Rennes Overview

Two hours from Paris, Rennes (ren; pop. 213,000) has the cosmopolitan attitude of the French capital and the independent spirit of the Breton countryside. The cityscape is a melange of the medieval half-timbered houses, ornate Neoclassical facades, and colorful nightclubs that line winding cobblestone streets and hidden alleys. Unlike Brittany’s coast, Rennes is most alive from September to June, when its 60,000 students are in town and the quintessentially French youth culture is palpable from the moment you step off the train.

• Trains: Pl. de la Gare. Info and ticket office open M-Th 5:40am-9:05pm, F 5:40am-9:15pm, Sa 6:45am-8:05pm, Su 7:40am-10:05pm. To: Brest (2hr., every hr., €30-40); Caen (3hr., 4 per day, €33); Nantes (1-2hr., 6-11 per day, €22); Paris (2hr., every hr., €53-65); St-Malo (1hr., 15 per day, €15); Tours (2-3hr., every hr., €37).
• Buses: 16 pl. de la Gare (☎08 10 35 10 35; www.gare-routière-rennes.fr), to the right of the train station’s north entrance. Illenoo (☎02 99 30 87 80; www.illenoo.fr) serves Dinan (1hr.; M-Sa 5 per day, Su 4 per day; €3) and St-Malo (2hr.; M-Sa 5 per day, Su 3 per day; €3); ages 10-26 tickets 20% off. Anjou Bus (☎08 20 16 00 49; www.cg49.fr) goes to Angers (2hr., 2 per day, €14). Regional buses run to Mont-St-Michel (1hr.; 4 per day; €11, under 25 or over 60 €9).
• Public Transportation: Star, 12 rue du Pré Botté (☎08 11 55 55 35; www.star.fr). Office open M-F 7am-7:30pm, Sa 9am-6:30pm. Buses run M-Sa 5:15am-12:30am, Su 7:25am-midnight. Buy tickets on board, at the bus office, or at tabacs. A Métro line runs through the heart of Rennes and accepts the same ticket. Tickets €1.10, day pass €4.
• Taxis: At the train station and on pl. de la République (☎02 99 30 79 79). 24hr.
• Bike Rental: Guedard, 13 bd. Beaumont (☎02 99 30 43 78). €13 per day. Open M 2-7pm, Tu 9am-12:30pm and 2-7pm, F 10am-7pm, Sa 9am-6:30pm. AmEx/MC/V.

Orientation And Practical Information

Avenue Jean Janvier, at the north exit of the station, runs over the Vilaine River, which separates the train station from the vieille ville. Turn left and walk along quai Chateaubriand to reach place de la République, the city’s cultural center. To the north on rue d’Orléans lies place de la Mairie, in the heart of the vieille ville.

