Les Tonnerres de Brest sailing festival
The seaport of Brest in western France transforms every four years into a mecca for boating fanatics with “Les Tonnerres de Brest,” or the Brest Maritime Festival. This year’s celebration was another first for the new French president Francois Hollande after the Bastille Day celebrations came to a close. Along with close to a million spectators, President Hollande witnessed vessels from all over the world last week demonstrating centuries of their sailing prowess before setting out for a spectacular parade finale.
- French President Francois Hollande (2ndR), flanked by his companion Valerie Trierweiler (3rdR), Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (R) and Brest’s Mayor Francois Cuillandre (C), gestures as he stands aboard an electric-power ship, Azenor, to attend the shipping festive event, “Tonnerres de Brest” in the Brest bay, western France July 14, 2012. (Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images)
- France’s President Francois Hollande (C) listens to high-ranking officers as he visits the High seas salvage tug Abeille Bourbon as part of the Bastille Day celebrations in the seaport of Brest, western France July 14, 2012. Hollande is in Brest to attend “Les Tonnerres de Brest 2012” sailing festival. (Jean-Sebastien Evrard/Pool/Reuters)
- France’s President Francois Hollande waves from a boat during “Les Tonnerres de Brest 2012” sailing festival in the Brest bay, western France July 14, 2012. (Jean-Sebastien Evrard/Pool/Reuters)
- France’s President Francois Hollande (L) visits the Oceanopolis Aquatic park in Brest, western France July 14, 2012. Hollande is in Brest to attend “Les Tonnerres de Brest 2012” sailing festival. (Jean-Sebastien Evrard/Pool/Reuters)
- Spectators watch sailboats at the “Tonnerres de Brest” maritime festival in Brest, France July 15, 2012. (Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images)
- Dutch clipper Stad Amsterdam in Brest bay, western France, during the 2012 “Tonnerres de Brest” maritime festival on July 15, 2012. (Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images)
- Hundreds of people gather to welcome the crew in Brest, western France, during the 2012 “Tonnerres de Brest” maritime festival on July 15, 2012. (Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images)
- Sailboats parade on July 19, 2012 in the Brest bay, French Britanny, during the 2012 “Tonnerres de Brest” maritime festival featuring thousands of traditional sailboats. (Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images)
- Sailboats parade on July 19, 2012 in the Crozon bay, western France, during the 2012 “Tonnerres de Brest” maritime festival which features thousands of traditional sailboats from 13 to 19 July 2012. (Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images)
- A sailboat in the Brest bay during the 2012 “Tonnerres de Brest” maritime festival on July 19, 2012. (Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images)
- Sailboats parade on July 19, 2012 in the Brest bay, French Britanny, during the 2012 “Tonnerres de Brest” maritime festival featuring thousands of traditional sailboats from 13 to 19 July 2012. (Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images)
- Sailboats parade on July 19, 2012 in the Crozon bay, western France, during the 2012 “Tonnerres de Brest” maritime festival which features thousands of traditional sailboats from 13 to 19 July 2012. (Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images)
- A sailboat parades in the Brest bay, French Britanny, during the 2012 “Tonnerres de Brest” maritime festival featuring thousands of traditional sailboats on July 19, 2012. (Alain Jocard/AFP/Getty Images)
- Sailboats parade on July 19, 2012 in the Crozon bay, western France, during the 2012 “Tonnerres de Brest” maritime festival which features thousands of traditional sailboats from 13 to 19 July 2012. (Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images)
- Sailboats parade in the Crozon bay, western France, during the 2012 “Tonnerres de Brest” maritime festival, which features thousands of traditional sailboats July 19, 2012. (Fred Tanneau/AFP/Getty Images)