(For those of you in the midst of hotel bookings / travel arrangements : the conference will begin at 2pm on Monday, with registration from 10am, and conclude late Thursday afternoon).

Getting to Brest

By road: From the East, Paris, Chartres, Le Mans, Rennes. Take the A10 from Paris, then the A11.This is a paying motorway until Vitré, when it becomes the N12. There are no paying motorways inside Brittany, supposedly due to the fact that the marriage contract between the Duchesse Anne de Bretagne and the French king, Louis XII, which united Brittany to the Kingdom of France, contained a clause stipulating that the roads of Brittany should always be free. Distance from Paris: 600 km (375 miles).

From the South, Nantes, Vannes, Lorient. Take the N165 from Nantes. Distance from Nantes: 300 km (190 miles).

By rail: TGV (High-speed train) from Paris, Gare Montparnasse. Usual journey time for the 600 km trip: 4h.20min., though some trains do it in just under 4hrs. The train gets up to more than 300 km/hr (190 mph) on some stretches of the line. Notice that it essential to have a booked seat to travel on the TGV, and don't forget to punch your ticket in one of the automatic punching machines before boarding. A must for train buffs.

Rail tickets can be purchased online direct from the French national rail operator :  SNCF

By air: Several flights daily from Paris, from both Roissy and Charles de Gaulle airports. Flight time: 50 mins. There are also direct flights from London, but these are highly expensive. Notice that there is no shuttle service from Brest airport to the town centre; the only form of public transport is taxis.

By sea: The nearest ferry port to Brest is Roscoff. Several crossings daily from Plymouth. Journey time about 6 hrs. Distance from Roscoff to Brest: 65 km (40 miles). There is no direct rail link between Roscoff and Brest, so this is best if you're travelling by car.

Passport and visa
A valid passport is required for entry into France. An identity card is sufficient for citizens of EU member countries. No visas are required for visitors from the USA, Canada, Japan, Israel. For all other countries, please consult the nearest French Consulate.

Climate
Brest has a mild, maritime climate. We suggest you bring summer clothes but also sweaters and a raincoat.

Electricity
Two-pin circular electric plugs are used in France (220V, 50 Hz).

Changing Money
Foreign currency can be changed at main post offices, at airports, at some stations and of course in banks.

Car Rentals
At the airport you will find Europcar, Hertz, Avis, Citer, Budget, Ada and Sixt agencies.

Driving Licence
If you wish to drive a car while in France, you must obtain an international driving licence in your home country or a licence translated into French.
Seat-belts are compulsory for all passengers. Unless indicated otherwise, the speed limit is 50km/h in towns, 90 km/h (80 km/h if raining) on roads, 110 km/h on dual carriage ways (90 km/h if raining) and 130 km/h on highways (110 km/h if raining).

Taxis
Taxis may be hailed in the street, found at taxi stands indicated by the letter "T", or called for by telephone.
When you call a taxi, you will be charged for its trip to pick you up, as well as for the distance you travel to your destination. There are supplementary charges during the night (+ 25% between 7:00 pm and 7:00am), for each piece of luggage weighing more than 5 kg, as well as for trips to and from stations and airport.
For example, it will cost you about 90 FF for a day fare to go from the airport to the centre of Brest.

Telephone
Most public call boxes use telephone cards, which are purchased at post offices or at many retail oulets (e.g. tobacconists).
To call abroad, dial: 00 + country code+ area code + number you want to call.

Health
Visitors from the European Union only pay part of their health costs, provided that they have acquired an E111 form in their country of residence. Other visitors must pay all their expenses and must seek reimbursement on return home.

Shopping
Shops open Monday to Saturday between 9:00 am or 10:00 am and 7:00 pm, some closing between 12 noon and 2:00 pm. Small shops are sometimes closed on Mondays.
On Sunday mornings some food shops are open, and many towns, including Brest, hold markets.

Customs
You must declare at the Customs any cash, securities and other goods worth 50 000 FF or more, on entering or leaving France.
Value Added Tax is deductible, provided that you are a resident outside the European Union, that you are visiting France less than six months and that the value purchased in one particular shop is greater than 1200 FF.