Brest Bretagne Airport (BES/LFRB) is located at the northwestern tip of France and located 12km northeast of Brest itsself. The airport does not offer so much of commercial traffic with its 1,1 million passenger a year only, however you have some nice summer charters and business jets as well as – of course – Airlines like Air France, Hop!, Ryanair, EasyJet and Finist’air. Regular sights are the local flying schools and Aeroclubs as well. Nevertheless this airfield is worth a visit due to its location: there are three navy airbases next to Brest, so you may see some french navy planes. In addition, you can also see planes on technical stop before/after transatlantic flight (mostly military like Israeli B707s regularly). Brest is a kind of european door because of its location, and thanks to its long runway and big parking, rare guests often use and prefer BES. The runway is oriented east-west, and it’s very windy in winter, so sometimes Airbus test planes come here to do various kind of test especially all kind of tests and qualifications related to Wind limits. There are not a lot of freighter, but it happens that 747 freighters land here sometimes on special missions.

The facility was originally built by the US American Navy during WW1 once they built a short strip and hangar here. The airfield was established in the 1930s and used by regional clubs till the Germans took over power in WW2 and used it as a military air base. After WW2, the airfield was barely used and did not experience a big development till the late 60s and early 70s. Then the airport was able to grow slowly, but the big milestone/breaking point was the construction of a 3100m long runway in 1992 as well as a whole new airport facility in 1993. Since then, numbers and special request rose fast. The good numbers made more changes unnecessary thus the last construction was a new terminal in 2007…

Written by Severin Hackenberger in cooperation with Alexis Boidron and Maël Robin. Last Update: 2020

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Airline Variety
Photo Locations
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Airport Information
Runways
07R/25L	3100m / 10171ft – Asphalt
07L/25R	700m / 2297ft – Asphalt
Terminals
Terminal 1	Handling all flights: domestic as well as international.
Spotting Information
Ladder	Recommended at some spots, however you will be fine without as well as the airport is quite small and there is always an alternative spot without the need of a ladder.
Car/Public Transport	Recommended as public transport to the spots is very poor.
Restrooms	No facilities around.
Drinks/Food	South of the terminal are some restaurants otherwise just in the terminal. Apart from this accomodation is poor around the airport.
Hotels	Brest offers no spotting hotels, however a lot of “normal” ones 😀
Season	Depending on what you wanna shoot. Summer may have the better weather and charter flights, but winter has more special guests.
Security	Spotting is no problem here even due to frequent military movements.
Runway Usage
General Info	The wind in Brest can be quite harsh so here most movements depend on the wind’s direction.
07R/25L	Used by all bigger airliner/aircraft.
07L/25R	This short runway is only used by the local flying schools and Aeroclubs

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	Spot #1 – Material trade – 25L Arrivals
WHERE	This spot can be found in the east of the airfield. Just next to a trading company of building material, there is a big field where you can stand by the roadside easiyl and shoot the approach path nicely. Just leave your car by the roadside of the surrounding streets or at the company’s parkng and search your favourite position along the fieldside…
WHAT	25L Arrivals only.
TIME	In summer from later morning till afternoon, in winter all day.
MISC.	Nothing needed, nothing around. Take care when parking not to block any street or preserved parking bays.
FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm A330 = 210mm

BES-Spot1

BES-Spot1

BES-Spot1

	Spot #2 – The hill – 25L + heavy 07R movements
WHERE	Park you car next to the road “Chemin de Kernoas” in the small bulge (exact position marked on the map) just west of a small housing group. Then turn around and climb the hillside south of you. Actually, the whole area/field there is a bit elevated and hill, so this spot is no exact position, rather somewhere on the upper field where you are above the fence. Walk by the field’s side so you don’t destroy anything.
WHAT	All 25L movements, long arrival/departure 07R.
TIME	In summer from later morning till afternoon, in winter all day.
MISC.	Nothing needed, nothing around. Take care when crossing the street and when walking on the field so you don’t destroy anything.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-200mm B707 = 105mm / A350 = 65mm

