RENNES, FRANCE
Nothing like a nice little weekend trip to see a friend! I went to Rennes, France a small city in the northwest of France in a region called Brittany (or Bretagne).
We pretty much just walked around and just wandered! You can buy a one day metro ticket for 4.10 euros and that works for both the buses and metros. The Google Maps app is synced with the transit schedule, so just use that to get around. It’s also a VERY walkable city!
We started our day off at a Columbus coffee to grab a to-go cup. No, it’s not French… however no to-go coffee is French. I talk all about that in this article. So if you ever need a coffee on the run? Finding the nearest chain is your best bet.
My favorite part of Rennes was all of the architecture. They have a lot of half-timbered houses (basically houses built from wood). In the 14th and 15th century, stone was extremely expensive. And the whole Brittany region is surrounded by forest, so they decided to use the trees instead! The problem with that? Wood rots. That’s why a lot of the houses are a little wonky and need lots of restoring. But I think they’re pretty dang cute!
We headed to Place Des Lices for the Saturday morning market. There was both in and outdoor booths set up all around. You can find fruits, vegetables, plants, meats, cheeses, you name it. There was even a band playing!
We then wandered over to a book market in Place Hoche. All the books are in French of course, but they had some cool classics that could make great art pieces. I picked up some postcards from the early 1900s for 1 euro each. They have beautiful pictures of Paris on them and real letters between people! I think I’m going to frame them and use it as art!
After that we stopped for lunch at La Sarrasine. We enjoyed the region’s classic dishes, galettes (a savory crepe), dessert crepe, and cider. Don’t leave the Brittany region without trying these 3 things!
We continued to wander and shop, coming across one peaceful march of the gilet jaunes. Nothing to write home about!
That night we enjoyed aperitif at a friend’s house then hit Rue Saint Michel…better known as Rue de la Soif— or Street of Thirst ;) We went to Le Petit Vélo. On the main floor it’s a regular bar, but if you go all the way to the back and down the stairs, there’s a night-club of sorts!
All in all, a very fun trip! And I’d highly recommend this city for a weekend trip!