Grue Paindavoine – Brest’s famous crane

Check out that big yellow crane on your left, overlooking the waterfront buildings! That’s the Paindavoine n°4, named after the Lille-based company that designed it. It doesn’t look like much, but, believe it or not, it’s actually a piece of history! These cranes were a big part of the rebuilding effort, helping to load and unload ships quickly. It was built back in 1951, along with Paindavoine no. 1, 2 and 3. At the time, Brest was still recovering from the bombing raids of World War II, as were many other cities in France and Europe. That’s when the Marshall Plan was launched by the Americans, who pledged to support these countries, pay for part of the reparations and help rebuild their cities as quickly as possible. It was as part of this plan that these cranes were built in several French ports. They were used to quickly load and unload cargo ships, and to repair port equipment. The crane helped rebuild the city’s emblematic port, thus becoming a beloved landmark in Brest. It has not been in use since 2004, but the city has decided to keep it in place, as it is now part of Brest’s heritage. It has even been listed as a Historical Monument, as it’s one of the last of its kind in France. Most were taken down years ago, at the end of the 20th century. And so, that’s why it’s still the talk of the town today!