Opening of the first station 1865 (≈ 1865)
Paris-Brest journey in 18 hours.
1936-1937
Construction of the current building
Construction of the current building 1936-1937 (≈ 1937)
Art Deco style by Urban Cassan.
2 juillet 2017
LGV commissioning
LGV commissioning 2 juillet 2017 (≈ 2017)
Paris-Brest in 3:20.
19 septembre 2018
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 19 septembre 2018 (≈ 2018)
Protection of the passenger building.
29 mars 2024
Start demolition bus station
Start demolition bus station 29 mars 2024 (≈ 2024)
Site redevelopment.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The passenger building of the Brest railway station, i.e. the body of the central building with its hall in its entirety, the tower in its entirety, as well as the facades and roofs of the two lateral wings, according to the annexed plan, all of which appear in the cadastre section BP parcel No.270: inscription by order of 19 September 2018.
Key figures
Urbain Cassan - Architect
Designer of the Art Deco building.
Lucien Brasseur - Sculptor
Author of the granite bas-relief.
Origin and history
The Brest station, a terminal on the Paris-Montparnasse-Brest line, was inaugurated in 1865 by the Western Railway Company after the construction of the Morlaix viaduct. Originally, the trip to Paris lasted 18 hours. This first building marks the arrival of rail in Brittany, transforming the region's economic movements and exchanges.
The current Art Deco building was built between 1936 and 1937 by the Urban architect Cassan, replacing the original structure. Its pink granite facade, decorated with a bas-relief carved by Lucien Brasseur, evokes Breton motifs. The clock tower and hemicircular hall in reinforced cement, bathed in light thanks to high glass windows, make it a symbol of the modern heritage of Brest. The upper part of the bas-relief, damaged during World War II, was not restored.
Ranked a historic monument in 2018, the station undergoes major renovations from 2018 onwards to decombust the hall and improve the acoustics, with a planned completion at the end of 2018 (delayed until September-October). This work also aims to accommodate new businesses. In 2024, the demolition of the adjacent bus station began, marking a new phase of evolution of the site.
On the railway level, the station, located at 43 meters altitude (PK 622.422), is served by TGVs (Paris in 3h20 since 2017, thanks to the LGV Bretagne-Pays de la Loire) and TER Bretagne. It links Brest to Rennes, Quimper, or Nantes, playing a key role in the regional network. Its architecture, mixing concrete and geometric elegance, integrates harmoniously into the city rebuilt after 1945.
The station embodies two inter-war architectural currents: the international style (for Brest) and regionalism (e.g. Dinan station). With the latter, it is one of the few Breton stations of this period still standing. Its lobby, windows, and services (PMR access, shops) make it a living place, while bicycle parks and bus connections (Bibus network) and buses (BreizhGo) reinforce its intermodality role.
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