Rennes

Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in Northwestern France, where the rivers Ille and Vilaine meet. It is the main city of the Brittany region and the Ille-et-Vilaine department. In 2023, Rennes had a population of 230,890 people. Its larger metropolitan area is the 10th most populated in France, with over 789,000 people.

The history of Rennes goes back more than 2,000 years, when it was a small village called "Condate." It was an important city of the ancient Duchy of Brittany, along with Vannes and Nantes. During the 17th century, Rennes was an important administrative city in the Kingdom of France. After a big fire in 1720, parts of the old wooden city were rebuilt in stone.

Since the 1950s, Rennes has grown a lot because of people moving from rural areas to cities and because of new industries, especially in cars and technology. In the 1980s, it became a key place for telecommunications and high-tech work. Today, Rennes is an important digital center in France. It is also known for its beautiful old buildings, with over 90 protected as historic monuments. The city has more than 66,000 students, making it the eighth-largest university campus in France. In 2018, Rennes was named the most liveable city in France by L'Express.

History

Main articles: History of Rennes and Timeline of Rennes

Rennes is a city in eastern Brittany in northwestern France. It is where the rivers Ille and Vilaine meet. The city has been important in the history of Brittany. Today, Rennes is the main city of the Brittany region and the Ille-et-Vilaine department.

Administration

Since 2015, Rennes has been split into 6 areas called cantons. Each canton has its own group of people. Some cantons include parts of Rennes and nearby towns.

Rennes is also split into 12 different neighborhoods, each with its own name. The current leader of Rennes, called the mayor, is Nathalie Appéré. She belongs to a political group called the Socialist Party. She took over from another mayor who had served for many years.

Geography

The old part of Rennes is built on a hill. It is where two rivers meet: the Ille and the Vilaine.

Rennes is along the European atlantic arc, about 50 kilometers from the English Channel. It is near places like Saint-Malo, Dinard, and Mont Saint-Michel. The city has a large Green Belt around its main road. This is a safe space between the busy city and the quieter countryside.

Climate

Rennes has an oceanic climate. It does not rain as much here as in other parts of Brittany—about half as much as in Quimper. The city gets a good amount of sunshine each year, between 1,700 and 1,850 hours, similar to the sunshine in Lausanne.

Demographics

In 2023, Rennes had 230,890 people. The area around Rennes, called Rennes Métropole, includes 42 nearby suburbs and had 450,593 people. The larger area had almost 750,000 people.

Rennes is the second fastest-growing area in France, after Toulouse and ahead of Montpellier, Bordeaux, and Nantes.

Sights

Historic centre

The historic centre of Rennes is built on the old shape of old walls. The northern part looks different from the southern part because a big fire in 1720 destroyed many wooden houses there. The northern area was rebuilt with stone buildings in straight lines. The southern part was not rebuilt.

In the northern part, many fancy homes were built in the 1700s because of the parlement de Bretagne. Most of Rennes's important old buildings are here.

You can see colourful old houses with wooden frames along streets like Saint-Sauveur, Saint-Georges, and others.

The Parlement de Bretagne and city hall area

The Parlement de Bretagne is Rennes's most famous building from the 1600s. It was rebuilt after a fire in 1994. It now holds the Rennes Court of Appeal. Nearby is Place de la Mairie, which has the City Hall and an Opera house. Along Rue Saint-Georges, you can find old wooden houses, a pool from the 1920s, and Saint George Palace.

In the south-east, Saint-Germain square has a church and a footbridge over the Vilaine River.

The Place des Lices and cathedral area

Place des Lices has fancy homes and a big market each week. Near the Rennes Cathedral, you can see the Hôtel de Blossac and old wooden carvings.

Remains of the ramparts

Old walls built between the 3rd and 12th centuries were mostly torn down between the 1500s and the 1860s.

Place Saint-Anne area

Place Saint-Anne has a church from the early 1900s and the spot where an old hospital once stood. Rue Saint-Michel, also called "Road of Thirst," has many bars.

East: Thabor park area

The Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine basilica has parts from the 1100s and a garden called Jardin botanique du Thabor.

South city centre

The southern part of the city has a mix of old and newer buildings.

South of the Vilaine

The Fine Arts Museum sits along the Vilaine River. Les Champs Libres is a modern building with a museum, a library, and a science centre. There is also a market from 1922 and a hotel in a restored building.

Other sights

Northwest of Rennes are locks on the Canal d'Ille-et-Rance. There are also big gardens like Oberthür Park and a manor called Haute-Chalais.

Parks and gardens

Rennes has many parks and gardens, including Jardin botanique du Thabor and a garden at the University of Rennes.

Economy

Rennes has a strong economy in many important areas, such as making cars, technology, and farming food.

Many big companies have offices or factories in Rennes. One of the biggest is Orange, which employs thousands of people. Another large company is Stellantis, which makes cars. Rennes is also a top place for digital technology and internet companies, with many famous names and new startups located there. It is known for having many smart researchers and innovators in technology and farming foods.

