Rennes, a young, dynamic and festive city

Welcome to Rennes, the capital of Brittany! This city has many historical landmarks, but at the same time, this is a young, dynamic and festive city with a large student population. Start your visit to Rennes by taking a pleasant walk through the historical center and admire some 286 beautiful and colorful half-timbered houses from the 15th century. Also, don’t miss to take your time and enjoy the beautiful Thabor garden. And in the evening, go and get a drink in a pub with a traditional Breton atmosphere at the “Rue de la Soif”. I promise you, this is going to be an unforgettable experience!

The architectural gem

Rennes is a city where you can admire the Gallo-Roman remnants, colorful half-timbered houses from the Middle Ages, the 18th-century buildings, but also the contemporary architecture such as the Champs libres, a cultural center opened in 2006. The historical center of Rennes also has a nice pedestrian area with many bars, boutiques and restaurants. The Rennes Cathedral dedicated to Saint Peter is also worth visiting. This impressive cathedral, built between the 16th and 19th centuries and reconstructed between 2009 and 2014, had a very important role in the history of Brittany and France, such as the coronation of the dukes and duchesses of Brittany.

Rue de la Soif

The most famous street in Rennes is probably the Rue Saint-Michel. Also known as the “Rue de la Soif”, which could be translated in English as "Drinker's Alley". This small cobbled street lined with half-timbered houses has become an emblem of Breton capital's festive spirit. And for a good reason. This place is full of bars. There are some 60 000 students in Rennes, so the nightlife in this city is more than interesting. Don’t miss to go for a walk (or a drink) in this street on Friday or Saturday evening. I assure you, this is going to be a very interesting experience. “Le Barantic” is a typical Breton pub where you can taste about twenty different draft beers. But before going to the pub, get yourself a traditional “galette saucisse”, a grilled hot sausage, wrapped in a cold galette. This typical local street food is more than tasty.

Photo © credits to bbsferrari

Thabor garden

Rennes is a young, dynamic and festive city, but also a place with 868 hectares of green spaces. The most famous garden in Rennes is surely Thabor garden. Located not far away from the city center, this garden is a perfect place for daydreamers, nature lovers and even for those looking for a nice and quiet place to have an afternoon nap in the grass. Opened to the public in the 18th century, this garden has an amazing botanical garden with more than 3000 species of plants. One of the most popular attractions of the Thabor garden is its rose garden, where you can see numerous varieties of magnificent roses.