Rennes is the capital of Brittany and one of the most liveable cities in France — a university town with a young population, beautiful half-timbered medieval streets, and a food and bar scene that punches well above its size. The old town around Place des Lices and Rue Saint-Michel (known locally as Rue de la Soif — "Thirst Street") is packed with restaurants, crêperies, and bars that fill every evening.
The city's medieval core survived a devastating fire in 1720 that destroyed much of the centre, but enough remains to give Rennes its distinctive character: colourful colombage houses lean over narrow streets in Quartier Saint-Anne, with the grand 17th-century Parlement de Bretagne presiding over the Place du Parlement. The Saturday market at Place des Lices is one of the largest in France and worth timing a visit around.
The Musée des Beaux-Arts holds one of the strongest regional collections in France, anchored by a luminous Georges de La Tour. The Musée de Bretagne in the Les Champs Libres complex covers the full sweep of Breton history. For green space, the Jardin du Thabor is one of the most beautiful formal gardens in northwest France.
Rennes is also a natural base for exploring Brittany. Mont Saint-Michel, the Breton coast, and the forests of inland Brittany are all within easy reach.