Fly from Nice to Brest

Brest and Brittany are a great match: both words share an origin, and what’s more, a temperament. This means that a journey to the former is one of the best ways to truly see into the soul of the latter. What kind of trip is it? One full of wild ocean beaches, nature that satisfies both your eyes and your palate, and a culture that has held onto its millennia-old roots while constantly reinventing itself.
Brest is Brittany, and together they make an ideal playground for your family holiday. Your getaway will include ramparts and old lighthouses whipped by wind and sea, masterpieces and pieces by local artists, shell fishing and up-close encounters with sharks, indulgent crêpes and shellfish platters, and time spent on the beach or peddling around on bikes. That’s enough to leave the taste of pure happiness on your tongue for a long time to come!

• Visit Brest Castle, the most beautiful heritage site in the city. This fortress was built facing the sea by Maréchal Vauban, and is a powerful symbol of the resistance in a city that was almost entirely destroyed in 1945. It’s a great place for a walk!
• Breathe in the history of Brest as you stroll the street of Saint-Malo. This cobblestone street escaped the bombs of WWII and is home to some of the oldest houses in the area. It’s both picturesque and charming.
• Get a unique view of Brest by heading to Maison Blanche, a tiny seaside area made up of 70 fishing boats - both wooden and sailing - with multicolour façades! A village within the city with a feeling all its own.
• Climb up to the Motte-Tanguy Tower. Anchored on the banks of the Penfeld, the river that runs through Brest, this fortress is home to the dioramas of Jim Sévellec, miniature historical reconstructions that tell the story of pre-war Brest in detail.
• Sail the seas without leaving the shore at the National Marine Museum, an international reference. Remarkable collections (models, paintings, uniforms, accessories, etc.) and, what’s more, a gorgeous view over the city.
• Cross the Penfeld on a line suspended 60 metres up on the Brest cable car. It will drop you at the foot of the Ateliers des Capucins, and ancient industrial site that’s now home to bars, restaurants, and cultural sites.
• Dive 20,000 leagues under the sea at Océanopolis. This marine animal park has three pavilions with three great environments: tropical, Breton, and polar. Be sure to also check out the giant aquarium full of sharks, and Otter Trail.
• Treat yourself to a day of culture by perusing the permanent collection at the Brest Museum of Fine Arts. It provides a superb journey through the history of art with over 200 fantastic paintings by French and Italian artists.
• Have a nature break outside of Brest. For intramural wanderings: the Brest National Botanical Conservation Centre and the Explorers’ Garden. For a bit of fresh air further afar: the Moulin Blanc beach, Petit Minou lighthouse, the islands of Molène and Ouessant...there’s so much to explore.
• Cast off! Head out on the ocean for a bistro lunch aboard the Brestoâ. Ride the waves on La Recouvrance, an exact replica of a 19th-century schooner. Climb aboard the Loch Monna, a lovely trawler from the 1950s.