• Tourist Office: 11 rue St-Yves (☎02 99 67 11 11; www.tourisme-rennes.com). From pl. de la République, turn right onto rue George Dottin, then right on rue St-Yves. The office is on the right. Free maps, directions, public toilets, and lists of hotels, restaurants, and shops. 1-2hr. tours of centre-ville in French July-Aug. daily, Sept.-June 1-3 per week. In English or Spanish Aug. 2 per week. €6.80, students €4, under 7 free. Ticket office for tours, festivals, and concerts. Open July-Aug. M-Sa 9am-7pm, Su 11am-1pm and 2-6pm; Sept.-June M 1-6pm, Tu-Sa 10am-6pm, Su 11am-1pm and 2-6pm. France Randonnée, 9 rue Portes Mordelaises (☎02 99 67 42 21; www.france-randonnee.fr). Info on Grande Randonnée (GR) trails (several daylong to weeklong hikes), as well as shorter walks. Open from mid-Mar. to mid-Oct. M-F 10am-12:30pm and 2-6pm, Sa 10am-1pm; from mid-Oct. to mid-Mar. M-F 10am-12:30pm.
• Consulate: US, 30 quai Duguay Trouin (☎02 23 44 09 60; fax 35 00 92). Open by appointment only.
• English-Language Bookstore: Operated by the Institut Franco-Américain, 7 quai Chateaubriand (☎02 99 79 89 22; www.ifa-rennes.org). Brittany’s largest English-language bookstore. Open Tu 10am-noon and 1-6pm, W 10am-noon and 1-6:30pm, Th 1-6:30pm, F 1-5:30pm, Sa 10am-1pm. Comédie des Langues, 25 rue de St-Malo (☎02 99 36 72 95; www.comediedeslangues.fr). Books in a number of languages (including English, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish). Open M-F 9:30am-7pm, Sa 10am-6pm.
• Youth Center: Centre Régional Information Jeunesse Bretagne (CRIJB), Maison du Champ de Mars, 6 cours des Alliés (☎02 99 31 47 48; www.crij-bretagne.com). Info on summer jobs, vacations, and safety. Geared toward locals. Free anonymous counseling Sept.-June. Internet free for research. Personal Internet use for members €1 per hr.; nonmembers €2 per hr.; annual membership €4. Open July-Aug. Tu noon-9pm, W-F noon-7pm, Sa-Su 2-7pm; Sept.-June Tu 10am-9pm, W-F 10am-6pm, Sa 2-6pm.
• Laundromats: 18 rue du Robien (☎02 99 38 86 62), near the hostel. Also a cafe. Open Tu-W 11am-8pm, Th-F 11am-1am, Sa 1pm-1am, Su 3pm-1am. Branches at 23 rue de Penhoët (open daily 7am-8pm), 59 rue Duhamel (open daily 7am-10pm), and 3 pl. de Bretagne (open daily 7am-10pm).
• Police: 22 bd. de la Tour d’Auvergne (☎02 99 65 00 22).
• Pharmacy: Pharmacie de la Gare, 9 pl. de la Gare (☎02 99 30 83 27), across from the train station. Open M-F 8:30am-7:30pm, Sa 9am-12:30pm.
• Hospital: Centre Hospitalier Régional Hôtel Dieu, 2 rue de l’Hôtel Dieu (☎02 99 28 43 21).
• Internet Access: Taxiphone Cyber Cafe, 58 rue de St-Malo (☎02 99 36 94 63). Photocopies and international telephones. €1.20 per 30min. €2 per hr. Open daily 10am-11pm. Cash only. Also in many cafes around pl. Ste-Anne.
• Post Office: Pl. de la République (☎02 99 78 43 32). Open M-F 8:30am-7pm, Sa 9am-12:30pm. Currency exchange, fax, photocopies, and Western Union available. Branch at 24 pl. Hoche (☎02 23 20 02 05). Open M 10am-6pm, Tu-F 8:45am-12:15pm and 1:45-6pm, Sa 8:45am-12:15pm. Postal Code: 35000.

Accommodations And Camping

Hotels cluster near the train station and the south bank of the Vilaine; cheaper options tend to be slightly farther away. Reserve ahead, especially for stays during the first week of July when the Tombées de la Nuit festival hits town.

