Hi there,
We will be in Rennes for 4 nights to research some family history.
I'm wondering if anyone has ever been there and could let me know what you think.
Any tips? Any must sees?
Thanks in advance,
Michelle
Posted by
Savannah, GA
1400 posts
Spent a few days in Rennes around Christmas last year and really enjoyed it.
We stayed at the MGallery Balthazer and loved it. Their breakfast was perfection.
As for things to see,
The Musée des Beaux-Arts is definitely with a stop. But the major diamond is the Parlement de Bretagne. We loved the guided tour we took and it was great insight into Bretonne culture.
Food-wise we loved La Table de Balthazar at the hotel but the best was Chez Brume for a sumptuous seafood meal. We still talk about that meal.
Posted by
USA
409 posts
We were there a few years ago and it is one of our favorite smaller cities in France. It has a nice pedestrian-only downtown, and Parc du Thabor is a beautiful place well worth a visit. It is a transit hub so you can easily visit nearby towns such as Vitré or Vannes. We like to plan a few daytrips and then go on them or not depending on how our time is going and how we're feeling. On the web you can find walking tour videos to get an idea of what there is to see. A search for "Rennes blogs" will give a wealth of info from other travelers.
Posted by
Germany
10 posts
We've been to Rennes twice and hope to return next summer.
The city has a very interesting oldtown with lots of half-timbered houses and various beautiful churches including an amazing cathedral. In addition, Rennes is famous for the mosaics you can see in different places like Saint George's swimming pool.
On Saturdays, the Marché des Lices is definitely worth a visit.
Posted by
OP
Canada
115 posts
Thanks so much for all of this advice. I look forward to my trip to Rennes after hearing your great tips. My ancestors left this area in 1780 to homestead in Canada so it will be interesting to visit this area for my first time. And yes, will be paying attention to the curbs...Thanks.
Posted by
PA, USA
85 posts
I'm glad to hear that other people enjoyed visiting Rennes. But for us, the graffiti just about everywhere ruined it for us. I have never seen that much graffiti in a French city. It reminded me of Philadelphia in that regard, though in Philadelphia graffiti was
Posted by
PA, USA
85 posts
Pushed the wrong button...
I wanted to say that I have seen and appreciated colorful, unusual, clever, and artistic graffiti. But there was none of that in Rennes.