City of Rennes

🌿 A stroll through the heart of Rennes – The city of a thousand squares

Just under an hour from Le Lutin Pommé, Rennes reveals itself as a capital on a human scale, full of charm and history. Here, there's no need for a car or a guide: the historic center can be explored on foot, simply following the cobblestones, the half-timbered facades, and the light-filled squares.

Follow a 3.5-kilometer route through fifteen iconic squares and past ten major monuments to gently savor the Rennes way of life. A peaceful and enriching walk, accessible to all, ideal for an afternoon stroll or for a city break during your stay in the countryside.

✨ Rennes, square after square

Place de la République: a natural starting point, this large, lively square is bordered by the Palais du Commerce and secretly crossed by the underground Vilaine River. It's easy to walk through without thinking, but it's worth lingering over, if only to observe the comings and goings of Rennes.

Place de la Parcheminerie: more discreet, it invites you to take a break on a terrace, between the walls steeped in the history of this neighborhood where parchments were once sold. Today, it is a lively square, full of conviviality.

Place Honoré Commeurec: this is where you'll find the Halles Centrales, the gourmet heart of the city. Fresh produce, a warm atmosphere, and delicious markets punctuate the area, particularly during the "Marché à Manger" (Food Market) held every first Sunday of the month.

Place Toussaints, Place Saint-Germain, Place de Coëtquen... At every stop, a surprise awaits: a baroque church, a poetic fountain, an unexpected sculpture. History can be read in the stones, but also in the details that one discovers by taking the time to look.

🎭 Monuments & Wonders

By following this urban route, you will come across some of the most beautiful monuments in Rennes:

• The Parliament of Brittany, majestic and perfectly restored after the fire of 1994
• The Town Hall and the Opera, which face each other in striking harmony,
• The imposing and soothing Saint-Pierre Cathedral,
• The Couvent des Jacobins, which has become a conference center but is also the guardian of a rare medieval heritage,
• And several churches, chapels and old market halls which elegantly tell the story of past centuries.

🏰 Places to live, not just to visit

What makes Rennes so charming are its lively squares, where you stop as much for history as for daily life.

Children play on the merry-go-round in Place Hoche, strollers sip coffee in Place du Calvaire, and regulars stroll in Place Rallier du Baty, where a work of art evokes the legend of Tristan and Isolde...

And then, of course, there is the Place des Lices, home to the famous Saturday morning market: a must-see for foodies, the curious, and lovers of local produce.

Rennes is a city that slowly becomes familiar. You have to take the time to get lost in it, look up, listen to the muffled sounds of footsteps on the cobblestones, smell the aromas of buttered galettes or orange blossom wafting from the stalls. A city that never reveals itself completely all at once—and that's what makes it so endearing.

🍏 Depuis le Lutin Pommé, une échappée facile

📍 Distance: about 50 minutes by car

👣 Walking route: 3.5 km in the historic center

🕰️ Duration: approximately 1 hour (excluding gourmet or cultural breaks!)

💡 Tip: Leave early on a Saturday morning to enjoy the Lices market, or stroll during the week to enjoy a more peaceful atmosphere.

Rennes is a great idea for a day out to alternate pleasures: a stay in the countryside in Mellé, a day in the city, a return to the lodge with your heart filled with images and scents.

And if you keep your eyes peeled... maybe you'll come across a little korrigan hiding behind an ancient facade. Who knows?

Visit the Rennes website