Rennes is located in the Ille-et-Vilaine Department and in the Bretagne region. As well as being the capital city of Bretagne today, Rennes was also historically the capital of the Duchy of Brittany. There are around 206,000 inhabitants in the city itself, with a greater metropolitan population of around 660,000, making it the 11th largest urban area in France. The rather large disparity between the two (urban and suburban) is due to a deliberate policy of making the city an example of the “City-Archipelago” concept. In ancient times, Rennes was but a little village located at the meeting of the Ille and Vilaine Rivers.

It was founded by the Redones, one of the ancient people of Brittany, most likely around the year 2 BC. After the invasion and the later fall of the Roman Empire, Condate changed the name to Rennes as an allusion to the original founders’ name. From the 5th century onwards, Rennes and the rest of Brittany was under the control of various tribes that came over from England. The city was attacked a number of times around the 10th century over land disputes with the neighbouring Franks. At the end of the 15th century, the King of France at the time time, Charles VIII, forced Duchess Anne of Brittany into marriage. Although the territory officially remained independent, the reality was quite different. The marriage of Anne’s daughter to the next King of France, Francis, ratified the annexation of Brittany to France in 1532.

A two-day break:

Two days should be enough time to a get a decent feel for the city of Rennes. There are four Campanile Hotels available, all within 5km of the city centre: Rennes Centre, Rennes Ouest – Cleunay, Rennes Est – Atalante and Rennes Sud – Chantepie. The city has a very rich religious, industrial, and civil patrimony. For a religious tour, you should plan to stop by the Saint-Pierre de Rennes Cathedral, the Saint-Saveur de Rennes Basilica and the Notre-Dame des Miracles et Vertus. For an industrial look at the city, stop by the numerous marketplaces, such as the Martenot marketplace, which were for the most part constructed during the late 1800s. You will also come across some wonderful 19th-century mills which are no longer in use. Other must-see sites are the recently restored Palais du Parlement de Bretagne, the City Theatre - inaugurated in 1836, or the beautiful Hôtel de Ville. Some time should be used just wandering through the old parts of the city while admiring the old timbered houses.

A week-long stay:

The Rue Saint Michel is a particularly beautiful street in Rennes with its brightly coloured timbered houses. During your longer stay, you should also pay a visit the Portes Mordelaises, one of the last standing parts of the walls that once protected the city during the Middle Ages. The Champs Libres is an oddly-shaped building that holds, in particular, the Musée de Bretagne. If you have time, also pay a visit to the Alignement du XXIe Siècle (21st-century Alignment), which is an enormous sculpture built from granite blocks, located in the new Beauregard quarter. The other Breton cities of Caen and Nantes are close by too to prolong your discovery of the region. If you have time, you can also pay a visit to the Mont Saint-Michel or the quaint Saint-Malo.

A family holiday:

The city boasts 811 hectares of green space, of which half are entirely public. Your family will also enjoy Rennes' particular attachment to its rivers.

Transport:

The Rennes-St Jacques Airport has daily national flights and is just 20 minutes from the city centre. Rennes is a large hub for trains, and you can easily get there from Paris in about 2 hours. Many motorways pass through the city, so driving there is always an option. Once in the city, you can make use the well-developed metro and bus system. Driving is possible, but if you don’t know the city it can be rather difficult due to the myriad of one-way streets. Like many other French cities, Rennes has adopted the public bike rental systems, where you can take a bike for a limited amount of time from the many automatic kiosks around the city. Most people however, feel that it’s best to visit Rennes on foot.

Gastronomy:

Wheat crepe and buckwheat “galette” (savoury crepes) restaurants adorn the streets of Rennes, particularly in the historic centre. The sausage galette and the Rennes Parlementin are must-try local specialties.

Events:

Every March the city of Rennes hosts the Un Des Sens Festival, a multicultural event based on the numerous interpretations of the word “sens” (feeling). Another March festival is the Festival Rue des Livres (Street of Books), which is organized every year around a chosen theme.The Rock’n Solex is organised each May and offers various concerts. The Tombées de la Nuit Festival takes place every summer and attracts all types of locals with street spectacles and concerts. Come wintertime, the Transmusicales Festival, created in 1979, brings together all types of music.

Interesting fact:

About 3% of school children are enrolled in a bilingual Breton-French program.

Useful links:

http://www.metropole.rennes.fr (Official city site)http://www.tourisme-rennes.com// (Tourist site)