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Rennes, the capital of Brittany, is full of life. But then, that’s hardly surprising with up to 60,000 students and researchers milling about its old streets and squares. The place is packed with bars, bistrots and bookshops. It’s always been an important French town. Way back in Celtic times, it was an obvious crossing of trade routes, as the meeting point of the Ille and Vilaine rivers and all roads in Brittany still eventually lead to Rennes. This popular university town has been the capital and power centre of the region since the 1532 union with France, and it’s a great place to visit, with plenty of life and a grand Neo-classical layout featuring some outstanding architecture. Today, the Breton capital is highly regarded for its high-tech research centres and is well known for two major modern music festivals, Transmusicales Encounters and Les Tombées de la nuit. As a tourist spot it has a particularly interesting history. In 1720 the town was almost totally wiped out by a fire started by a drunken carpenter, only the area known as Les Lices was left undamaged. Parisian architects were handed the job of remodelling the rest of the city, a commission they undertook with relish. They aimed to rival Paris and the result on the north of the city is a patchwork of architecture, with grand 18th century mansions and squares sitting cheek-by-jowl alongside intimate, cobbled alleyways lined with overhanging medieval houses. Wandering through the streets that span out from the place des Lices, it is easy to imagine what Rennes must have been like before the Great Fire. Now the area is mostly pedestrianised and has become a hub for the city’s youth with numerous cafés, crêperies and designer shops. And while this is very much a buzzing, modern 21st century city, there’s plenty of historic interest for visitors. The Musée des Beaux Arts is well worth a look for its Impressionist art, the Palais du Parlement is the only building to have escaped the fire of 1720, while the parks, cafés and the River Vilaine flowing through the city centre, make it a beautiful French city for strolling about year-round.
Rennes’ moniker is the ‘Ville d’art et d’histoire’, the town of architectural and historical interest. With a population of 60,000 students, it’s known for its buzzing nightlife, but more recently its high-tech industry has attracted newcomers with money, generating plenty of uber-cool shops and chic restaurants. It was voted second best city to live in by France’s weekly news magazine Le Point, yet despite its new intake, Rennes has retained its Celtic and Breton past through festivals, theatre and literary cafés. And, not least, through its food. The quality and inventiveness of the city’s restaurateurs have made Brittany the second most important gastronomic region in France. Rennes throws itself into this status with gusto by staging the annual Gourmet Festival, awarding prizes to top restaurants. Where else could you find a pastry inspired by a Parlement building? Aside from the Parlementin pastry and buckwheat pancake, try the Rennais pâté, Frigousse, a poultry speciality, cider and the locally brewed Sainte-Colombe wheat beer. Any of these can be found in the local markets and certainly at France’s largest and finest marché at Place des Lices.
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Book ahead, especially for the first two weeks in July during the Tombées de la Nuit festival. While there are plenty of two- and three-star options in the centre, the majority of budget hotels are further out. There are only a few hotels in the prettier, old part of Rennes, but it’s well worth seeking them out, the medieval former homes, down cobbled streets are full of character and ideal for sight-seeing. For a modern hotel just a short walk from the picturesque old town, the three-star Anne de Bretagne fits the bill. Further out, the Océania Rennes is set in pretty gardens and is popular with business types, but does have an adjoining aqua-spa complex and its Cap Ocean restaurant conjures up a French feast. Book on +44 (0) 871 900 8297 or www.flybehotels.com By car: Explore the city and the countryside in comfort and style at great prices! Get the best deal by checking Flybe's partner Avis for the best available car hire rates at www.flybe.com/avis By road: Rennes St Jacques airport is 7 km southwest of Rennes. Take the D177 north across the N136 ring-road then straight on to the city centre. Contact Flybe’s car rental partner Avis for the best available car hire rates. By bus or coach: Bus 57 connects the airport to Rennes’ centre and takes 35 minutes. By rail: There is no train connection to the town. By taxi: Plenty of taxis outside the terminal. Expect to pay €12 for the 10-minute journey.
