Rennes

We suggest two main versions for the city tour :

• Rennes at a glance for 2 hours.
• Rennes unveils for 3.5 hours.

But first of all...

Rennes in a few words

Rennes is the capital city of Brittany. It is a dynamic and welcoming city which will undoubtedly seduce you for its curiosities and possible distractions. Classified as an Art and Historical city, it has plenty of memories to tell from its foundation dating back to the Gallo-Roman period ! It spread along the Ille and Vilaine rivers, especially in the Middle Ages. Heritage and testimonies from that age are still well at stage, such as well preserved and coloured half-timbered houses which you will find at various places in the city centre, or remains of ramparts and towers. To such an extent that Rennes is, along with Dinan, Josselin or Vannes, an ideal place in Brittany to immerse yourself in medieval period.

Events and unification context between Brittany and France made it evolve and build up nice classical constructions, one of which being the famous Brittany Parliament. Having witnessed key moments in the French history, such as the Dreyfus affair, the city took on its role of regional capital city and has continuously developed. Up until now as it has become a major place for technology, universities and cultural activities.

Rennes is regularly ranked amongst the French cities with the best quality of life. There is a special vibe along its streets and places in the city centre. Students surely take a good part to animating places. Plenty of festivals and places to go out and bars with a strong identity will welcome you beyond the famous Rue Saint Michel also called the Thirst Road, and not just on Thursday nights!

Culture is also on the offer thanks to popular events : cinema, litterature and poetry festivals, and also via the Opera, the National Theatre (TNB), museums and its cultural centre located in Champs Libres. Breton culture obviously takes a special and regular part on the agenda you can find in Roazhon (Rennes in Breton language). Friendlyness is still calling as you may well see people playing the palets around the corner, this typical game there.

Its Rocking city reputation is very much maintained by the atmosphere and the importance music takes place. Many music events from concerts in bars to the Transmusicales Festival, are the opportunity for new talents to come up whether they are French or foreigners. In Rennes took place the first concert in France by Nirvana, Björk, Ben Harper, Lenny Kravitz or Portishead. It was also the place where people could discover Daft Punk, Béruriers Noirs, Marquis de Sade, Daho, Obispo, Arno, Justice....

Your appetite should not be left aside given the number of crêperies and restaurants there. These have been able to reinvent their cuisine and specialities. We will mention the traditional galettes and crêpes which will be served with farm cider, seafood, local poultry receipes, "pommé" and local desserts (kouign amann, Breton far, four Breton quarter).

"Rennes at a glance" visit

Wandering along Rennes is an interesting experience : it is like immersing yourself in centuries of local history and very different times, still among a dynamic modern life.

We will start with discovering the remaining preserved vestiges in the city and will then stroll along the picturesque small streets interlaced with each others and medieval halftimbered houses or renaissance ones, but also private mansions dating back to 17th and 18th century which were built up by parliamentarians. This paved road will take us to the animated city centre which is now almost fully pedestrian. It will then lead us to the former royal places which witnessed a wide number of events from the old times until now.

Book a tour "Rennes at a glance"

Practical information :

• Visit is meant to last 2 hours.

• Price rates
  - Private visit: 120 euros for your own group. Night tours are also possible on demand.
  - Visit within a small group: 19 euros per person (free for -8 yo, 15 euros for -18 yo). On Fridays at 1.30pm.

• Other durations and contents are available on demand for tours in Rennes : discover a few major places in the historical center in 1 hour, hike outside downtown...

"Rennes unveils" visit

In addition to what "Rennes at a glance" will have shown us in the beginning of the tour, we will find out how Condate expanded at the confluence of Ille and Vilaine rivers (Condate is the Gallic name for Rennes, city close to these indomitable Gauls in Asterix and Obelix) .

