Travel Guide Rennes

In Upper Britain, at the confluence of the Island and the Vilaine, Rennes is known for its medieval half-timbered facades and its immense Saint-Pierre cathedral. University city, city of Art and history, cultural and gourmet destination, with parks, museums and entertainment, Rennes can satisfy all audiences. The most visible is the heritage of the historic centre with its cobbled streets, rich in 90 buildings protected as Historic Monuments. Remains of the medieval period, the Mordelaise Gates and the old ramparts, the traditional wooden houses of the Renaissance and many religious buildings, the Parliament of Brittany are to be compared with contemporary buildings designed by Jean Nouvel or Christian de Portzamparc. A green version, Rennes is not to be outdone with a large number of parks and gardens, including the famous Thabor, one of the most beautiful parks in France, which covers 10 hectares, a rose garden of 2,000 varieties, French-style gardens, an English-style park, remarkable trees and a music stand. For its part, Parc des Gayeulles is home to 100 hectares of farm animals, a tree-lined trail, ponds and hiking trails, an ice rink and a swimming pool. In addition, there are countless cultural sites, art galleries, original and alternative cultural sites, theatres. Essential: the Fine Arts Museum with works by Boticelli, Rubens or Picasso, and the great cultural centre of the Champs Libres with the Museum of Brittany and the Science area, rich in a planetarium.