Buses run daily 05.00-20.00. Areas with a busy nightlife have services running until midnight. Tickets can be bought on the bus, from the bus office (12, rue du Pré Botté, situated behind the Post Office), tel +33 (0) 811 555 535. www.star.fr A metro line runs through the heart of Rennes and accepts the same ticket. Kennedy line runs from the train station to place de la République, Poterie line runs in the opposite direction. €1.10 per ticket, carnet of 10, €10.00, one-day pass €3.20. After the sun sets, around 22.30 in summer, the city’s population seems to double in size, and the party-goers carry on until the sun rises. Much of the action revolves around place St-Anne, place St-Michel and surrounding streets. But, with its large student community, hot nightspots can be found across the city, there are some great bars and discos to the south of the Vilaine. Théâtre National de Bretagne, 1 rue St-Helier (tel: +33 (0) 2 99 31 12 31) stages a varied programme throughout the year apart from August. Live jazz takes place twice weekly at Déjazey Jazz Club, 54 rue St-Malo (tel: +33 (0) 2 99 38 70 72), closed Sundays. Two of the most popular night spots are Bernique Hurlante, 40 rue St-Malo (tel. +33 (0) 2 99 38 70 09) featuring an intimate, book-lined bar and Bar le Nozdei, 39 rue de Dinan (+33 (0) 2 99 30 61 64) which hosts live music the first Tuesday of the month.
Forêt de Paimpont: Thirty kilometres west of Rennes is the Forêt de Paimpont, which, according to legend, is the forest of the wizard Merlin. Sharing the folklore with its British counterparts, Breton minstrels tell the tale of King Arthur and the Holy Grail. Fountaine de Barenton: To catch a glimpse of the surrounding landscape, spend 20 minutes walking to Fountaine de Barenton, Merlin’s spring. The path leads on through pines and woodland before returning to the spring, the water’s delicious. The Fountain of Eternal Youth is hidden nearby. TIV buses depart from Rennes, taking about an hour, (check locally for prices) and stop at Paimpont in the middle of the forest. Turn left and go towards the old abbey, a tourist office is beside it and has maps of the forest. Fougéres: Alternatively, an hour’s TIV bus ride east takes you to charming Fougéres, a modern town blended with a perfectly preserved historic centre and breathtaking château. Best approach to the castle is from place des Arbres beside St-Léonard’s church off the main street in the old town. Footpaths, ramps and stairways drop down through public gardens, giving superb views of the ramparts and towers along the way. There are hourly tours, but the interior is of less appeal. Musée Emmanuel de la Villéon: 51 rue Nationale, which displays over 100 paintings by Impressionist artists, and admission’s free. In summer the tourist office organises Promenade Nocturnes, historical tours of the city and château by night. Mid-July to mid-August from 8.30pm at the tourist office, €5. Ten buses a day run from Rennes to Fougéres, Monday-Friday, four on Saturday and two on Sunday. Get off at Fougéres Jean Jaurés for the old town, there’s also a stop for the castle. Palais du Parlement: Built in 1618-55, Rennes law courts were the seat of the region’s governing body until the Revolution. Despite having escaped the 1720 fire, ironically it was all but burnt down in the riots over fish. Jardin du Thabor: One of the most beautiful gardens in France, perfect for a rest or picnics. prices in 1994. The entire structure has now been rebuilt and restored and is once more topped by an impressive array of gleaming gold statues. Tel: +33 (0) 2 99 67 11 66 The western end of rue de la Monnaie is the Portes Mordelaises: Once part of the city’s ramparts. Round the corner is Cathédrale St-Pierre and nearby both Eglise St-Sauveur and Eglise St-Germain. In fact, Rennes is awash in splendid churches. While you're in the area, take a peek at the 18th century Hôtel de Ville and the lavish Théâtre de Rennes.
