The 10 who make Rennes

Gone are the days when the city was just a stopover on the way to Saint-Malo or the Pink Granite Coast. Rennes is now a destination in its own right, and all the better for it! Its historic center boasts a profusion of medieval mansions, and its museums and art centers are among the most dynamic in France. Its music scene stands out for the quality of its concerts and festivals (including the now legendary Rencontres Transmusicales) and, on the gastronomic front, a young generation of chefs rivals each other in talent and imagination to revitalize the local terroir. All these assets make Rennes one of the most pleasant cities in France... One of the youngest too, with some 70,000 students, all happy to have settled in this lively, generous city open to the world.

Where to stay in Rennes?

Mama Shelter

Housed in the former Hôtel de la Monnaie, just a stone's throw from Place des Lices, the Mama Shelter in Rennes takes a whimsical approach to the Celtic spirit of the place. Interior designer Benjamin El Doghaïli drew inspiration from the works of local artist Isidore Odorico to cover the lobby counter with mosaics, and decorated the lounges with seaweed motifs. the lounges with seaweed motifs to celebrate the surrounding sea, and even used the geometry of Bigouden headdresses to design the carpets! As for the rest, Mama's hallmarks are evident: 119 functional, comfortable rooms, a restaurant offering a blend of brasserie cuisine and local recipes, coworking spaces and party venues, not to mention a swimming pool and a rooftop for sipping a drink with a dreamy 180° view of the city's rooftop forest.

• Rooms from 150 euros.
• 3 Place de la Trinité 35000 Rennes. Tel: 02 57 67 67 70
• Further information on the Mama Shelter Rennes website.

LeCoq-Gadby Hotel & Spa

LeCoq-Gadby Hôtel & Spa is above all a family affair. It all began here in 1902, when Pierre Gadby opened reception rooms in this half-timbered house on Rue d'Antrain. Each generation then took part in embellishing the historic residence, until Véronique and Jacques (4thᵉ generation) decided, in 2008, to enlarge and convert it into a hotel. While the house has retained its Directoire dining room, the 16 rooms and suites mix family furniture and contemporary objects, all orchestrated by Mathilde, designer and eldest daughter of the owners. As for the restaurant, the family is once again in the spotlight, with brother Charles officiating in the nearby kitchens in Châteaubourg, which supply the hotel's table and a catering service developed by LeCocq-Gadby. A member of The Originals group, this warm and comfortable address boasts a spa with indoor pool, sauna and hammam.

• Rooms from 152 euros.
• 156 rue d'Antrain 35000 Rennes. Tel: 02 99 38 05 55
• Further information on LeCoq-Gadby Hôtel & Spa

Where to eat, drink and dine in Rennes?

Racines

This is one of Brittany's best-known restaurants. In the wake of Virginie Giboire (in the kitchen) and Fabien Hacques (in the dining room), a whole team is moving forward with the same enthusiasm for modernity and good humor. In this large room with its contemporary, urban decor, organized around an open kitchen, you can enjoy a cuisine that is essentially marine...
▶ Read Gault&Millau's full review of Racines

Caneton

Pierre Clolus has a flair for business and conviviality. Building on the success of his Ambassade (10/20), he has teamed up with Noa Guindeuil to open this new gourmet venue just around the corner, whose ambiance, warm layout, lively service and cuisine are in keeping with bistro codes. While the lunch menu already offers the chance to indulge at an affordable price (for example: beet gazpacho, cucumber and horseradish cream; farm-fresh piglet, lentils; farmer's rice pudding, caramel), the menu is just as tempting, and not just for meat lovers, who will be sure to check out the maturing cellar (Angus rib of beef, Limousin, Blonde d'Aquitaine, Charolais entrecôte...)...
▶ Read Gault&Millau's full review of Caneton

Marché des Lices

France's second-largest market, and a meeting place for the people of Rennes since... 1662! Every Saturday, you have to get here at the crack of dawn to see the 300-odd stalls filled with fish and seafood, meat and poultry, organic fruit and vegetables from nearby market gardeners, and local breads and ciders. An experience that celebrates the best of the region's gastronomic culture, with a must-taste of the famous galette saucisse. Don't miss the two covered market halls, built in 1868 on the model of the Baltard market halls in Paris.
▶ Place des Lices, 35000 Rennes

