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Since 1992, a major maritime festival has been celebrated in Brest on the French Atlantic coast, which combines many superlatives. Six years earlier, a similar festival had already taken place in the small fishing village of Douarnenez, but when the harbour was bursting at the seams with the influx of ships and visitors on subsequent occasions, the organisers moved the event to the larger port city of Brest. Since then, the festival has taken place there every four years. Although the traditional ships, especially the large sailing ships, are the stars on the quays, Brest today showcases the world's maritime culture in its entirety, on land and water.

Traveling to France, and even within the country, is by train! Even a German ICE train consistently travels faster than 300 km/h on French tracks. It's inconvenient that all routes go through Paris, and you have to change stations here if you're coming from Germany. But so close to the Summer Olympics, the Parisians had the city's public transport under control very well. Getting lost was virtually impossible, and there were plenty of helpful attendants to guide the crowds. In any case, I can't imagine I would have been any faster by plane, and certainly not by car! Although already tired, I went to the harbour on the first evening and arrived just in time to witness a very special spectacle. Hundreds of remote-controlled drones rose into the night sky. With their lights, they formed images of maritime creatures, ships, and people, illustrating a story read over loudspeakers. I couldn't stop marveling, and the French people around me also expressed their enthusiasm for the spectacle very emotionally: "Super! Oh la la! Formidable! C'est génial!"

After a French breakfast, which, as a German, I probably overdid, I ran to get my press credentials. With such support behind me, many things are easier. I received important information, made contact with like-minded people, and, above all, had the opportunity to take several trips on press boats. Afterwards, I began my first exploration of the harbour area. The French frigate "Normandie" was towed into the harbour. It was a spooky scene for me, reminding me that there is a war currently raging in Europe.

In Brest, the ships' berths are organised by themes. On land, I saw technical explanations on panels. The exhibition areas in tents and port buildings were also organised by regions of the world, such as the Atlantic, Pacific, Mediterranean, the polar region, the English Channel, or by themes such as urban tourism, maritime heritage, rescue at sea, Olympic sports, research and environmental protection, or activities for children. At times, this gave the festival the character of a trade fair. I was still reeling from my first boat trip when a climax unfolded in the harbour. I was unprepared and had no clear view of what was happening as the French Navy sailed its five training ships – "Étoile", "Belle Poule", "Mutin", "La Grande Hermine", and "Feu Follet" – in parade formation through the harbour. When the ships reached the frigate "Normandie", she fired a gun salute into the sky.

I watched the demonstrations of rescue dogs as they pulled dummy figures from the harbour basin. Of course, people applauded, including me. But as amazing as these animals are, as a lifeguard, I remained somewhat skeptical that such a rescue would succeed in an emergency.

For France's national holiday, there was, of course, a huge fireworks display. I don't know if there's a nation that can celebrate such a show better than the French. Lighting effects with pyrotechnics, laser lights, and the music were perfectly coordinated.

One morning, when it was raining, I explored the city of Brest and the small art installations that can be found there. The path then led me over the large bridge back to the festival grounds. As I was seeking shelter from a rain shower in a festival tent, I heard the Accordage sailors' choir from Brest, which I really liked two years ago.

This time, the naval harbour between the fortress and bridge of Brest was used not by replicas of historic ships, but by classic yachts. Among others, the "Germania VI" was moored here. The Bermuda-yawl-rigged sailing yacht was built in 1963 at the Abeking & Rasmussen boatyard in Lemwerder for the major entrepreneur Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach. Today, she sails as a training vessel for young sailors, departing from Kiel. She was the only participant from Germany, as the logger "Vegesack BV2" had to stop its journey due to grounding on the French coast.

This year, the usually ever-present South American or Russian tall ships were missing in Brest. But the harbour never seemed to me empty. You never had the feeling that you'd already seen everything. I felt that way until the last day. Larger ships, such as the "Belem" and "Santa Maria Manuela" were presented very well.

Also located on the harbour grounds is the Chantier du Guip boatyard, where many of France's wooden ships were built and overhauled. A man was sweeping rainwater out of the hall entrance when I arrived to view an art and photography exhibition. In the background, I saw several ship maintenance projects underway. The foreground was filled with photos of previous restorations.

In France, I also met ship expert and artist Michaël Eymann, also known in Germany for his artistically drawn ships on beer mats. He told me why the replica "Shtandart" was missing from Brest this year. Their support and public expression of opinion about the war would certainly be enough for a conviction in Russia. The ban on entry had serious consequences for the ship and its crew. From one day to the next, they were cut off from supplies of everything necessary for safe ship operation. Operating a wooden ship at sea without repeated necessary repairs can be life-threatening. The crew has now launched a petition to draw attention to this situation and to find a legal solution. However, the situation was still completely unclear in the spring of 2025.

