From Medieval Gates to Art Deco Waves: Audio Tour of Rennes

Begin at the Couvent des Jacobins, a 14th-century Dominican monastery with Gothic arches and cloisters now transformed into a modern convention center. Discover how Rennes preserved the medieval stone shell while installing state-of-the-art facilities inside.

Admire Place du Champ-Jacquet, a picturesque square surrounded by timber-framed houses leaning at dramatic angles. Marvel at Ti Koz, the crimson house from 1505 that survived two devastating fires to become an icon of medieval Rennes.

Pass through Les Portes Mordelaises, the imposing royal gates where every Duke and Duchess of Brittany swore their oath before entering the city. Explore the medieval machicolations above, designed to drop stones on anyone attempting to force entry.

Peek through the gateway of the nearby Ancienne Manécanterie Saint-Pierre, a secret garden sanctuary for cathedral choirboys since 1476.

Stroll through Place des Lices, once the site of medieval jousting tournaments where Breton knights competed for glory. Experience France's second-largest Saturday market, where locals gather among timber-framed buildings that witnessed centuries of commerce.

Enter the Parlement de Bretagne, a 17th-century palace that went up in flames during a 1994 fishermen's protest. Learn how the city meticulously restored the gilded chambers and painted ceilings over nearly a decade.

Admire the geometric patterns and ocean-inspired waves created by Italian immigrants who transformed Rennes in the 1920s.

Walk through Parc du Thabor, a 10-hectare garden combining French formal gardens, English landscape design, and exotic plant collections. Enjoy the rose garden, aviaries, and terraced lawns created from former Benedictine monastery grounds.

Approach the Mairie de Rennes at Place de la Mairie, with its distinctive concave façade designed to mirror the Opera House opposite. Marvel at how these two 18th-century buildings lock together like architectural jigsaw pieces.

concave City Hall across the elegant square. Explore this neoclassical masterpiece where curved colonnades create one of France's most harmonious urban spaces.