Culture

Rennes is famous for its lively festivals and focus on arts and culture. It hosts many popular events, including the music festival Les Transmusicales, Les Tombées de la Nuit, Mythos, Stunfest (a fighting game competition), and Travelling (a film festival). In the 1980s, Rennes was a center for rock and new wave music in France.

Les Champs Libres is the largest cultural center in Brittany. It has a unique six-story pyramid shape with city views, a library, and includes the Museum of Brittany, Espace des Sciences, and a Planetarium.

Rennes has many places for concerts and shows, such as the MusikHall, Le Liberté, and several smaller venues. The city also has five museums, including the Musée des Beaux Arts and the Museum of Brittany.

Rennes was one of the first cities in France to have its own local TV channel, 'TV Rennes,' started in 1987. The city also has local radio stations and newspapers.

In Rennes, people speak both Breton and Gallo. Breton is taught in special schools and evening classes. The city has a plan to support the Breton language.

Local foods in Rennes include Breton galette, Galette-saucisse, Crêpe, and Cider. These foods can be found at the Marché des Lices market every Saturday morning.

Education

Rennes is a place where many students study. Lots of students live in the area.

The city has two big universities. Université de Rennes teaches subjects like science, technology, and medicine. Université Rennes 2 focuses on arts, literature, and languages.

There are also special schools for higher learning, such as the École Normale Supérieure de Rennes and the Institut d'études politiques de Rennes.

Other schools in Rennes include the ESC Rennes School of Business and branches of famous institutes like Supélec and Telecom Bretagne.

Rennes also has a program for American high school students called School Year Abroad, where they learn French and live with families. There is also a part-time Japanese school, the École Complémentaire Japonaise de Rennes, held at Collège Anne de Bretagne.

Sport

Rennes has many sports teams. The city is home to Stade Rennais F.C., a football club that plays in the top French league, Ligue 1, at the Roazhon Park stadium.

Rennes also has teams for other sports. There is a handball team called Cesson-Rennes-Métropole that plays in the top division. The city has a professional cycling team named Fortuneo-Vital Concept. There are also rugby teams in Rennes, including a women's team and a men's team.

Transport

Rennes has good roads, trains, and airplanes to help people travel.

The city has many bus routes and a train line that started in 2002. This train runs without drivers and is about 9 kilometers long with 15 stops. A second train line opened in 2022.

Rennes also has a bike-sharing system with 900 bikes. The city is an important place in Brittany’s road network, with a big ring road around it. From Rennes, you can drive to nearby cities like Saint-Malo, Nantes, Paris, Bordeaux, and Brussels.

Rennes has a big train station that opened in 1857. Fast trains can take you to Paris in just over an hour. There are also trains to many other cities in France and Brittany.

The city’s airport, Rennes Brittany Airport, is about 7 kilometers from the city center.

Notable people

Rennes has been home to many interesting people throughout history. Some well-known individuals from Rennes include writers, artists, scientists, and athletes.

A few examples are Soazig Aaron, a writer born in 1949, and Georges Ernest Boulanger, a general and politician born in 1837. There is also Félix Dujardin, a famous professor and scientist, and Valentina Tronel, a young singer who won a contest in 2020.

International relations

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Twin towns – sister cities

Rennes works with cities around the world. Some of these cities are:

• Exeter, England, UK (since 1956)
• Rochester, New York, US (since 1958)
• Erlangen, Germany (since 1964)
• Brno, Czech Republic (since 1965)
• Sendai, Japan (since 1967)
• Leuven, Belgium (since 1980)
• Sétif, Algeria (since 1982)
• Cork, Ireland (since 1982)
• Almaty, Kazakhstan (since 1991)
• Bandiagara Cercle, Mali (since 1995)
• Poznań, Poland (since 1998)
• Sibiu, Romania (since 1999)
• Jinan, China (since 2002)
• Santiago de Compostela, Spain (since 2010)
• Diyarbakır, Türkiye (since 2025)

Other forms of cooperation

Friendly towns within France

• Saint-Gilles-du-Mené, France (since 1978)
• Rennes-les-Bains, France (since 1985)

Pacts of cooperation

• Huế, Vietnam (since 1992)

Sponsorship

• Vouziers, France

Rennes has the only Institut Franco-Américain in France.

Broadcasting facilities

Rennes has a broadcasting facility named the Transmitter Rennes-Thourie.

Cityscape

Rennes has many interesting buildings and places to see. You can visit the Opera of Rennes, Saint George Palace, and the Horizons tower, which is 100 metres tall. There are also nice places like the New style city centre, the Notre-Dame en Saint-Mélaine church, and the Ouest-France building. You can see Place Rallier du Baty, beautiful windows at the Hôtel Racape de La Feuillée, and visit the Marché des Lices market, which happens once a week.