Another Zodiac boat trip began in calm conditions and very diffuse light. Then, a freshening breeze pushed the clouds away. The sun now illuminated ships like the famous yacht "Pen Duick", the hajkutter "Lola", and the former tuna fishing cutter "Étoile Molene". I was also very impressed by how the barque "Le Français" later set off under full sail and then slowly sailed along the entire harbour. By the way, there was no all-round announcement system this time, and there wasn't music everywhere. I didn't miss it, as the sound had often been distracting in previous years. On the last evening in Brest, the final winners of the sculling competition were determined. You really have to practice, and there were some real experts competing!

Polynesian and Caledonian culture was showcased in the Pacific harbour area. There were actually visitors who got tattoos there. Belly dancing performances were also very popular. As a European, however, you might look a bit irritated when men suddenly start dancing in this style.

In the evening, the harbour buildings were illuminated with light projections. The highlight of the last day was the Parade Nocturne, a nighttime cruise of ships through the harbour. The sails caught the light of moving spotlights. There was also live music by Yann Tiersen. A truly magnificent experience!

On the day of the parade, I boarded a well-equipped motorboat very early in the morning with perhaps 20 other press representatives. My colleagues immediately headed forward and gathered in the bow area. I preferred not to push and stayed right at the back, along with just two French ladies. We had a good conversation in a mixture of German, English, and French. There are several landmarks along the coast we were traveling along, and there was plenty to see and comment on on the water.

When the parade formed, it wasn't easy to determine which ship was actually leading the way. I think it was the ocean-going tug "Abeille Bourbon". Then imagine that hundreds of ships and boats, powered, under sail, or even just human-powered, as large as the barque "Belem" or as small as the coquillier "Loch Monna", pleasure boats and yachts as well as traditional vessels, commercial vessels, and research vessels, joined together in a long formation, winding along the coast between Brest and Douarnenez. The grandstand for this spectacle was more than 50 kilometers long, meaning spectators gathered along the coast. I was told that some spent the entire day here to watch the parade. That's French enthusiasm for maritime tradition.

I was happy on board of the motorboat, and our skipper did a great job. Maneuvering between the parade participants was very challenging. We also passed the cliffs of Pointe de Penhir and the rocky islands offshore. The weather was perfect that day, so everyone on board was able to take plenty of photos. At the end of the parade, I saw huge fountains of water from the fire hoses of the "Abeille Bourbon", at times even with rainbows.

We turned around, and two very powerful engines on the boat took us back to Brest in perhaps half an hour. The port of Brest was completely empty, which seemed so strange to me, given the contrast to the last few days, that I quickly set off for Douarnenez.

The Fêtes Maritimes de Douarnenez, the maritime summer festival that takes place here every two years, had already started the day before and was in full swing. Another hot day began, and I remember a long line of people waiting for a ticket for the event. An elderly gentleman was trying hard to enter details into the modern payment system, but it didn't work properly. Finally, I paid in cash and walked out onto the grounds to get my bearings. The festival grounds took up a much smaller space this year than in previous years. This was quickly noticeable, as over the course of the day, the grounds became very crowded. If you wanted to get from the small grandstand at the tip of the harbour to one of the boat berths, you had to allow time and make your way through the crowds.

The visitor areas in the harbour in Douarnenez are designed and decorated like a theater landscape. Visitors were constantly entertained by traditionally dressed showmen. They were meant to convey a sense of what life in a harbour was like in the 18th or 19th century. In Douarnenez, you can also see many traditional crafts associated with the construction of wooden boats. It was possible to get involved yourself. Regional artists exhibited their works. Of course, there was also French cuisine, a tavern serving cider and beer, and a stage for performances by various musicians. I spent almost the entire day at the front of the habour, watching the sailing ship demonstrations. The next day, I visited the Douarnenez Harbour Museum. It was still closed that early in the morning. I also found myself standing in front of the Chasse-Marée store. It was empty. Later, Michaël told me that the team had downsized considerably, and part of the formerly extensive business of publishing on the French maritime world had been discontinued. The magazine, however, still exists and is one of the best regular maritime publications I know.

The rain that day, by the way, prevented me from even unpacking my camera. I still saw some interesting ships, such as the "Moonbeam IV", a classic yacht designed by William Fife, under full sail. There was also supposed to be a launch that day. When I arrived at the scene half an hour before the announced time, the "Gondawa" was already coming towards me on the water. They had made short work of it because of the bad weather, because no spectators were expected.

Finally, I would like to thank the press relations team in Brest, who fulfilled all our requests with their approachable and professional service. Thanks to Iris, Marie Julie, and Sarah.