“Tonnerre de Brest” - “Thundering typhoons”

Tonnerre de Brest

A flavourful stop on the Brest audio-guided tour, this pause tells the story of a famous expression linked to the city. Readers of Tintin know it well: it is the famous Tonnerre de Brest of Captain Haddock.

An expression born of a storm

Contrary to popular belief, it was not Haddock who invented it: it already existed. Its appearance is said to date from 1718, the year a huge storm struck Brest, with thunderclaps so violent that they reportedly struck twenty-four churches at once. The exceptional force of this storm is said to have given rise to the expression Tonnerre de Brest.

What to see

Used as an oath to mark displeasure or astonishment, the expression was taken up in literature from the nineteenth century. But it was Captain Haddock who gave it international fame from 1941. A fine way to link popular culture to the history of the city.

Practical information

This stop is experienced along the route in the centre of Brest. It is a narrative pause, with no particular site to visit: let the story of this expression, now an emblem of the city, be told to you.

Who invented the expression Tonnerre de Brest ?

It existed before Haddock; its origin is attributed to a violent storm that struck Brest in 1718.

How did the expression become famous ?

Thanks to Captain Haddock, a character from Tintin, who popularised it from 1941.