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Brest to St Brieuc

Michael Portillo鈥檚 railway journey reaches the naval port of Brest, home to France鈥檚 oceanographic fleet. He also learns how to make a sweet, buttery Breton cake called kouign-amann.

Michael Portillo鈥檚 railway journey reaches the naval port of Brest, home to France鈥檚 oceanographic fleet. Aboard the pride of the fleet, the 107-metre-long Pourquoi Pas, Michael hears how marine biologists deploy research submersibles 6,000 metres below the surface to study life in the deep sea.

In the kitchen of a traditional boulangerie, Michael learns how to make a Breton favourite, a sweet, buttery cake called kouign-amann. The taste for Breton culture leads him to Guingamp, where he attempts to keep up with a Breton dance troupe rehearsing for the regional dance championships.

On the windswept north coast, with some of the highest tides in the world, Michael visits Brittany鈥檚 largest nature reserve, which attracts over 100 bird species.

11 months left to watch

28 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Michael Portillo
Director Celestino Ingrao
Executive Producer John Comerford
Series Editor Alison Kreps
Production Company Fremantle

Broadcast