.
Culture: International Maritime Festival, European Short Film Festival, Astropolis (electronic music, July-August)
Economy: sea, health, banking/insurance, agriculture/food, digital. The tertiary sector accounts for 75 pc of activity: headquarters of the Arkéa banking group, B&B hotels, the Eurodif group and the Kanabeach surfwear brand. France's ninth-largest commercial port. Europe's leading centre for marine science and technology: 60 pc of French maritime research is based in Brest. DCN, Direction des Constructions Navales (manufacture and repair of submarines and aircraft carriers). Brest airport, Brittany's number 1 airport for passenger traffic (over 800,000). Thomson-Thales (generator sets), Cabasse (top-of-the-range loudspeakers), Saveol (strawberries, tomatoes), Sill (fruit juices). French Navy (15,000 military jobs).
Slogan: "North, South, East... Brest"
Labels: Ville d'art et d'histoire, Ville active et sportive (3 épis)
Websites: www.brest.fr / www.brest-life.fr / www.brest-metropole-tourisme.fr / www.brest-terres-oceanes.fr / www.finistere.fr / www.bretagne.bzh

Brest and Cycling

The launch pad for the Tour de France for men on four occasions since the Second World War (1952, 1974, 2008 and 2021), Brest is also a stronghold of women's cycling, being the birthplace of Cédrine Kerbaol, the first Frenchwoman to win a stage of the Tour de France for women, as well as Maëva Squiban, who came close to emulating her one day later.
2021: Grand Start host. Julian Alaphilippe won the first stage to Landerneau.
Before WWII: the Tour visited 23 times between 1906 and 1939. Garrigou and Pélissier won three times each.
1952: Start of first stage to Rennes, won by Rik Van Steenbergen.
1974: Eddy Merckx won the prologue.
2008: Alejandro Valverde won first stage to Plumelec.
Notable riders born in Brest: Jean-Pierre Genet, Christian Seznec, Erwan Menthéour, Camille Le Menn, Arthur Bihannic, Gérard Kerbrat, Eric Berthou, Valentin Madouas, Olivier Le Gac.

Sights

Ateliers des Capucins and cable car
Les Capucins is Brest's new cultural and lifestyle centre. It houses historic artifacts and Europe's largest covered public space. Access via car, tram and cable car.
www.ateliersdescapucins.fr

Océanopolis
Marine park with 3 pavilions (temperate, polar, tropical), 8,000 m² of exhibits, 42 aquariums and over 10,000 animals.
www.oceanopolis.com

Garden of the national botanical conservatory
30 hectares featuring rare and endangered plants, tropical greenhouses and over 350,000 visitors/year.
www.cbnbrest.fr

National Navy Museum (Château de Brest)
Covers 17 centuries of maritime history, with models, artifacts and memories of naval exploits.
www.musee-marine.fr/brest

Brest Fine Arts Museum
Home to artworks dating back to the 16th century and offers art loans to the public.
www.musee.brest.fr

American monument (Naval monument)
Built in 1932, symbol of Franco-American friendship, nicknamed the Pink Tower.