• Auberge de Jeunesse (HI), 10-12 canal St-Martin (☎02 99 33 22 33; rennes@fuaj.org). From the station, take the Métro (dir.: Kennedy) to Ste-Anne. Walk to the right of the church on rue de St-Malo, which turns into canal St-Martin. Cross the bridge; the hostel is on the right. Simple 2- to 4-bed rooms with lockers and showers, some with canal views. Kitchen, common room with TV, and cafeteria. Breakfast included. Laundry (wash €3, dry €2). Internet €0.50 per 30min. Reception 7am-11pm. Lockout M-Sa 10am-3:30pm, Su 10am-1pm. Night guard after 1am. Dorms €17. MC/V.
• Hôtel Maréchal Joffre, 6 rue Maréchal Joffre (☎02 99 79 37 74; fax 78 38 51). Small, simple, and quiet rooms above a tiny lunch counter in the centre-ville. Breakfast €5. Reception M-Sa 24hr., closed Su 1-8pm. Open mid-August to mid-July. Singles €25, with shower and toilet €34; doubles €38; triples €38-44. AmEx/MC/V.
• Hôtel Venezia, 27 rue Dupont des Loges (☎02 99 30 36 56; hotel.venezia@wanadoo.fr), on an island in the Vilaine River. Bright, cozy rooms. Some have rugs and marble mantels. Frequented by university administrators and professors. All rooms with TVs. Breakfast €5. Reception 7am-11:30pm. Reservations recommended. Singles €28-36, with shower and toilet €38-46; doubles €38/48. Extra bed €10. AmEx/MC/V.
• Hôtel de Léon, 15 rue de Léon (☎02 99 30 55 28; www.hotel-de-leon.fr). Escape the crowds with spacious, clean, budget-friendly rooms close to the centre-ville. Breakfast €6. Singles with toilet €32, with full bath €36; doubles €36-41; triples €47. MC/V.
• Camping Municipal des Gayeulles, rue Maurice Audin (☎02 99 36 91 22; www.camping-rennes.com), in Parc des Gayeulles. Take bus #3 (dir.: St-Laurent) from pl. du Colombier or pl. de la République to Piscine/Gayeulles (M-Sa every 10min., Su every 40min.; last bus midnight). Follow the path around the pool on the right until the paved road; turn left and follow signs. Deep in the Parc des Gayeulles, with additional sites in July and Aug. Snack bar. The only drawback is the distance from the centre-ville. Internet €1 per 30min. Reception from mid-June to mid-Sept. daily 7:30am-1pm and 2-8pm; from mid-Sept. to Oct. and from Apr. to mid-June daily 9am-12:30pm and 4:30-8pm; Nov.-Mar. M-Sa 8-9am and 6-8pm. Gates closed from mid-June to mid-Sept. 11pm-7am; from mid-Sept. to mid-June 10pm-7am. €3.50 per adult, under 10 €1.50, €2.50-5.50 per tent; €1.50 per car; €6.40-7.30 per caravan. Electricity €3. AmEx/MC/V.

Food

Rennes’s culinary center, northwest of the city, boasts an astounding quantity of ethnic restaurants; rue de Saint-Malo alone has Haitian, Lebanese, Indian, and Chinese cuisine, with Greek and Italian restaurants nearby. There are plenty of kebab stands on and around place Sainte-Anne , and more traditional restaurants around place Saint-Michel and in the centre-ville. On the other side of the city, brasseries and crêperies line rue Saint-George. The city’s largest market is on place des Lices (open Sa 7am-1pm); others are held from Tuesday to Sunday throughout the city (ask at the tourist office for a list). Local supermarkets include a Champion, 20 rue d’Isly, in a mall near the train station (open M-Sa 9:30am-8pm), a Supermarché Hoche, 9 pl. Hoche (open M-Sa 8am-9pm, Su 9am-noon), and a Marché Plus, 43 pl. de la Rance, in an apartment complex off rue de St-Malo near the hostel (open M-Sa 7am-9pm, Su 9am-noon). There are several local grocery stores along rue Jean Janvier by the train station.

• Le St-Germain des Champs (Restaurant Végétarien-Biologique), 12 rue du Vau St-Germain (☎02 99 79 25 52). Friendly chefs serve lunch at this popular organic and vegetarian spot accented with plants, cloth lanterns, excavated fossils and crystals, and nature photos. Lunch plats €10- €19. Open M-Sa noon-2:30pm. MC/V.
• Crêperie des Portes Mordelaises, 6 rue des Portes Mordelaises (☎02 99 30 42 95). Startlingly blue and pink, this small authentic crêperie is one of the city’s best—as student crowds will attest. Salads €5.90. Carefully crafted galettes and crêpes €3-10. Open Aug.-June M-Sa 11:30am-2pm and 6:30-11pm. MC/V.
• Star, 3 pl. Ste-Anne (☎02 99 79 07 34). One of the best (and cheapest) kebaberies around pl. Ste-Anne. Enjoy the delicious sauce blanche while people-watching from the tables outside. Huge kebab-frites plus drink €6. Plats €5.50-9.50. Cash only.
• Café Breton, 14 rue Nantaise (☎02 99 30 74 95). A stylish restaurant serving an ever-changing menu of market-fresh cuisine in a warm, dimly lit dining room. Salads €5-10. Plats €10-15. Desserts €4-6. Open M noon-3pm, Tu-W noon-3pm and 7:30-10pm, Th-Sa noon-3pm and 7-11pm. Closed part of Aug. Reservations recommended.
• Léon le Cochon, 1 rue Maréchal Joffre (☎02 99 79 37 54; www.leonlecochon.com). Enticing local dishes fuse modern and traditional at this elegant restaurant. The restaurant’s swinish theme, emphasized by the giant “chef pig” statue and pig paintings, extends to the menu, although there are plenty of other options. Lunch formule €15. Plats €9-20. Open M-Th noon-2pm and 8-10:30pm, F-Sa 8-11pm. AmEx/MC/V.
• La P’tite Bretonne, 8 rue St-Malo (☎02 99 79 65 64). A summer seaside cottage comes to mind at this relaxing crêperie off pl. Ste-Anne. For a brief repose from the hectic street dancers, kick back artisan ciders (€3) or try the “Maya” crêpe, a toasted apple flambé (€6). Galettes from €1.40; sweet crêpes from €1.80. Lunch formule €8.50. Open Tu-Sa noon-2pm and 7-11pm. MC/V.