We will take some time to walk around the narrow streets and squares inherited from the Middle Ages and find out more about the stories many facades have to tell us. Plenty of noteworthy sights. They will tell us how the city expanded and changed through the ages. Going beyond the city centre we will stroll along the piers and gardens. It will be a great opportunity to observe various styles representative for the new art of living which combine modernity and free spirit in historic surroundings.

Book a tour "Rennes unveils"

Practical information :

• Visit is meant to last 3.5 hours (with a lunch tasting break or shopping break at your convenience).

• Price rates
  - Private visit: 160 euros for your own group. 
  - Visit within a small group: 29 euros per person (free for -8 yo, 22 euros for -18 yo).

How to come to Rennes

• By train from Paris in 1.5 hour (Montparnasse TGV), from Nantes in 1h20, from Tours and Loire valley castles in 2h45. SNCF time schedule.
  
  
• By car : 350 km from Paris, 100 km from Nantes, 250 km from Loire valley castles, 180 km from Caen and Normandy.
  
  
• By plane, at the airport Rennes - St Jacques: 20 destinations with direct flight, in France and Europe (according to the season for some destinations).
  
  
• You will easily travel around Rennes by metro (up until 2008 Rennes was the smallest city in the world having its tube!), by bus or even on foot or bicycle (Rennes innovated in 1998 with the computerised booking system).

• With a private driver from your place / accommodation, a train station or an airport. It avoids you some stress not to have to find a parking spot. Possibilities for private tours with a driver from Rennes to many places in Brittany (Saint Malo, Mont Saint Michel, Dinan, Emerald coast, Broceliande forest, Carnac, ...).

Agenda

• Travelling is a cinema and music festival featuring a city or a country, in February. This year : Chile. From 2023 February, 7th till 14th.
• Jazz à l'étage, jazz festival, from 2023 March 2nd till 12th, in Saint Malo and Rennes.
  
• Mythos is a speech arts festival, which mixes poems, tales, theatre, songs, stories and multiple amazing forms of artistic expression! From 2023 April, 7th till 16th with artists famous for their poetic inspiration.
• Festival Rock'n Solex, the oldest student festival in France, with many concerts and solex races. From 2023 May, 10th till 14th (56th birthday!).
• Rennes sur roulettes, the rollerblade event in France, June 3rd-4th 2023.
• Les tombées de la nuit, it was originally intended as a street arts festival and it evolves towards various and innovative types of shows. In early July 2023 (exact dates to be confirmed), as well as on some Sundays throughout the year.
• Transat en ville (free concerts and shows) + light shows on the Parliament (every night, at around 10pm). In July and August.
• Les estivales de l'orgue, concerts and animations related to the organ, played in some churches and in the Cathedral of Rennes (it usually takes place once a week in August).
• Braderie du canal Saint Martin, one of the most important street and flea market in France, on the 3rd week-end in September (2023 September, 17th ?).
• Festival gourmand, the gastronomy event in the region, consisting of chef contest, public contest, demonstrations, market... it takes place in late September 2022 (dates to be confirmed; in September in some restaurants, and festivities in Rennes in late September).
• Le grand soufflet is an unusual music festival honouring the accordion and its modern music scene, coming from various origins, from 2023 October, 4th till 14th.
• Maintenant festival, rendez-vous of music, technologies and modern arts, in October.
• Court Métrange is the international fantasy and unusual short film festival, in October.
• Yaouank is a Breton modern music and dance festival, including fest noz, in November.
• Mettre en scène, theatre and dance festival, which is the opportunity for avant-garde international stage directors and choregraphers to meet, in November.
• Les Transmusicales, which is the musical event in Rennes exploring various music genres, beyond rock, during 4 days in early  December. There is an Off Festival downtown "bars en trans".
• Light shows on the Parliament or on the town hall for Christmas and New Year holidays.

And many more events that also occur in the region, for example the Bretagne festival "fête de la Bretagne" in May, the music festival on June, 21st... And throughout the year : Théâtre National de Bretagne, Opéra, Champs Libres, shows at the hall Liberté and in many other places!