Espace Ferrié: A new communications museum, dedicated to civil and military information gathering and the history of communication technology. An audio guide in English explains some of the trickier aspects of 21st century techno-wizardry. Open daily except Tuesday and December 25, January 1, May 1, entrance €3. Contact Espace Ferrié, Avenue de la Boulais. Tel: +33 (0) 2 99 84 32 43. www.espaceferrie.fr Sport: On the Rue Pierre Gourdel you can play squash for €7 ph, perfect as an afternoon activity after a day spent in the city. Or at the same place you can dance salsa style and build up a sweat at the Rock’n Fun Club. www.fun-club-35.comIce Skating: Le Blizz is Rennes best, and only, ice skating rink. It has two separate rinks, one sporting and one free skate, however if there is no sport on, both are open to the public. The rink is not open to the public on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday in August and September so try to avoid those days if you don’t want to be disappointed. The rink hires out skates and this is included in the price. For an adult with skate hire it is €7.10 and for a child (under 16) it is €6 with skate hire. The rink also has family and group prices available. www.leblizz.com
Rennes’ rich quality of life has given it a booming economy. It has attracted 1,200 high-tech companies majoring on wireless and digital communications, optics and optronics, semiconductors, networking technologies and multimedia business. It’s also known for IT and Telecom research and development, electronics and food processing industries. This is apart from its academic life and 60,000 students. If you’re looking for business growth, contact Rennes Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie, 2 avenue de la Préfecture, 64204, Rennes. Tel: +33 (0)2 99 33 66 66. www.rennes.cci.fr This bustling student town is a centre of learning, history and expensive property and also has a reputation as the party mecca of northwest France. If you are looking to buy a property in the centre of town you can expect to pay a hefty price. However, Brittany is one of the most affordable regions to live within France and is very popular with British and French buyers alike, with Rennes recently being voted one of the best places to live in France. For those who don’t want to break the bank, a more attractive proposition would be one of the many properties in villages surrounding Rennes or on its outskirts. With an extensive, modern and highly maintained road system getting to the city is hardly a chore. If you do buy a property that you are looking to rent out, then finding tenants will most likely not be a problem as a significant portion of residents are students. The region has also picked up the nickname of ‘little Britain’ as many Brits have retired there or bought second homes in the area. One contact is JB French Houses. www.jbfrenchhouses.co.uk
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Just north of the Porte Mordelaise is the place des Lices. This is the venue for France’s second biggest market every Saturday and offers the best in local Breton produce, brilliantly-coloured stalls heave with flowers, fish, bread, books and bric-à-brac. If you’re here for the weekend, spend the morning browsing around and then head across to Palais du Parlement, the one central building to have escaped the fire of 1720. It’s been beautifully restored and is topped by an amazing array of gleaming gilded statues. Rennes’ old town is the archetypal European medieval village. It’s packed with half-timbered buildings, cobbled streets and bustling squares. For an enjoyable tour and to get to grips with the place, turn left past the tourist office onto rue St-Yves, then right onto rue Georges Dottin, passing the buildings on the rue du Chapitre. Continue on past the historic houses on rue de la Psalette, which turns into rue St-Guillaume. If you turn left onto rue de la Monnaie and then you can drop into Cathédrale St-Pierre. Along the way stop at any of the cafés or bars for a snack or Breton beer and then head south of the River Vilaine, where a former university building now houses the Musée des Beaux Arts (tel: +33 (0) 2 99 28 55 85, open daily except Monday, entry €4.20). It specialises in Impressionist views of Normandy by Boudin and Sisley but also owns works by Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli. Rennes only acquired this fine art collection by plundering the private and foreign collections during the Revolution and the Napoleonic Empire. Take your pick from the many bustling brasseries for lunch, perhaps gorge on mussels and then turn away from the river to rue Vasselot, poke around the intimate medieval alleyways with their antique shops and bookstores. If you want a change of scene, visit the Colombier Centre, west of the railway station, and see Rennes at its most modern. Bustling with students and locals, this mall is packed with shops and cafés and features an unusual crystal model of the Centre in the entrance hall. For a quiet evening away from the crowds, stroll around Jardin du Thabor, its lush grounds house sculptures, fountains, a carousel and, bizarrely, the ‘caves from hell’. The rose garden alone boasts more than 1700 species. If you’re lucky and it’s July, you can catch an evening concert. |
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