Rennes has been the capital of Brittany since 1532, when the region was finally united with France. It is situated near to the Foret de Paimpont where King Arthur is said to have received Excalibur from the Lady of the Lake, and just to the east are the fortified towns of Fougeres and Vitre, showing how fiercely medieval Brittany defended its independence.
Most of the medieval town was destroyed in 1720 when a tipsy carpenter accidentally set the whole town alight. In order to outdo Paris in terms of grandeur, Rennes asked Parisian architects to redesign the town after the fire and what is left is a mishmash of 18th-century squares and half timbered houses in the narrow streets leading off them, which makes the town seem rather disjointed.
The north of the town is where you will find the old city, where the prettiest streets are the rue St Michel and rue St Georges; the south is very modern in contrast.
Rennes is not often mentioned on tourist guides but this medium size town is well worth a visit. It has it bit more than 200,000 inhabitants, of which about 60,000 are students.
This gives the town a vibrant night life. Some streets, such as the Rue Saint Michel, have only one type of shop on both sides, Bars and more Bars. The locals of Rennes actually call this Rue Saint Michel or la rue de la soif, which means the Street of Thirst.
A stroll down Rue Saint Michel on a Friday or Saturday evening is a very interesting experience indeed. However, if you are really in the mood to faire la fete, celebrate or just have fun in other words, the most exciting night on Rue de la Soif would be the Jeudi Soir, Thursday nights, during the school year.
Jeudi Soir is the night when bars are most often packed to the brim with students. The sights on a night out on the town are very memorable and interesting.
Rennes is particularly nice in early July, during the Festival des Tombees de la Nuit.
Its streets are then full of people enjoying the free street entertainment and eating or drinking at the terraces of the restaurants and cafes.
Rennes used to virtually empty after the 15th of July, as most of its inhabitants were migrating to the coast until the 15th August. In recent years, this trend seems to have stopped and Rennes terraces and cafes are now bustling throughout the year.
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