Sights

The beautiful vieille ville is a medieval village with a young flair. Half-timbered buildings—now filled with bars and modern storefronts—dot the old city from pl. Ste-Anne and pl. St-Michel to pl. du Calvaire and narrow rue St-Georges.

 Jardin Du Thabor. These lush grounds—some of France’s most beautiful—feature fountains, imposing trees, neat flower beds punctuated by statues, an aviary of parakeets, and a former duelists’ rendezvous that is now a performance stage lovingly referred to as “hell.” The target-shaped rose garden holds 980 varieties of the fleur d’amour. A small gallery on the north side of the gardens exhibits local artwork. (☎02 99 28 56 62. Entrances at pl. St-Melaine, rue de la Palestine, rue de Paris, and bd. de la Duchesse Anne. Open daily June-Aug. 7:30am-8:30pm; Sept.-June 7:30am-6:30pm.) On Wednesdays in July, Les Mercredis du Thabor brings Breton song and dance to the gardens. (☎02 99 30 06 87; http://skeudenn.ouestfrance.fr. Free shows at 8:30pm.)

Musée Des Beaux-Arts. Rennes’s art museum is among Rennes's hidden gems. It features art from ancient Egyptian to modern abstract works, but has few well-known pieces. The Baroque collection is impressive, especially Rubens’s The Tiger Hunt. The museum also wades in Picasso’s Surrealist period of the 20s with The Bather, considered one of his most abstract depictions of a woman. (20 quai Émile Zola. ☎02 23 62 17 45; www.mbar.org. Open Tu 10am-6pm, W-Su 10am-noon and 2-6pm. €4.30, students €2.20, under 18 free. Special exhibits €5.40/2.70/free.)

Parc Des Gayeulles. Gayeulles’s expansive forests are interspersed with an indoor pool, several lakes (with paddle boats in the summer), sports fields, tennis courts, minigolf, and a campground. Many great walking and bike paths cut through the park; maps are posted at regular intervals. The park is home to a working farm for children and an animal reserve. (15min. bus ride; see Camping Municipal directions. ☎02 99 28 56 62. Open July-Aug. 8am-8:30pm; Sept.-June 8am-5:45pm. Free.)

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre. Construction on this cathedral was interrupted by the Revolution and the building was left unfinished until 1844. Standing on a site previously occupied by a pagan temple, a Roman church, and a Gothic cathedral, the church is a 19th-century masterpiece, with a massive Neoclassical facade and huge columns inside holding up the painted and gilded ceiling. The one noticeable 20th-century addition is its altar, a large block of green bronze. The fifth chapel on the right houses the cathedral’s treasure: a delicately carved 16th-century wooden altarpiece that traces the life of the Virgin Mary. (Open daily 9:30am-noon and 3-6pm. Closed to visitors during high mass Su 10:30-11:30am.) Across the street, tucked in an alleyway bearing the same name, the unassuming Portes Mordelaises are the last vestige of the medieval city walls.

Other Sights. Pick up a copy of Le Circuit des Têtes de l’Art at the tourist office for detailed information on the month’s art exhibits, which include several free shows, especially in summer. In late June, check out Sortie des Artistes, 8 galérie du Théâtre, a gallery that hosts free exhibits. (www.sortiedesartistes.fr. Open W-Sa 2pm-8pm.)

Nightlife

After the sun sets, the city’s population seems to double, and the party doesn’t calm down until dawn. Much of the action centers on place Sainte-Anne, place Saint-Michel, and place des Lices. Don’t stop there—hot nightspots pervade the city, with some great bars and discothèques south of the Vilaine. When heading outside the centre-ville, however, be careful and travel in groups.

