Lorient is a city of 57,000 people (2017) on the south coast of Brittany.

Understand

Lorient is commonly referred to as la ville aux cinq ports ("the city of five ports"): military, fishing, commercial, passengers and yachting.

Get in

• 1 Gare de Lorient. 4 hr by train west from Paris. 5 to 6 trains daily connect Paris to Lorient on the way to Quimper. Rennes, the main city in Brittany, is 1 hr 30 min from Lorient by train or by car.  
• The bus station is next to the railway station.
• 2 Lorient South Brittany Airport (LRT  ^IATA). Connections from Paris-Orly and Porto  

Get around

By bus

Buses go all around Lorient and to nearby cities such as Ploemeur, Guidel, Lanester, and Hennebont.

• One way ticket – €1.45 (valid one hour)
• Daily ticket – €4
• 10 tickets – €12.5

See

Tour de la Découverte

• Marina (Port de plaisance) – Near office de tourisme
• Cité de la voile and Base Sous Marine – Submarine base built by the Germans during the Second World War.
• Beaches – 5-15 km from Lorient city centre, some beaches are connected by buses: Guidel, Fort Bloqué, Lomener.
• Port Louis – Another town across the "rade de lorient"; Fort and museum of the East India company.
• Ile de Groix – A nice island 45 min off Lorient connected by ferry. Hike or bike around the island. The ferry costs €30 return (€35 weekend and summer). Departure 08:05, 11:00 13:45, and 18:45. Return from Groix: 06:50, 09:30, 12:30, and 17:30.

Do

• Football: FC Lorient were relegated in 2024 and now play soccer in Ligue 2, the second tier. Their home ground Stade de Moustoir (capacity 18,000) is in town centre.
• Festival Interceltique de Lorient is held over a week in August.
• Street concerts, food and drinks, Celtic music and shows daily.
• Hike the GR34 le sentier des douaniers coastal track along Brittany's coast.

Eat

Crêpes. Expect to pay €4 in a creperie for a "complete" filled with ham cheese and egg.

Kouing Amman (delicious sweet butter and caramel cake). Easily found during festival interceltique, otherwise check out bakeries.

Drink

Bars and pubs around Place Jules ferry - Quai des Indes. Expect around €5 for a pint of beer.

Connect

As of June 2022, Lorient has 5G from all French carriers.

Go next

• Vannes – 40 min away by train or car on the way to Rennes and Paris.
• Quimper – 40 min away by train or car, westwards: smaller pleasant city.
• Quiberon and Carnac – Nice walks on the coast, about 30-45 min drive from Lorient.