Quick answer: Cheap car hire Brest Airport starts from around £20 per day for a small car in the quiet season, and booking cheap car hire Brest Airport early secures the best price and your pick of automatics. Brest is the gateway to wild Finistère, the far Western tip of Brittany, with the Crozon Peninsula, Quimper and the Pink Granite Coast all within easy reach. The rental desks are inside the terminal opposite baggage reclaim, and the airport is just 12 minutes from the city. Drive on the right and choose a small car for the coastal lanes.
Brest is the busiest airport within Brittany itself and the natural gateway to Finistère, the dramatic land’s end of France. This is the wild, wave-battered West of the region, where the Crozon Peninsula juts into the Atlantic, lighthouses stand against the swell and the coastline feels a world away from the gentler bays further East. Cheap car hire Brest Airport is what turns a visit to this remote corner into a genuine touring adventure, because the finest of Finistère sits well beyond the reach of any bus.
This page covers what car hire in Brest actually costs, where to collect your car at the airport, what a Brest gateway unlocks, and the driving rules worth knowing before you set off. Whether you are here for the naval city itself or using it as a launch pad for the Crozon Peninsula and the far West, the aim is to help you book with confidence and drive away with no surprises.
How Much Does Cheap Car Hire Brest Airport Cost?
Cheap car hire Brest Airport starts from around £20 per day for a small car in the quiet season, typically January and February. Prices climb through spring and peak in July and August, so booking three or more weeks ahead is the reliable way to secure both a lower rate and a wider choice of car. November is often the cheapest month of all at Brest, well below the yearly average.
A small hatchback such as a Renault Clio or Citroen C3 is the practical pick for Finistère’s narrow coastal lanes and compact old-town car parks, and it is also the cheapest category. If you want an automatic, book it as early as you can: automatics are a smaller share of the fleet across France and are the first cars to sell out once summer demand builds. The table below shows how cheap car hire Brest Airport moves through the seasons.
| Season | Small car, per day (approx) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| January & February (low) | from £20 | Cheapest months, best availability |
| March to May | £24 to £30 | Prices rising, book 3+ weeks ahead |
| June to August (peak) | £32 to £45+ | Book early, automatics sell out first |
| September to December | £22 to £28 | Good value shoulder season |
Where to Collect Your Hire Car at Brest Airport
Brest Bretagne Airport is a compact, easy airport to navigate. The car rental desks sit inside the terminal, directly opposite the baggage reclaim area, so there is no shuttle bus to worry about. Major suppliers including Avis, Enterprise, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt and Budget operate here, with your car parked in the marked rental area just outside the terminal.
After collecting your luggage, present your voucher, driving licence and a credit card in the lead driver’s name at your supplier’s desk, and you will be on the road within minutes. The airport sits about 6 miles Northeast of Brest, a straightforward 12-minute drive into the city via the N12, the main road that also carries you on into the heart of Brittany.
What a Brest Gateway Unlocks
Brest opens up the wildest and most dramatic corner of Brittany. Just under an hour to the South lies the Crozon Peninsula, a finger of land ringed by cliffs, hidden coves and some of the finest coastal walks in France. Further South still, the historic city of Quimper rewards a visit with its cathedral, half-timbered streets and rich Breton culture, an easy drive from the airport.
West of Quimper, the land runs out spectacularly at the Pointe du Raz, the storm-lashed tip of continental France, while the Pink Granite Coast to the North offers extraordinary rock formations glowing at sunset. Add the naval heritage of Brest itself, with its castle museum and the Océanopolis ocean discovery centre, and cheap car hire Brest Airport genuinely unlocks a side of Brittany that few other gateways can reach.
Ready to explore? Our guide to the Crozon Peninsula scenic drive maps the wild far West from the Ménez-Hom summit to the Tas de Pois rock stacks at the Pointe de Pen-Hir, with verified drive times, parking notes and a downloadable route guide.
For the ultimate land’s end, the Pointe du Raz scenic drive takes you out to the wild tip of the Cap Sizun, where Brittany runs out of land above the churning Raz de Sein, taking in Audierne, the Baie des Trépassés and the medieval town of Pont-Croix.
Driving From Brest Airport: Rules and Roads
France drives on the right, and the roads around Brest are good quality and refreshingly quiet compared with busier parts of France. The main artery is the N12, a toll-free expressway that links Brest to the rest of Brittany, and most of the region’s major roads are toll-free too, so a touring holiday based here rarely troubles a toll booth. Speed limits follow the standard French rules: 50 km/h in towns, 80 km/h on two-way rural roads, 110 km/h on dual carriageways and 130 km/h on motorways, lower in the wet.
Carry your driving licence, passport and rental paperwork at all times, and remember France’s drink-drive limit is a strict 0.05%, lower than the UK, so the safest approach on a driving day is not to drink at all. For the official rules of the road, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office keeps an up to date summary on its France travel advice pages. Watch for priorité à droite at smaller junctions, take the first roundabout gently, and the far West is yours to explore.
What You Need to Hire a Car at Brest Airport
Bring a full, valid driving licence, your passport and a credit card in the lead driver’s name for the deposit. Most suppliers require drivers to be at least 21, with a young driver surcharge often applying under 25, so check your chosen supplier’s terms at the time of booking. If your licence is not in French or English, carry an International Driving Permit alongside it. And book your automatic early if you want one: it is the single most useful piece of advice on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions: Cheap Car Hire Brest Airport
How much does it cost to hire a car at Brest Airport?
Cheap car hire Brest Airport starts from around £20 per day for a small car in the quiet season, rising through spring and peaking in July and August. November is often the cheapest month, and booking three or more weeks ahead typically secures a lower rate and a better choice of car.
Where are the rental desks at Brest Airport?
Inside the terminal, directly opposite the baggage reclaim area, with the cars parked in the marked rental area just outside. There is no shuttle bus, making collection quick and simple.
How far is Brest Airport from the city?
About 6 miles Northeast of Brest, a straightforward drive of around 12 minutes via the N12.
What can I reach from Brest by hire car?
The Crozon Peninsula is under an hour away, Quimper around 53 minutes, and the dramatic Pointe du Raz and Pink Granite Coast are within comfortable day-trip range, all through the wild landscapes of Finistère.
Should I book an automatic at Brest Airport?
If you prefer one, yes, and book it early. Automatics are a smaller share of the hire fleet across France and are the first to sell out once summer bookings begin, particularly at smaller regional airports like Brest.
Compare Cheap Car Hire Brest Airport
Ready to book? Use the search above to compare cheap car hire Brest Airport across all the major suppliers. Choose a small car for the coastal lanes, book cheap car hire Brest Airport early for the best low-season price and your pick of automatics, and the wild far West of Brittany is yours to explore at your own pace.
Brest is one of four gateways into car hire in Brittany, alongside Nantes, Rennes and Dinard. If you are weighing up which airport suits your trip, our Brittany hub compares all four side by side.