Océanopolis
During your camping holiday in North Finistère, don't miss a visit to Brest's Océanopolis!
The Océanopolis aquarium
Brest's Océanopolis is one of France's largest aquariums. It houses over 10,000 animals in tanks that recreate their respective natural environments. The biodiversity of temperate, tropical and polar marine habitats is reconstituted at Océanopolis, allowing visitors to encounter a wide variety of species, from anemones to otters and a multitude of colorful fish. Each tank is unique (freshwater, saltwater) to match the seabed and the natural environment of the various fish species and mammals. The Brittany Pavilion invites you to discover local species such as calf seals, European lobsters, seahorses and sardines. In the tropical pavilion, colorful and surprising specimens of clownfish, blue-spotted stingrays, zebra sharks and sawfish await you. The polar pavilion is home to king penguins, penguins and rockhopper penguins, as well as wolf fish and Kamchatka king crab. A highlight of your visit is the otter trail, where you can discover the differences between the European otter and the sea otter. The Océanopolis tanks are home to many other marine animals, from diaphanous jellyfish and colorful coral to lobsters and turtles. The Brest aquarium houses over 4 million liters of seawater to create this exceptional oceanographic universe!
Activities at Océanopolis
Numerous events are organized on the site to enrich the visits of sea enthusiasts and enable everyone to learn more about the species present in the ocean. Feeding sessions, for example, take place in public at different times of the day, in the otters' and penguins' areas, as well as in the tanks. These moments are an opportunity toobserve the work of the caretakers and to exchange ideas with them. In addition to the feeding sessions, the caretakers and scientific mediators also invite you to special encounters with the penguins, sea otters and sharks. In the heart of the Brittany pavilion, the Minilab invites you to an educational exchange with a scientific mediator, around interactive discovery structures such as screens, microscopes or underwater cameras as in a submarine. Marine environment specialists are also on hand in the other pavilions to share their knowledge with visitors of all ages. Special tickets give you access behind the scenes of Océanopolis for a very special guided tour. You can also opt for the "soigneur d'un jour" activity, which involves spending a whole morning in the company of the site's caretakers, and accompanying them as they feed seals, penguins or otters.
Rates and opening hours
Brest's Océanopolis is best visited over at least half a day. The park closes for several weeks each year in January. It then opens from 9:30 or 10 a.m., and until 5 or 6 p.m. depending on the time of year. To prepare for your visit, please consult the annual calendar on the official Océanopolis website, as opening times may vary from one week to the next, depending on school vacations and non-holiday periods...
Online ticketing means you don't have to queue at the park ticket office. A full-price adult ticket costs 22.90 euros. Young people aged 14 to 17 and students pay 17.50 euros. Children aged 3 to 13 pay 14.60 euros. Admission is free for children under 3.
A combined ticket for a visit to the park + backstage area is available from 32.90 euros full price, 27.50 euros for students or young people aged 14 to 17, and 24.60 euros for children. Please note that, as the backstage tour is only open to those aged 12 and over, the child rate applies to the 12-13 age group only. Other reduced rates are also available at the ticket offices, notably for disabled visitors. There are also special group rates and subscription offers. The one-day soigneur activity costs 150 euros for 16 year-olds and over, and 100 euros for 12-16 year-olds.
