Brest Prison

It could house 3000 prisoners (sometimes as much as 10% of the town's population), children as young as 11 as well as older people.

Its construction was launched after Louis XV of France, by an ordinance of 27 September 1748, transferred the (previously independent) galleys to the control of the French Navy, to allow him to provide crews for galleys cheaply.

Though many citizens of Brest wanted it to be built within the Arsenal enclosure, no site "below the cliff" provided enough room for such a construction or suitable for its sanitary needs (running water, ventilation, and so on).

Finally built at Lannouron, on the left bank of the Penfeld, between the high corderie, barracks and hospital.

Eugène-François Vidocq, son of an Arras baker, escaped from here as well as from the prison in Toulon and later became chief of police.