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• Brest’s story

  In Brest, the first youth hostel is created in the year 1936, in an ancient WW1 barracks, situated in the courtyard of a community centre in Recouvrance. Destroyed by an explosion during the war, the hostel is rehoused several times: at Landerneau until the end of the war, place de la Liberté in Brest, a centre in the commercial port, later in Quéliverzan, with this time a building built for purpose. 20 years later, restricted by a building in which its limits were cruelly felt, the youth hostel experiences a new beginning with the project at Moulin Blanc.

  Situated on the ancient property belonging to the Count Chalus, the hostel was imagined by Roland Schweitzer, an expert architect for UNESCO. Schweitzer, a specialist in wooden construction, particularly those destined for co-habitation. Having received several prizes for its architecture, it’s in 2018 that the youth hostel in Brest becomes the first in France to be a Listed building!

• In the very beginning, what were the youth hostels ?

  The adventure begins in 1907 at the initiative of Richard Schirmann, a German teacher. That year, during the summer holidays, he transformed his classroom on dormitory in order to welcome youth groups during their school holidays. 

  In 1911, the first youth hostel sees the light of day and rapidly the idea evolves and spreads to other neighbouring countries.

  In France, it’s the 28th of August 1930 that Marc Sangnier opens the first youth hostel. In the decade 1930-1940, the youth hostels in France develop rapidly and the movement is accelerated by the granting of paid leave in 1936. It’s at this period that the first youth hostels open in Corncarneau, Brest and Morlaix.

Our destinations in Finistère

Brest and Morlaix’s exceptional architecture, the dream location of the Batz and Concarneau hostels are a clear invitation to discover the region and to meet one’s fellow travellers.