France City  -  Rennes  -  Rennes Attractions

The Parlement de Bretagne (Parliament of Brittany, Plasenn Breujoù Breizh) is arguably the most famous building in Rennes.

The Parlement of Brittany

It was rebuilt after a terrible fire in 1994. It houses the Rennes court of appeal. Its Grand'Chambre, or main chamber, boasts a gilt coffered ceiling which is unique in France

The 15th-17th century colourful timber-framed houses are situated primarily along the roads Saint-Sauveur, Saint-Georges, de Saint-Malo, Saint-Guillaume, des Dames, du chapitre, Vasselot, Saint-Michel, de la Psallette and around the plazas of Champ-Jacquet, des Lices, Saint-Anne and Rallier-du-Baty.

• Polychromatic wooden busts from the 16th century, in the façade of 20 rue du Chapitre.
• Basilica Saint-Sauveur

Some medieval houses, such as these at Champ-Jacquet, can still be found in the center of Rennes.

Place des Lices and surrounding area

• Les Halles Martenot of the 19th century, built between 1868 and 1871 by Jean-Baptiste Martenot, host the market on Saturday mornings (the third largest market in France).
• The Mordelaises Gate (Portes Mordelaises), chatelet with two towers and a drawbridge
• The remaining fortifications of the 3rd century
• The Jehan Duchesne tower of the 15th century, on rue Nantaise
• The 15th century ramparts east of the Gallo-Roman fortifications, in place Rallier-du-Baty.

The Champs Libres, a new cultural centre designed by internationally renowned architect Christian de Portzamparc. Located in the heart of the city, it houses the Musée de  Bretagne, or Museum of Brittany, the Espace des Sciences and planetarium, and the library.

Musée des Beaux-Arts, or Fine Arts Museum, the 18th century royal squares, and Rennes Ecomuseum...

Place Saint-Anne (Plasenn Santez-Anna)

• Saint-Aubin Church
• Location of a former 14th century hospital
• Jacobite convent

La rue Saint-Michel nicknamed rue de la soif (road of thirst) because there are bars all along this street.

Rue Saint-Georges and rue Gambetta

• 1920's Saint George Municipal Pool, with mosaics
• Saint George Palace, and its garden

Place de la Mairie (City Hall Plaza, Plasenn Ti Ker)

• City Hall
• Opera

Place du Vau-Saint-Germain

• Vau de Saint-Germain Church
• Saint-Germain footbridge, 20th century wood and metal construction to link the plaza with Émile Zola Quay.

Place du Champ-Jacquet

• statue of Leperdit ripping up a conscription list.

Area from Saint-Mélaine to Place Saint-Mélaine     

Notre-Dame en Saint-Mélaine Church

• tower and transept from the 11th century Benedictine abbey of Saint-Mélaine
• 14th century Gothic arcades
• 17th century columnar façade
• bell tower topped with a gilded Virgin Mary (19th century)
• 17th century cloister

Magnificent park, The Parc Thabor, (formal French garden, orangerie, rose garden, aviary), on 10 hectares of land, designed by the Bühler brothers and built between 1860 and 1867.

Thabor park's bandstand.

The 17th century promenade "la Motte à Madame", with monumental stair, Near the rue de Paris entrance to the Thabor.

South of the Vilaine    

Quai Émile Zola (Émile Zola Quay), next to the Vilaine River.

• The Fine Arts Museum
• The Museum of Brittany

rue du Pré-Botté

• prior location of Ouest-Éclair, then of Ouest-France, premier daily regional newspaper; resutored and now occupied by the Mercure hotel.

rue Duhamel

• the large mills, constructed on each side of the south branch of the Vilaine in 1895 and 1902.

Place Henri Commeurec

• Les Halles centrales, covered market of 1922, converted into contemporary art gallery.

Other Famous Places    

North-west, near the rue de Saint-Malo

• the sluices of the canal d'Ille-et-Rance of 1843

East of the city, rue de Paris

• The two halls of the printer Oberthür, built by par Marthenot between 1870 and 1895.
• Oberthür Park, the second biggest garden in the city.

South, Blosne Quarter (Bréquigny)

• The manor of the Haute-Chalais (17th century), granite chateau

Credits : This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Rennes".