Fêtes Maritimes de Brest
The largest international gathering of traditional sailboats
About Fêtes Maritimes de Brest
Fêtes Maritimes de Brest: The World Rendezvous for Maritime Heritage
Every four years, the port of Brest becomes the stage for an event of international maritime scale. The Fêtes Maritimes de Brest, born in 1992, bring together more than 1,000 boats from all corners of the globe and attract over 700,000 visitors to the quays of the roadstead for five days of exceptional festivities. From large sailing ships to small traditional dinghies, from schooners to yawls, the fleet gathered in Brest offers a unique panorama of world maritime heritage.
Birth of a Legendary Event
The adventure began in the 1980s with gatherings of traditional boats at Pors Beac'h in Logonna-Daoulas, at the bottom of the Brest roadstead. Faced with popular enthusiasm, the gathering was moved to Brest in 1992. This first edition, from July 10 to 14, 1992, welcomed 420,000 visitors. For the first time, the admiralty opened the quays of the military port to boats and visitors. A historic moment: the launch of La Recouvrance on July 14, 1992, at 5:45 PM.
An Exceptional Program
The Fêtes Maritimes offer a dense and varied program: visits to historic and military ships, sea trips in the Bay of Brest, free concerts on the quays, street performances, thematic villages, maritime exhibitions, races and regattas, activities for children, catering, and seafood products. The highlight is the fireworks display over the roadstead, one of the most spectacular in France, which concludes the festivities in a grandiose pyrotechnic bouquet.
A Major Event for Brest and Brittany
The Fêtes Maritimes are organized by the association Brest Événements Nautiques, with the support of the City of Brest, Brest Métropole, and numerous institutional partners. They are a major economic and tourist driver for Finistère and Brittany, mobilizing over 3,000 volunteers. The 2024 edition welcomed over 700,000 visitors and more than 1,000 boats, confirming the event's status as the largest international maritime gathering.
Fêtes Maritimes de Brest — edition 2026
In 2026, the major Brest maritime event takes a particular form: it is not the traditional edition of the Fêtes Maritimes de Brest (the next major edition, the 9th, is announced for 2027), but the event "Brest fête la Marine", organized from July 10 to 14, 2026, on Quai Malbert to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the French Navy. Five days of free festivities, open to all, combining Navy ships, tall ships, heritage boats, concerts, and a July 14th fireworks display.
Brest fête la Marine — 400 years of the French Navy
From July 10 to 14, 2026, Quai Malbert (Brest commercial port) will transform into a village dedicated to the Navy. The event "Brest fête la Marine" is co-organized by Brest en vue and the French Navy to mark the institution's 400th anniversary. It is a "mini" maritime festival, in a more confined space but in the spirit of the great Fêtes Maritimes de Brest, while awaiting the 9th edition scheduled for 2027.
On the program
- Visits to French Navy ships and emblematic boats
- Sea outings and nautical demonstrations
- Concerts, musical entertainment, parades by bagads and brass bands
- Fun workshops, exhibitions, conferences on maritime heritage and ocean preservation
- Food court, stands and spaces tracing Brest's maritime history
- Port illuminations and July 14th fireworks display
Visitable boats
- Le Belem — paid visits (managed directly by the ship)
- L'Étoile & Le Mutin — free dockside visits
- La Garonne — free dockside visits
- La Recouvrance — sea outings
Free access (excluding Belem visits and sea outings). The complete detailed program will be unveiled during a press conference in June 2026.
Programme Fêtes Maritimes de Brest 2026
Friday, July 10, 2026 (5:00 PM - midnight)
- Inaugural evening with concerts on Quai Malbert
Saturday, July 11, 2026 (10:00 AM - midnight)
- Launch of ticket sales for Fêtes Maritimes 2027
- Musical entertainment, boat visits, sea outings
Sunday, July 12, 2026 (10:00 AM - midnight)
- Thematic conferences on maritime heritage and the French Navy
- Concerts and entertainment
Monday, July 13, 2026 (10:00 AM - midnight)
- Sailors' Ball (guinguette style)
- Fireworks display
Tuesday, July 14, 2026 (2:00 PM - 10:00 PM)
- Afternoon entertainment, parades by bagads and brass bands
- July 14th fireworks display illuminating the Bay of Brest
Program established based on official announcements (Préfecture maritime de l'Atlantique, Office de tourisme de Brest métropole, Tourisme Bretagne). The complete hourly program will be specified during the press conference in June 2026.
Highlights Fêtes Maritimes de Brest 2026
- Celebration of the 400th anniversary of the French Navy
- Five days of free festivities on Quai Malbert
- Navy ships, tall ships and heritage boats (Belem, Étoile, Mutin, Garonne, Recouvrance)
- Concerts, bagads, sailors' ball and July 14th fireworks display
Prices Fêtes Maritimes de Brest 2026
Practical information — Fêtes Maritimes de Brest
Practical Information
Location
Port of Brest, Quai Malbert and Quai Éric Tabarly, 29200 Brest.
Dates
Five days in July, every four years (next edition: July 2027).
Prices
Paid entry: approximately 2.50 euros per day for adults, 2 euros for under 26s, free for children under 10. Reduced rates for residents of Brest Métropole.
Access
Brest is served by Brest Bretagne airport, the TGV train station, and motorways. Public transport (tram, bus) and park-and-ride facilities during the festival.
Contact
Brest Événements Nautiques - 165 Quai Éric Tabarly, 29200 Brest. Tel: 02 98 33 59 00.
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Where does it take place — Fêtes Maritimes de Brest
Port de Brest - Quai Malbert
213 Quai Eric Tabarly, 29200 Brest, 29200 Brest