A beautiful town just a four-hour train ride from the UK boasts a massive market and fantastic nightlife.
Rennes, a university town in France, is known for its stunning medieval architecture and one of the country’s largest markets.
If you fancy avoiding airport security lines or long car queues at Dover, then Rennes might be the perfect place for a quick weekend getaway or a longer stay. This town of 300,000 people is the capital of Brittany and offers a unique mix of history, culture, and modernity.
It’s easily accessible from the UK with a two-hour Eurostar journey to Paris followed by an hour and a half on the TGV.
One of the most eye-catching features of Rennes are the half-timbered houses that line the edge of its town centre. There are several hundred of these quirky buildings throughout the town – the highest number in Brittany.
Many of these homes date back to the 15th century and survived a huge fire in 1720 that destroyed 33 streets and over 900 homes. The remaining 280 houses have muted red, brown, and yellow-streaked wooden facades and look like a slightly different version of the classic British Tudor design, reports The Mirror Online.
While Rennes may not be as well-known as some other French cities, it offers a more genuine experience away from the usual tourist trails. A stroll through its charming streets can give you a real taste of life in Brittany.
The bustling vibe of Rennes’ markets is a must-see. The Marche des Lices, France’s second largest market, boasts a vast array of local goods, crafts and food.
This 402-year-old market hosts around 300 traders at the Place des Lices each week, drawing in roughly 10,000 shoppers and tourists.
Each week, it offers a vibrant selection of fish, charcuterie, fruits and vegetables, cheeses, flowers, bread and galettes-saucisse – the local speciality of a hot pork sausage wrapped in a buckwheat crepe.
Rennes itself has about 20 markets throughout the week, including the organic market on Wednesday afternoons at the Mail Francois Mitterrand, and the popular Sainte-Therese market on Wednesday mornings, favoured by local chefs.
Despite its charm, Rennes is far from a quiet French village in the countryside. The city houses 60,000 university students who ensure the bars are busy at night and the nightlife is top-notch.
They also play a crucial role in the local arts scene.
Visitors can discover contemporary street art, cultural events that showcase Rennes’ dedication to artistic expression, and galleries like the Musee des beaux-arts de Rennes.
For those who love the outdoors, Rennes has many parks and green spaces. The Parc du Thabor, with its botanical gardens and colourful flowers, is a great place for a relaxing day outside.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
