10 Things to Do in Rennes

10 Things to Do in Rennes

Rennes, the capital of Brittany. Image source: Wikimedia

There is a place, in North-West of France called Brittany. Its capital Rennes,  is known for its picturesque architecture but most importantly, half-timbered medieval houses!  Brittany is a small town about 1h from Paris by plane and 4h30 by car. Going into this town feels like you have traveled back in time to medieval France!

Let us delve into what would interest you in this little medieval city- Rennes; also named the most livable city in France.

1. Visit the St Yves Chapel

Image Source Wikimedia.

This is the best place to start your trip since they offer a lot of information on Rennes and the best places to visit and how to get by. The information center and St Yves Chapel is a former general hospital that dates back to the 15th  century. The Gothic-style church was also converted into a hardware store in the 19^th century, and now has amazing interiors and exteriors with incredible sculptures of all kinds. This is where you also make a booking for the parliament building visit.

You can access the chapel by the Metro Line A and by bus Lines C2, C4, C6 – all stop at 11 Place de Bretagne

Open from 10 AM to 6 PM from Monday to Friday

2. Go to the Thabor Park

Thabor Park – Wikipedia

Thabor Park is a garden of roses.

There are more than 2,000 varieties of roses, and t was originally landscaped in the 19^th century by Denis Bühler. Here, you can sunbathe, take a stroll, and take wonderful photos, especially in summer! It is also in the heart of the city which means you will have no stress accessing it.

The massive park has a botanical garden, a French garden, an English garden and even a cave. Believe it or not, the now elegant and romantic park used to be a private garden for the monks of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint-Melaine.

The park is open every day through the opening hours vary with the seasons; summer, from 7:30 AM to 8:30 PM and winter, between 7:30 AM and 6:30 PM

Entrance is free

To get there take Line A Metro to Sainte-Anne station and then walk, or bus Line 3 to Thabor stop

3. Experience the Museum of Fine Arts

Musée des Beaux-Art, By XIIIfromTOKYO – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0

If you are a fan of history and especially that of European history, you will love this place. If you have no interest in history, don’t worry, you will enjoy other elements including the works of notable artists such as Leonardo de Vinci, Giovanni Bellini and even Pablo Picasso among others.

The capital of Brittany, Rennes is the home to the Museum of fine arts which will enchant you with Ancient Egyptian antiques as well as modern art collections. There, you will find paintings done between the 14^th century and 19^th centuries.

Entry fee to the museum is €6, and €4 for Concession Card holders

Entry is also free every first Sunday of the month

WEBSITE

4. Visit Rennes Cathedral

Image source: Wikimedia

Like most old churches and places of worship in France, the architecture is riveting, well-thought-out and magnificent, particularly those built in medieval times. The coronation of the Duke and Duchess of Brittany took place in the Saint – Pierre Cathedral, which was built in the 6^th century and rebuilt between the 16^th and 19^th century.

The cathedral, which was also restored between the 20009 and 2014 has a lot of eye-catching details which you must look out for, like the stucco work and gilding; an over-the-top interior, gilt and paintings. In 1490, the Gothic Tower and the West front collapsed and was reconstructed. You definitely have to go in to check out the neoclassical towers and existing façade!

Entrance is free

5. Parliament of Brittany

The parliament of Brittany caught fire in 1994, after a clash between the police and fishermen as a result of low fish prices. The roof was destroyed, as were many other important parts and contents.

The parliament, whose construction was finished between 1615 and 1655 during the region’s reunification with France, had to be rebuilt after the fire and held its first session in 1999. The public was now allowed to access some parts of the historic building. One of the attractions is the Great Chamber which was untouched by the fire due to its unique construction. The beautiful Gobelins Tapestry is also accessible to guests.

Remember the Tourist Information Office and St Yves Chapel? This is the place you need to go to first if you intend to visit the Parliament since they organize the visits. It is one of the few places in France that combines the exercise of justice with touristic tours.

6. Take a stroll in the Old Rennes

Image Source- Wikimedia

We mentioned earlier that Rennes will take you back to Medieval France. Take a walk to Old Rennes and discover the part of town that escaped the massive fire of 1720 and still has cobbled streets and quite a number of half-timbered houses. The oldest house is at 3 Rue Saint- Guillaume, built in the 16th Century; it is bright red so you cannot miss it. You will find houses that reach multiple stories and many picturesque restaurants scattered around serving food and drinks.

7. La Roche-aux-Fées (The Fairies Rock)

Legend says that the Fairies Rock was built by Viviane Fairy with the help of other fairies! This place is about 40 minutes outside Rennes. Nestled in the woods, it is the largest dolmen in France and resembles a passageway made of stones complete with stones as roofing. About 40 stone blocks, each weighing 40 tons, make this place so unique. It is located in a wooded area that has oak trees and a small lake.

Some say that if romantics are visiting, they should face different directions while counting the rocks. If they both count the same amount, then their love will last forever!

8. Eat traditional Breton cuisine

Food! This is what makes a place unique. When in Rennes, make sure to sample authentic French food. What is a French trip without crêpes, right?

You can find crêpes at the great Crêpe Saint Melanie, or sample the galettes at Crêperie Saint-Georges, where you will find a variety of ice creams too. There are also street foods like Galette- Saucisse (hot sausage wrapped in Galette).

9. Visit the Cultural Centre “Les Champs Libres”

This is a heaven for library and book lovers. Les Champ Libres is a six-storey building which houses the Museum of Brittany, a Cultural, Scientific and Technical Centre, and a Municipal Library.

It is partially made of glass and apart from the massive collection of books and the many exhibitions that take place there, it also offers you a magnificent panoramic view of the city!

If you have children with you, then the Merlin’s Laboratory will be great for them. They will love discovering science using games and also the planetarium will be amazing for them to learn about planets. Equally, history enthusiasts will get insights on the prehistory of the region through various objects in the library.

10. Visit the Town Hall Square of Rennes

Town Hall Square – Wikipedia

Place de l’Hôtel de Ville is beautiful, and is composed of two places which are a must-visit- the Town Hall and the Opera House. There is an artistic building made up of the Town hall, the judicial tribunal and the clock tower; constructed after the fire in 1720.

The town hall has a memorial with the names of the people who died in Rennes during the fire and is accessible for free. The opera house, which has 642 seats is also one of the smallest opera houses in France and has a rounded shape which perfectly fits the curved shape of the Town Hall.

Lots of places offer discounts for students and people below the age of 18 and if you are one of them, you might want to take advantage!

Brittany is one of the six Celtic nations, and it has kept its own identity through several centuries. In Rennes, you will occasionally hear people speaking the Breton and the Gallo languages in this picture-perfect old town, capital of Brittany, so don’t be surprised.