L' Aventure

Established in 1978 in the heart of the former Saint-Michel Prison, this bar celebrates the taste for freedom in a festive atmosphere where people come to toast, chat and dance late into the night. We love l'Aventure for its baroque decor, with its large bolted doors and wooden galleries, its cocktails designed "for the adventurous" and its passion for the 80s, with the must-haves of French music as well as more cutting-edge electro nights. A must for Rennes nights...
▶ 7 All. Rallier du Baty, 35000 Rennes. Tel: 02 99 79 37 44

Things to see and do in Rennes

The old town and its stores

A veritable medieval and Renaissance gem, Rennes' historic center can be visited along its pedestrian lanes, from Place des Lices to Saint-Pierre Cathedral and the streets of Chapitre, Saint-Sauveur and Saint-Guillaume, with their flower-filled courtyards and half-timbered facades. It's also a great place to do some shopping, as the area is brimming with cutting-edge, witty addresses. Our favorites? Made in Frog for its 100% French selection of ready-to-wear, decorative objects and delicatessen; Maison Archibald, a concept store and tea room; Galerie M for its beautiful design pieces. And let's notforget La Cale aux épices, with its Asian peppers, fragrant curries and Hawaiian black salt.. .

• Made in Frog, 12 rue du Chapitre 35000 Rennes. Tel 02 99 67 62 94

• Maison Archibald, 14 rue de la Monnaie 35000 Rennes. Tel: 02 99 67 62 94

• Galerie M 1 Pl du Parlement de Bretagne. 35000 Rennes. Tel: 02 99 41 44 02

Musée des Beaux-Arts

One of the world's richest and liveliest museums! There's something here for every taste, from the halls of Antiquity to 18th-century French painting, from Flemish Baroque to the masters of lyrical abstraction - Nicolas de Staël or Pierre Soulages. Not to be missed is President de Robien's cabinet of curiosities, featuring a breathtaking collection of rare engravings and paintings (Rubens, Rembrandt...), as well as thousands of books and precious objects from the four corners of the globe. The museum also hosts remarkable temporary exhibitions, as demonstrated by Gérard Zlotykamien, a major urban artist whose frescoes are on show until January 7, 2024.
▶ 20 Quai Emile Zola, 35000 Rennes. Tel: 02 23 62 17 45

Champs libres

The people of Rennes are loyal devotees of this venue, which combines all the best features: a glass and steel structure designed by Christian de Portzamparc and modern, attractive cultural spaces. Our favorites?The Musée de Bretagne, whose museography passionately traces the region's history.the golden age of Brittany, and a film on the Dreyfus affair, the last trial of which took place in Rennes. A stone's throw away, the Espace des Sciences will appeal to the youngest visitors, with a digital planetarium and Merlin's laboratory, where they can experiment to understand scientific phenomena. Anddon't miss the many temporary exhibitions, installations and performances on offer.
▶ 10 Cour des Alliés, 35000 Rennes. Tel: 02 23 40 66 00

L' Alaska

A stone's throw from the Théâtre National de Bretagne, this former Peugeot garage is a café, canteen and flea market where you'll find the very best - Art Deco lighting, Danish furniture, industrial and 70s style. At lunchtime, we head for the restaurant set among the stalls to enjoy a homemade soup, a lentil dahl or a vanilla & caramel moelleux to die for. All the while admiring the terrazzo floors and Odorico mosaics that still adorn the premises.
▶ 14 Rue Dupont-des-Loges, 35000 Rennes. Tel: 02 90 08 12 77

A boat trip on the Ille canal. ..

P'tits bateaux offers several 2 to 3-hour tours on small electric boats that can be driven without a license. City dwellers can join the Vilaine for a crossing of Rennes; oxygen-seeking visitors can head north to the Prairies Saint-Martin, a 28-hour nature park with a wide range of activities: children's games, a boules pitch, an animal farm, not to mention a kiosk where you can sip a drink overlooking the canal...