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Brest
Vessel location
The ideal plan is to crew change in the relatively new Marina du Chateau which is just under the city centre walls, situated between the Port du Commerce and the entrance to La Penfeld River. This is the closest to the SNCF railway station. If the vessel cannot be found a berth in this marina you can ring the skipper direct to find the alternative berth, and we will try to contact you via a mobile phone if you have one.
The City
From a sailing point of view, the main advantage of Brest as a joining port for Classic Sailing is that it is 'around the corner.' The North Brittany coast is pretty rugged until you sail around the north western corner of France inside the island of L' Ouessant using the Chanel du Four tidal race. After the Pte de Matthieu it can still be wild, but there are more islands and bay to anchor in, rather than vast rock plateaux extending from the shore. You also enter the French sailors summer sailing playground - just too far for most GB yachts from the Solent to reach for a weeks vacation.
Brest has good transport links with the rest of France and Europe, its own airport only 20 mins from the city centre. It is not difficult to reach from the UK via the nearby ferry port of Roscoff (coach / train) with minimal walking distances to the train station, and from Brest railway station downhill to the marina berth.
We do recommend you book any foot passenger ferry tickets early as this is a very popular route for UK cars going to France and avoiding Calais / Paris routes in summer.
Brest is the 2nd most important Naval Base in France. It is also an important university town with over 23 000 students. Oceanographic research is important to France and 60% of its research linked with the sea is based in Brest, so it is a truely nautical city.
Every 4 years it holds the famous Brest International Festival of the Sea, which we usually try not to miss. Eve has sailed in every festival since 2000, when there were over 3000 traditional boats and tall ships from around the world. The next is planned is Brest 2012.
The whole city centre overlooks the harbour and the vast inland sea of the Rade de Brest creates 15 000 hectares of outer harbour with an attractive rural backdrop and small seaside villages only a few miles accross the water from the city.
Accommodation
There are over 50 hotels in the city, 3 camp sites, a youth hostel and over 300 restuarants.
You can view and book accommodation on line via the Brest Tourist Information website (English and German versions) www.brest-metropole-tourisme.fr
Getting to Brest and Back
Plane
Brest Airport has regular scheduled flights from London (Heathrow, Gatwick, City), Southampton (in Summer), Glasgow, Manchester Birmingham, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Bristol, Luton, Cardiff.
In Europe there are scheduled flights direct to Brest from Dublin, Paris ( Charles de Gaulle & Paris - Orly) Bordeaux, Lyon-St Exupery, Marsaille, Nice, Toulon.
From outside Europe, flights into Paris (Charles de Gaulle Airport) give you the option of a domestic flight to Brest or high speed TGV train.
For a downloadable PDF of all their regular flights and useful local information see Brest airport website www.airport.cci-brest.fr
Cheap UK airlines flying to Brest include www.flybe.com and www.ryanair.fr
There is a shuttle bus from Brest SNCF station to Brest airport 8-10 times a day. Journey time is 25 minutes and a single ticket costs 4.60 euros (2009 price)
Ferries
Ferry routes are Plymouth - Roscoff (for Brest)
Prices can change so use the search to look up your own prices and availabilty for Ferries on www.brittany-ferries.co.uk and for vehicle select foot passenger. You can book on line.
BOOKING TIPS:
Please note that the reclining seat (cheapest) option for foot passengers can only be booked in advance on the day time services (typically £39 plus £5 handling fee in summer 2010). They will sell you a reclining seat on the overnight passages, but only once they have sold all their cabins.
If you want to book an overnight service you need to decide whether to pay for a cabin (see prices below) well in advance, or hang on till last minute and they usually have reclining seats to sell at cheaper price. If you are a real 'cheap-skate' like our skippers, you can usually find a quiet part of the ship to sleep on the floor with your sleeping bag, which is far more comfortable than sleeping upright the reclining seat. You won't be the only passenger doing this !
Just outside Roscoff ferry terminal is a regular bus to Morlaix SNCF railway station (35 mins) which gets you on the fast main TGV rail line to Brest. It is just as simple in reverse. Our skippers use the bus link as it goes direct from the ferry terminal. There is also a train from Roscoff - Morlaix - Brest, but it is 20 min walk to the station and you still have to change in Morlaix.
It is a 10 minute walk into Roscoff from the Ferry Terminal.
Voyage E1015 (St Mawes - Brest
Suggested ferry service back to UK. Voyage ends on Tues in Brest at approx 1000hrs. Plenty of time to catch train & short bus link to Roscoff terminal, and even have a nice lunch in attractive Roscoff town.
