Auberge De Jeunesse Du Moulin Blanc, Youth hostel and historical monument at Moulin Blanc, Brest, France.
Auberge de Jeunesse du Moulin Blanc is a youth hostel and listed historical monument made up of six interconnected buildings of concrete and wood. The two main accommodation blocks, B1 and B2, were built between 1981 and 1983 and are linked by a footbridge with two square openings. The upper floors hold the dormitories, while the ground floor of B1 contains the reception, a large lounge with glass bays facing the park and marina, and three dining rooms. The annex B6, built later, joins an old stone poultry house (now room 601) and a stone cottage that was the keeper's lodge, connected by a wooden structure with a covered walkway and skydomes over the showers. The separate B3, known as the director's building, is a single-storey modular timber structure raised on post-and-beam supports, with a tree included within the frame.
Architect Roland Schweitzer developed the design in 1968, and the building received permits a decade later in 1981. Construction was completed in May 1983.
The hostel's name comes from the Moulin Blanc, the marina and beach beside which it stands in the Saint-Marc district. Since 2011 it has taken part in the European Heritage Days, with guided tours and exhibitions, and in 2013 a booklet marked its 30th anniversary, published in the presence of architects Roland Schweitzer and Philippe Jean.
The hostel sits conveniently near the harbor with easy pedestrian access from central areas of the city. Rooms are simply furnished and bathrooms are shared across the building, so guests should plan accordingly.
Two structures from the estate of the Comte de Chalus survive within the complex: room 601 occupies the former chicken coop, and the stone cottage at the end of building B6 was the caretaker's lodging. The B6 link between them is a timber structure modelled on traditional Japanese construction, with skylights lighting the showers.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,389 contributors worldwide.