BES-Spot2

BES-Spot2

BES-Spot2

	Spot #3 – Parking 02 – Special/Charter apron + Taxiway movements to/from runway
WHERE	West of the terminal you can find a little parking area called P 02 which can be entered by car easily. Then just walk to its northern edge/fenceline from where you will have a great view between two houses and some poles.
WHAT	Here you will see runway and taxiway movements as well as the big parking for special planes, which is just in front of you.
TIME	For parking 02 : mid day until Sunset Other movements : mid-morning to end afternoon
MISC.	Ladder recommended on day, but (night) shots thru the mesh are also possible. Keep a low profile, don’t block any preserved parking bays. The terminal with all its facilities is quite close. Haze and foreground clutter may disturb/destroy your view and pictures.
FOCAL LENGTH	18-300mm Apron in front: 18-50mm (B727 = 30mm / B744 = 25mm) Taxiway/Runway: 70-300mm

BES-Spot3

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BES-Spot3

	Spot #4 – Terminal field – 25L/07R movements + Terminal apron
WHERE	West of the main terminal apron is a big field, which can be crossed easily. Just park your car south of highway D67 by the roadside of a little unnamed street (exact parking position marked on the map). Now just cross the mentioned highway and walk in a small abbandoned farmer’s road towards northeast. Head for the small group of trees on the field while walking along the fence. Then you can easily search your favourite position along the fence…
WHAT	Here you will see runway and taxiway movements, and terminal area is just in front of you. You can also see runway and taxiway movements
TIME	From mid-morning to end afternoon
MISC.	Ladder needed for ramp shots only if you wanna avoid the fence. Departure and Arrival shots are fine without as well thanks to a little hill there… Take care when crossing the street and when walking on the field so you don’t destroy anything. The terminal with all its facilities is quite close. Heat haze is a problem here in summer especially.
FOCAL LENGTH	70-300mm B707 = 105mm / E190 = 250mm

BES-Spot4

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BES-Spot4

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BES-Spot4

	Spot #5 – 07R Threshold – 07R + heavy 25L movements
WHERE	Almost at the very end or runway 07R/25L in the west, there is a small roundabout on highway D67. The northern exit is a dead end street you can easily access and then just spot form the fence/crash gate at its end. You can leave your car by the roadside here, but be aware NOT TO BLOCK THE GATE. Spot can also be accessed by bus well, as “Auriol” bus station stops just next to the roundabout.
WHAT	All 07R movements, long arrival/departure on 25L.
TIME	From mid-morning to end afternoon.
MISC.	Nothing needed except a ladder, nothing around. Take care not to block the gate with your car.
FOCAL LENGTH	40-200mm A339 = 55mm

BES-Spot5

BES-Spot5

BES-Spot5

	Spot #6 – Penety – 07R + heavy 25L movements
WHERE	North of the main runway’s western end, is a crash gate, where you can park easily by the roadside of a wide farmer path. In order to get here, turn off to the north from highway D67 west of runway 07R/25L’s westernd end and follow the farm road now. It will lead you to the other side of the runway axis along the fence to the mentioned gate. Park your car by the roadside and search your favourite location…
WHAT	All 07R movements, long arrival/departure 25L.
TIME	Useable in summer only: from late afternoon until sunset.
MISC.	Nothing needed, nothing around. Take care not to block the street with your car. Ladder needed here.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-300mm

BES-Spot6

	Spot #7 – Northern crash gate – 25L + heavy 07R movements
WHERE	From the airport head to the east and turn left/north at the eastern end of the airfield, thus make your way to the housings of “Kerigoualc’h”. Just north of the approach paths where the fence ends on the western/left side of the street, turn left into an unnamed street. Drive in this road and follow it for a long time till you end up at a T-junction just a few meters south of the housings of “Baralan”. Turn left/to the south here again and make your way to the fence. Just a few meters before you reach it, turn left into a small farmer road where you can leave your car by the roadside without blocking the gate’s access, which you have to reach by foot now (only a very few steps to make). Then search your favourite position along the fence.
WHAT	All 25L movements, long arrival/departure 07R.
TIME	Useable in summer only: from late afternoon until sunset.
MISC.	Nothing needed, nothing around. Take care not to block the gate with your car. Solid shoes required on wet days as it can be muddy. Ladder needed.
FOCAL LENGTH	50-400mm B707 = 60mm / B757 closeup = 400mm / E145 = 290mm

BES-Spot7

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BES-Spot7