SPECIAL EVENT Brest International Festival of the Sea 2012

Brest 2012 International Maritime Festival of the Sea

The themed title this year is "Les Tonnerres de Brest 2012" - or "Shiver me Timbers"

Brest 2012 (Les Tonnerres de Brest 2012) is a huge gathering of traditional craft from coracles and fishing vessels from Africa to towering windjammers. Eagerly awaited every four years, and followed by the more intimate Douarnenez Festival of the Sea further down the Brittany coast – the event is a mecca for music lovers, photographers and adventure sailors. Few festivals can match the spectacle of over 2000 sailing ships out on the water, and being out there with them is the best way to experience this sailors event. (Brest Festival dates: 13-19th July 2012)

Four Classic Sailing vessels going to Brest Festival

In Brest 08 the event has proved so popular with our Classic Sailing adventure sailing customers, that we ended up sending three pilot cutters south. Eve, Bessie Ellen, Annabel J and Lizzie May are definately programmed to go in 2012, with both Lizzie May and Bessie Ellen sailing down from Scotland before making the hop across the channel.

Bessie Ellen has a 5 day voyage from Falmouth to Brest arriving in time for the start of the festival. Being such a beautiful vessel she has been invited to join in the festivities at both Brest and Douarnenez as a special guest, and so she will not be offering voyages during the festival itself, but you are welcome to stay on board on a B&B basis.

She will then return to Falmouth from Doaurnenez, and will most likely stop en route at some of the gorgeous islands, ports and harbours on offer along this popular coastline.

You could combine a voyage on Bessie Ellen with one of our other vessels going to and from Brest and Douarnenez.

What is Special at Brest 2012

Many themed parades of sail will sail through the harbour, or the parade of Classic Yachts.

Night time fireworks, light shows and illuminated night parades of sail and Bastille Day celebrations.

There are boats from over 25 countries including special features on tradiional craft and tall ships from - Mexico, Russia, Norway and Indonesia.

The hugely entertaining Mexican Navy crew from square rigger Cuauhtemoc will be in port, as well as tall ships from Russia and the huge Norwegian three masters Sorlandet and Statsraad Leehmkuhl.On shore are Viking and Russian villages, cossack dancers, and all sorts of food and craft displays.

The Festival where you actually go out and sail

As crew sailing Eve, Lizzie May, Bessie Ellen or AJ, you will have a chance to take an active part in a dynamic demonstrations of international maritime history out on the water. It is not compulsory but daily the organisers encourage boats to sail in an out the harbour entrances, and go for a blast in the adjacent inland sea of Rade de Brest.

Key Events at Brest 2012

Finish of Krys Ocean Race 2012

A new multihull Trans Atlantic Race from New York to Brest is timed to end during the festival and world records may be broken. The MOD 70 (Multi hull One Design) Project claims to represent the future of offshore racing on a state of the art one design multi hull that will pit crews against each other on a level playing ground.  You may well see these amazing craft under sail as the French crews will want to show off once they return home, and the finish will attract all the famous names in yacht racing.

BE222   8th July - 13th July  Falmouth - Brest  £499

BE223  13th July - 23 July    Brest and Dournenenz  B&B only

BE224   22 July - 28 July      Dz to Falmouth  £599

Temps Fete sur Douarnenez
Douarnenez itself has two ports: The old fishing port, on one side of the town and the river basin, Port de Rhu, with its wooden wharves and waterside bars on the other. The town is medieval in origin and has fascinating architecture and narrow streets. This year the Guests of Honour will be from the basque Country but Cousins on Cornish Boats are always welcome. There will be a lot of boats and ships coming from Brest so the sailing adventure will continue.

Returning to Cornwall via the Chanel du Four and calling in at a french Port on the way, maybe Camaret Sur Mer or L'Aberach both with excellent restaurants and full of the charm and character Brittany is famous for.

Information on the Official Brest 2012 website Click Here