Brest, a port city and commune, in the Finistère département, in the Bretagne région, western France, is on two hills divided by the Penfeld River at Rade de Brest. It is located in a wide natural harbour, the Rade de Brest, which shelters it from the riotous seas that lash the coastline of Finistère, the westernmost part of Brittany. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, Brest is an important seaport and naval base. The 1999 census recorded 303,484 inhabitants of the Brest metropolitan area, while the population of the city itself was estimated in 2004 to number some 146,000.

Brest is known thanks to the Recouvrance Bridge, the military arsenal and the rue de Siam. The Castle and the Tour Tanguy are the oldest monuments of Brest.The Musée de la Tour Tanguy houses a collection of dioramas that depict the city of Brest on the eve of World War II. The Musée de la Marine de Brest  contains exhibits which outline Brest's maritime tradition. There is also an aquarium, the Océanopolis marine centre.

A few kilometres out of town, there are more impressive landscapes, from sandy beaches to grottos to tall granite cliffs. Sunbathing, windsurfing, yachting and fishing are practiced in the area.

The city has a naval academy, several schools of nautical science, a university and an oceanographic research centre; it is also the headquarters of the French naval and oceanographic service. Industries include electronics, shipbuilding and naval supplies, and the manufacture of clothing, chemicals, and paper.