Share this tour
Offered languages
- English
- English
Brittany’s capital, Rennes, has been shaped by an unwavering refusal to be defined by its past. On this self-guided audio tour, you’ll discover how this city transformed itself from a medieval timber town into a pioneer of modernism and an Art Deco showcase, all while maintaining its fiercely independent Breton identity. The tour starts at the Couvent des Jacobins, a Dominican monastery from the 1300s that’s now a state-of-the-art convention center. You’ll wander through the narrow streets of the medieval quarter, past timber-framed houses that survived the catastrophic Great Fire of 1720. You’ll walk through the elegant Place de la Mairie, where the City Hall and Opera House were designed as architectural mirrors – one concave, one convex – that locked together like jigsaw pieces. The tour ends at Place Hoche, a grand academic square anchored by the neo-Gothic Hôtel Galicier, which blends medieval fantasy with industrial-age concrete.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
This tour starts at Couvent des Jacobins. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
Tour ends at Place Hoche.
Itinerary
-
(Pass by)
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.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
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.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
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.
Admission ticket free -
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre (Pass by)
Visit Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, rebuilt in the 19th century after centuries of collapses and reconstructions. Peek through the gateway of the nearby Ancienne Manécanterie Saint-Pierre, a secret garden sanctuary for cathedral choirboys since 1476.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
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.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
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.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
Discover the Saint-Georges swimming pool, an Art Deco masterpiece adorned with vibrant mosaics by the Odorico family. Admire the geometric patterns and ocean-inspired waves created by Italian immigrants who transformed Rennes in the 1920s.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
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.
Admission ticket free -
(Pass by)
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.
Admission ticket free -
Opéra de Rennes (Pass by)
Stand before the Rennes Opera House, its convex rotunda perfectly mirroring the concave City Hall across the elegant square. Explore this neoclassical masterpiece where curved colonnades create one of France's most harmonious urban spaces.
Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
Additional info
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Your guide to the flawless travel experience
Popular Countries
Company
Get our app
