Brest is a city in the northwest of France, located on the tip of the Brittany peninsula. The city of approximately 146,000 people is an important Naval base and port. During World War II, the Germans held a large submarine base there. It was destroyed at the end of the war, but the city has since been rebuilt. Brest is located near the entrance of the natural Rade de Brest and hosts several events celebrating its long maritime history. The largest even occurs every four years when a tall ship meeting takes place.