Mémorial des Finistériens – Fort Montbarey
Memorial museum in an 18th-century fort in Brest, dedicated to the people of Finistère during the Second World War.
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About the museum
Fort Montbarey was completed in the 1780s and was part of Brest's landward defence line, the largest of the five forts in the ensemble. Built to protect the town from an attack by land, it served only as a deterrent at the time.
In 1940 the fort was occupied by the Germans, and it was the scene of fighting during the liberation of Brest in 1944. The French Navy, the owner of the site, made it available to the association Mémorial des Finistériens in 1984. The 1939–1946 museum was founded on the initiative of Charles Le Goasguen, a veteran and Compagnon de la Libération.
The route honours the people of Finistère who were victims of the war. It includes a hall of honour with maps of the conflict, a memorial crypt dedicated to the dead of France and the Allies, thematic rooms, a screening room, and military vehicles and equipment, including a Churchill tank at the entrance to the courtyard.
Highlights
- 18th-century fort used during the Occupation and the Liberation of Brest
- Hall of honour and memorial crypt for the Finistère people who died in the war
- Military vehicles and equipment, including a Churchill Crocodile
- Resource centre with testimonies and a video library
Permanent exhibition
- Mémorial-musée 1939-1946 – Thematic rooms, hall of honour, memorial crypt and military vehicles dedicated to Finistère during the Second World War.
- Founded
- 1777
- Operated by
- Association Mémorial des Finistériens
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €4Ages 9 to 18 and students |
| Children & teens | €4free up to age 8 · Ages 9 to 18. |
| Students & apprentices | €4 |
| Groups (11+ people) | €5 per personGroups of more than 10 people. |
| School class (flat rate) | €45 |
€1 discount with works council cards (CE, Cezam …).
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: no information
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
No accessibility information has been published.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Brest tram, about 6 minutes on foot from the stop.
By car from Brest, take rue de Kerourien.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
A shop is mentioned by a tourism portal; no café is listed.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Good to know | A video library offers reports and reconstructions of the Second World War in Finistère. Occasional events take place, for example during the European Heritage Days. |
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