Camaret-sur-Mer and the Tour Vauban

What it is

Camaret-sur-Mer is the fishing port on the west of the Crozon peninsula, open to the Rade de Brest. Its emblem is the Tour Vauban, an 18 m hexagonal tower with an orange-ochre rendering, made of sand, lime and crushed red brick, which has earned it the nickname tour Dorée, the golden tower. It stands at the end of the Sillon, the natural spit of shingle that closes the port, and appears on the town's coat of arms.

It was designed by Vauban in 1689 and built between 1693 and 1696. It was still under construction when, on 18 June 1694, an Anglo-Dutch fleet tried to land on Trez Rouz beach and was repelled: the Battle of Camaret. Since 2008 it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the network of Vauban fortifications.

What to see

• The Tour Vauban: inside, a staged display tells its story. In July and August the drawbridge is lowered on some days as an attraction of the visit.
• The chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Rocamadour, next to the tower, on the Sillon itself.
• The Sillon: the walk along the spit, with the port on one side and the roadstead on the other, and the hulks of old fishing boats stranded on the shore.
• The quays, with the boats and the terraces of the quai Gustave Toudouze.

Tower hours and price

The tower opens seasonally, from spring to early November, and in summer with long hours. Published sources do not agree on times or prices for 2026, so confirm first with the Camaret tourist office (02 98 27 91 12) or the town hall (02 98 27 94 22). In August 2026 there were daily guided visits at 15:00. The walk along the Sillon, the chapel and the port are free.

How long

An hour and a half: half an hour in the tower, a walk along the Sillon and another along the quays. If you have lunch at the port, the whole morning.

Getting there and parking

Camaret is at the far west of the peninsula, a few kilometres from Crozon. There are car parks in the village and near the port; in July and August go early. Without a car, BreizhGo buses link Brest with Crozon and Camaret.

With children

The tower, with its drawbridge, is a short visit that works with children; in summer and in the autumn holidays of 2026 there were workshops for ages 6 to 12 with booking. The Sillon is flat and suitable for pushchairs.

From the water and around

From Camaret the boats of Vedettes Sirènes go to the Pointe de Pen-Hir and the Tas de Pois (1 h 15, €23 per adult), to the Pointe des Espagnols and its fortifications (1 h 30, €27) and to the Rade de Brest (2 h, €37). By land, Pen-Hir is about ten minutes away.

For lunch, on the quay are the Crêperie de la Marine and Le Quai des Saveurs, the restaurant of the Hôtel de France, which has the tower in front of it. Next to the battle beach, the Camping Plage de Trez Rouz, 3 km from the port.