Bars

• Le Haricot Rouge, 10 rue Baudrairie. A “lucky” accordion hangs above the bar at this intimate after-hours hub near pl. de la Mairie. Clientele spills onto the terrace in the summer. Beer €2.60. Pints €5. Free Wi-Fi. Open Tu-Sa 11am-1am. MC/V.
• La Cité d’Ys, 31 rue Vasselot (☎02 99 78 24 84). Named for a legendary Breton city, this bar is full of mythic atmosphere, enhanced by Celtic knots and crosses. 2 floors are linked by a twisting spiral staircase; even the bar is a spiral. Live traditional music twice a month. Coreff beer €2.40. Open M-F noon-1am, Sa-Su 2pm-1am. AmEx/MC/V.
• O’Connell’s Irish Pub, 6-7 pl. du Parlement de Bretagne (☎02 99 79 38 76). Anglophones, Anglophiles, and locals alike come for pints of Beamish (€6), poured by Irish expats. Live Irish jigs Su 8:30pm. Beer €2.50-6. Whiskey €3.10-5.20. Happy hour M 7-10pm, Th 7pm-1am. Open M-Sa 11am-1am, Su 5pm-1am. MC/V.
• Bernique Hurlante, 40 rue de St-Malo (☎02 99 38 70 09). Welcomes a diverse crowd in an intimate, funky space with modern art and a mosaic on the back wall. The house specialty is the “rum surprise” (€3.50)—it’s as unique as the bar itself. Beer €2.40-5. Open Aug. Tu-Sa 6pm-1am; Sept.-July Tu-Sa 4pm-1am, Su 6pm-1am. AmEx/MC/V.
• L’Emblême, 24 rue d’Antrain (☎02 99 38 71 88). A small, welcoming bar with eclectic decor and a red and black floor. Theme nights Sa. Open M-Sa 5pm-1am. MC/V.
• Le Papagayo, 10 rue Maréchal Joffre (☎02 99 79 65 13). An unassuming lunch counter by day, this tropical spot is a party after dark—especially on the twice-monthly theme nights. Beer €2.30-5. Champagne €7. Open M-Sa 7am-1am. MC/V.

Clubs

• Délicatessen, 7 impasse Rallier du Baty (☎02 99 78 23 41), near pl. St-Michel. Housed in a former prison, this club has swapped jailhouse rock for electronica. Drinks €6, after 1:30am €10. Cover Tu-Th €5, after 1:30am €10; F-Sa €10/15; includes drink. Women free before 1:30am. Mandatory coat check €2, bags €5. Open Tu-Sa midnight-5am.
• L’Espace, 45 bd. de la Tour d’Auvergne (☎02 99 30 21 95). Enter through the blue corridor. After 2am, a lively, young crowd grinds to thumping music under video screens. Strobe lights and disco balls fill the stage, cage, and 2 floors. Shots €5. Beer €6-8. Mixed drinks €10. Cover Th-F €10, Sa €13; students Th before 1am free, Th after 1am and F-Sa €8; includes 1 alcoholic or 2 non-alcoholic drinks. Mandatory coat check €2, bags €5. Happy hour Th 11:30pm-1am. Open Th-Sa 11pm-5am. MC/V.

Festivals

Consult the tourist office for a guide to upcoming theater, dance, and classical music performances and for festival tickets and info.

• Festival Les Mythos (☎02 99 79 26 07; www.festival-mythos.com), in Apr. A celebration of contes (fairy tales) and other oral traditions.
• Fiertés (www.marche.inter-lgbt.org), in mid-June. A jovial annual festival packed with parades, art exhibits, concerts, and dance soirées.
• Les Tombées de la Nuit (☎02 99 32 56 56; www.tdn.rennes.fr), 1 week in early July. A riot of music, theater, mime, dance, and interactive performances overtakes the city.
• Orchestre de Bretagne (☎02 99 27 52 75; www.orchestra-de-bretagne.com), in summer. Performs free concerts.
• Rencontres Transmusicales (☎02 99 31 13 10; www.lestrans.com), in early Dec. The city fills with renowned international musicians and bands.