Station de Brest-Déolen, Telegraph station in Locmaria-Plouzané, France
The station de Brest-Déolen is a historic telegraph facility located along the Breton coast near a small cove on the coastal path between Brest and Plougonvelin. Built from granite stone, it once served as the central hub for transatlantic telegraph communications connecting France directly to the United States.
The facility opened in 1879 as France's first center for transatlantic telegraph operations, establishing a direct line between France and the United States through submarine cables routed via Saint-Pierre-Miquelon. This connection marked a turning point in how distant nations could communicate.
This facility represented a major breakthrough in connecting distant continents through electrical signals, allowing people and businesses to exchange messages across the Atlantic in minutes rather than weeks. It symbolized France's role in shaping modern communication networks during an era when technology was transforming society.
The site can be reached by following the GR34 coastal walking path, which connects it to nearby beaches and towns along the shoreline. A visit works well as part of a longer coastal walk, combining the history with views of the cove and surrounding landscape.
When the tide goes out, fragments of the original submarine telegraph cables become visible at the cove bottom, offering a tangible connection to early transatlantic technology. These cable remnants are scattered among the rocks and sand, serving as a physical reminder of the infrastructure that once changed the world.
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