Departs: 1630hrs Tues 20th July 2010 Roscoff
Arrives: 2130hrs Tues 20th July 2010 Plymouth
Price: Reclining seat one way £39 plus £5 handling fee. (quote 22/12/09)
Plymouth Brittany Ferry Terminal Guide
Contact details Address: Millbay, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 3EW. Tel: 0871 244 1401
Getting to Plymouth Terminal
By car
If you're driving from London, take the M4 west to the junction with the M5 going south to Exeter. From Exeter, head southwest on the A38 to Plymouth. Follow the signs for the ferry terminal into the city ( Brittany Ferries are the only cross channel ferry service from Plymouth).
BOOKING TIP: Unless you are booking E1015 (Brest - Brest) voyage and just want the convienience of driving your car to the ferry port we recommend you use public transport or some other cunning plan as car parking at the terminal costs more than most ferry tickets !
Parking Prices in Dec 2009 were £70 for 7 days or £80 for 8 days. Call private company APCOA on 02392 073378 for current prices.
By train
Frequent trains run from London's Paddington Station to Plymouth in 3 ¼ to 4 hours. For rail information, tel. 08457 484950 in the UK. Plymouth Train Station lies on North Road, 5 minutes from the City Centre, so a taxi to ferry terminal is easiest, or a 20 min walk.
By coach
National Express has frequent daily bus services between London's Victoria Coach Station and Plymouth. The trip takes 5 ½ hours. Call National Express on 08705 808080 for schedules and information.
By foot
It takes approximately 15 minutes to walk to the ferry terminal from Plymouth town centre and 20 minutes from both the train and bus stations.
If you have left your car in St Mawes, there are regular train services between Plymouth & Truro, and a branch line to Falmouth for St Mawes, or if you give Classic Sailing office advance warning we may be able to collect you from Truro station.
For similar information on Portsmouth Brittany Ferry Terminal see www.brittany-ferries.co.uk
Time to Kill in Roscoff ?
Roscoff is a charming, small Breton fishing village that provides the perfect gateway to the delights of Brittany. The seaside town is clustered around a small bay, with 16th-century granite houses, little shops, and bars and restaurants, hugging the shoreline. The old harbour is the best place to while away the hours while enjoying a drink with sea views, or alternatively you can take a boat trip from here to the Ile de Batz (pronounced Ba).
Museum of the 'Onion Johnnies'
Britain's stereotypical image of Frenchmen wearing stripy t-shirts and carrying onions on wobbly bikes, began after visits to England by the menfolk of Roscoff. Henri Olivier first took onions from Roscoff to England in 1828 and until the 1930s 'Johnnies' would load up their boats with local produce and sail to England, where they delivered their goods to local markets on their bicycles. They used to carry up to 100 kilos, hence the wobbles, and some Johnnies would travel as far as Cornwall and Scotland for work. The Museum has recently opened to celebrate this lovely tradition.
Thalassotherapy
An excellent way to begin or end a holiday is to try a half-day "taster" course at the century-old Thalassotherapy Institute, costing around €79. Treatments include seawater and seaweed therapies, to stimulate healing and relaxation.
Jardin Exotique
This extraordinary garden boasts over 3,000 species of tropical plants, from all over the world, including South Africa, Chile and Australia. It has spectacular rockeries, and it is worth climbing up the highest 18-metre high rock, to get a superb view of the bay of Morlaix, Roscoff, Carantec and the Château du Taureau.
Notre Dame de Croatz Batz
This beautifully restored church dominates the town's skyline and is a fantastic example of 16th century gothic architecture. Its rows of bells resemble a tiered cake.
Ile de Batz
A 15-minute boat trip from the harbour will take you to the charming and car-free Ile de Batz, with its impressive lighthouse and lovely gardens, giving you a great view of the mainland.
Eating and Drinking
In Roscoff, you can savour delicious French cuisine, in particular seafood such as nutty-flavoured mussels, and traditional Breton crepes. Around the old port you'll find many charming places to eat.
Our top Roscoff dining tips include the Michelin-starred Temps de Vivre, a fantastic restaurant housed in a beautiful 16th century building. Its chef is one of the most celebrated in Brittany and creates special dishes such as cabbage stuffed with crab and prawns. L'Ecume des Jours is situated in the centre of the old port, opposite the sea, near the townhouse. Its decor is charming and rustic, reflecting the history of the old Breton house and their prices are very reasonable. Le Surcouf, situated between the church and the fishing port, is also popular and specialises in meat and fish dishes.
