Brest, France

:For the city in Belarus, see Brest, Belarus.

Related Topics:
Belarus - Brest, Belarus

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Brest (population of the city: 146,000 inhabitants as of 2004 estimates; population of the metropolitan area: 303,484 inhabitants as of 1999 census) is a city in the Bretagne région, north-west France, subprefecture of the Finistère département. Located on the western tip of the Brittany peninsula, the city is an important port and naval base.

Related Topics:
Bretagne - Région - France - Subprefecture - Finistère - Département - Brittany - Peninsula - Port

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The military harbor was fortified by Vauban (1633-1707).

Related Topics:
Vauban - 1633 - 1707

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During World War II, the Germans held a large submarine base in Brest. Destroyed at the end of the war, the city has been rebuilt. The rebuilt city consists primarily of utilitarian gray conrete buildings.

Related Topics:
World War II - Germans - Submarine

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Since 1901 Brest has served as the midpoint for the epic 1200km bicycle endurance event, Paris-Brest-Paris.

Related Topics:
1901 - Paris-Brest-Paris

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Due to its location, Brest is regarded as the first French port that can be accessed from the Americas, and hence shipping is big business, although Nantes and St. Nazaire offer much larger docks and attract more of the larger vessels.

Related Topics:
Nantes - St. Nazaire

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Brest is located amidst dramatic landscape at the end of the natural Bay of Douarnenez, at the west end of the Brittany peninsula. Its protected location means that it is ideal to receive any type of ship, from the smallest dinghy to the biggest airplane carrier (the USS Nimitz has visited a few times). It is at the heart of Brittany, and the local people are extremely proud of this. Breton is spoken here, albeit not as an official language (in the same vein as other French minority languages). The city is host to several events to celebrate its long maritime history, the largest of which happens every four years, when the town organises a tall ship meeting.

Related Topics:
Brittany - Breton - French minority languages

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