From the Crozon peninsula, at sunset, the traveller can marvel at the hundred or so standing stones of Lagatjar, a spiritual centre of forgotten civilizations. In Finistere, there is an abundance of gravestones from the Celtic era as well as more recent chapels, wayside crucifixes and parish closes. The vessel coming into Brest is greetedby the sight of one of the most beautiful bays in the world.

And just a few hundred yards away from the quays sits the town itself amid its Motte-Tanguy Tower and its castle dating back to the 15th and 17th centuries, which houses the splendid naval museum. Keep, towers, courtyards and watchtowers overlook the harbour and the Penfeld river which, in the year 2000, will, for the third time, play host to the largest gathering of boats in the world.

Brest, with its evocative street names - Siam, Bouguainville, La Fayette, Segalen - is a place where the traveller can unwind in a variety of ways : shopping, restaurants, museums and galleries, theatre, cinema, bars and pubs with a truly Celtic atmosphere.

With its international airport, very high speed train line and toll-free express roads, Brest is but a few hours from the greatest capital cities in Europe and is a magnet for lovers of regattas and open sea racing. Oceanopolis, which has the biggest open-air aquariums in Europe, explores the magic of the oceans and explains the ecosystem of the Breton coastline.

To find out more about Brittany's Celtic myths and legends, the traveller heads south to Landevennec, founded by Saint Guenole in the 5th century, on the trail of King Gradlon and Ys, the town swallowed up by the sea. Then on to Locronan whose 17th century architectural charm remains intact. In recent years there has been a revival of interest in Breton language and Celtic music among the young people of the region with their day and night-time ceilidhs. Brittany is proud of her Celtic roots and loves its celebration to be shared in; for 75 years or so, the Festival de Cornouaille, in the heart of historic Quimper, will be celebrating music, song, dance, gastronomy, conferences and concerts.