It is located at the mouth of the Pouldavid River, an estuary on the southern shore of Douarnenez Bay in the Atlantic Ocean, 25 kilometres (16 mi) north-west of Quimper.

Douarnenez has a growing tourist industry, with numerous visitors attracted annually to its pleasant location and warm climate, and also because of its marinas, maritime museum, regattas and sandy beaches.

The legendary city of Ys, of Breton folklore, is believed to lie beneath Douarnenez Bay.

The written history of Douarnenez begins around 1118 when, according to a charter dated 1126,[4] Robert de Locuvan, Bishop of Cornouaille, donated the Island of St Tutuarn and the lands belonging to it to the Abbey of Marmoutier.

In the late 18th century and the years before the French Revolution, sardines became the driving force for the local economy; the fishing industry was based on their harvest and, later, processing.

The strikes in the 1920s in favour of better working conditions for the factory women or Penn Sardin were the main reason why Douarnenez became one of the first communist municipalities in France.

Douarnenez owes much of its prosperity and expansion to the construction of railways at the end of the 19th century, which provided services for passengers and goods, connecting the port to other markets.

The old line has been converted into an 18 km (11 mi) cycling and walking track, providing an excellent means of discovering the surrounding countryside.

The steep, narrow cobbled streets which climb up to the town from the harbors have changed little over the past century.

They reveal a wide range of places of interest, including old chapels, the Halles or covered market at the town square, and traditional houses once inhabited by local fishermen.

In addition, there are facilities for horse-riding, tennis, walking, cycling, petanque and golf, all within a short distance of the town.

Douarnenez also has a full programme of annual festivals and events featuring regattas, local folklore, cinema, carnévale processions, gastronomy, and sports.

The Bagad de Douarnenez is a Breton music association that performs with bagpipes and other local instruments.

Most specialise in seafood, usually offering fish soup, shellfish, crab, lobster, prawns, sardines, mussels, and the catch of the day.

At the covered market or les Halles, open every morning, a wide variety of fresh fish and seafood are sold.

The latter is a guided walk through the town, where 19 panels (in French, English and Breton) at key points along the route explain its history and special connection with the sardine trade.

In the summer, boat trips from Douarnenez travel around the bay with views of the sea caves on the north coast.

[citation needed] At low tide, it is possible to walk across to Tristan Island which is now increasingly open to the public.

[citation needed] Signposted footpaths lead visitors to all the rocky inlets and headlands, providing sea views.

A particularly popular spot is Locronan, a few kilometres from Douarnenez, which is a well preserved Breton village with a number of monuments.

The prevailing winds are from the south west, bringing fairly frequent periods of light rain, particularly in the winter months.