Champs Libres

Rennes


Rennes' futuristic cultural centre is home to the Musée de Bretagne, with displays on Breton history and culture. Under the same roof is Espace des Sciences, an interactive science museum, along with a planetarium, a temporary exhibition space and a library.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Rennes attractions

1. Musée de Bretagne

The excellent Musée de Bretagne contains exhaustive and in-depth displays on Breton history and culture, through to the modern era.

2. Espace des Sciences

Highly popular with and chiefly aimed at kids, the Espace des Sciences is a fun interactive science museum arranged over two floors, situated in Rennes'…

3. Musée des Beaux-Arts

0.32 MILES

Extensive collections span the 15th century to the present at the Museum of Fine Arts, plus there is a section devoted to antiquities. The Pont-Aven…

4. Piscine Saint-Georges

0.5 MILES

The amazing building housing these baths makes for an astonishing sight as you walk up Rue Gambetta. Constructed between 1923 and 1926, it was designed by…

5. Palais du Parlement de Bretagne

0.55 MILES

This 17th-century former seat of the rebellious Breton parliament has, in more recent times, been home to the Palais de Justice. In 1994 this building was…

6. Cathédrale St-Pierre

0.6 MILES

Crowning Rennes' old town is the 17th-century cathedral, which has an impressive, if dark, neoclassical interior adorned with a fabulous ceiling.

7. Tombeau de Merlin

20.58 MILES

The Tomb of Merlin is worth hunting out, secluded and lying quietly amid a grove of trees. According to legend, the Lady of the Lake circled Merlin nine…

8. Château de Vitré

21.3 MILES

Dominating the town, Vitré's medieval castle rises on a rocky outcrop overlooking the River Vilaine, and is one of the most impressive in Brittany – a…