Rennes
Encyclopedia
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany
in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine
department.
, in France, the other historical capital being Nantes. It has a long history due to its location at the confluence of two rivers.
The eastern Armorica
n people of Redones founded Condate —an ancient Celtic word meaning confluent— at the confluence of the Ille and Vilaine rivers and made it the capital of a territory that extended to the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel
. The name of the city of Redon also reflects that of the Redones. Early in the 1 century BCE, they adopted the Greek and Roman practice of issuing coinage, adapting the widely imitated gold staters of Philip II of Macedon
, in the characteristic Celtic coin metal alloy called billion. Without inscriptions, as the Celtic practice was, the Redones coinage features a charioteer whose pony has a human head. Large hoards of their coins were unearthed in the "treasure of Amanlis" found in June 1835 and that of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande
, discovered in February 1941. The Museum at Rennes contains a large representative collection.
They joined the Gaulish coalition against Rome in 57 BC, which was suppressed by Crassus. The following year, Roman emissaries were held hostage by the Redones, which obliged Julius Caesar
to intervene in Armorica
and suppress the rebels, and the following year to cross the Channel to discourage further support of the Redones by the Britons. In 52 the Redones responded to the call of Vercingetorix
to furnish a large contingent of warriors
The oldest known rennais is Titus Flavius Postuminus, known to us from his stele
s found in Rennes in 1969. As indicated by his name, he would have been born under the Flavian dynasty
, under the reign of Titus
, i.e. between 79 and 81 AD. One of the steles tell us, in Latin, that he took charge over all the public affairs in the Civitas Riedonum. He was twice duumvir and flamen
for life for Mars Mullo
.
During the Roman era, the strategic position of the town contributed to its importance. To the west the principal Roman route, via Osismii stretched from Condate to Vorgium (modern Carhaix).
In the year 275, the threat of barbarians led to the erection of a robust brick wall around Rennes. Rennes became known as the "red town".
Threatened by the danger of peasant marauders called bagaudae
at the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Armorican peninsula, including Brittany and therefore Rennes, constituted the last of the strongholds of the western Roman Empire. The invincible Armorican Romans held their ground against Clovis I
, who occupied most of Alamans, then the Visigoths. Melaine
, the bishop of Rennes, played an important role in the peace treaty between the Franks and the Armoricans in the year 497. He famously declared "" ("Peace must be made between Christians").
, while the Franks took the rest of Armorica
. To contain the expansion and avoid Breton incursions, the Carolingian
s instituted a Breton march or frontier province, composed of the counties of Rennes, Nantes
, and Vannes
.
These marches were entirely absorbed by the Breton Kingdom in the 9th century, and Rennes became Breton in 851. Rennes would later become the capital of the duchy of Brittany.
During the Breton War of Succession
, in 1356 and 1357, the city was laid siege to by Henry of Grosmont, the Duke of Lancaster
, cousin of the English king, but Bertrand du Guesclin
slipped into the city and took over the resistance, which would ultimately be victorious. After nearly a year, Lancaster abandoned the English siege in 1357.
In 1491, the French army of Charles VIII
, led by General Louis II de la Trémoille
, unsuccessfully attacked Rennes. Brittany having already capitulated elsewhere, Rennes alone still resisted. The defenders of Rennes were determined to resist to the death, but the Duchess Anne of Brittany
chose instead to negotiate. By her marriage to Charles VIII, she made Brittany a part of France. Anne jealously guarded Brittany's autonomy, but the duchy was eventually fully merged with the French crown by her daughter Claude of France
.
was built, which gradually led to the southward sprawl of the town. In 1899 Alfred Dreyfus' trial
in Rennes caused a national commotion.
During World War II Rennes suffered heavy damage from just three German aircraft which hit an ammunition train parked alongside French and English troop trains and near a refugee train on the yard: 1,000 died. The next day, 18 June 1940, German troops entered the city. Later, Rennes endured heavy bombings by the US and Royal Air Forces in March and May 1943, and again in June 1944, causing hundreds of deaths. Rennes contained a German transit POW camp and a POW hospital which contained many of the paratroopers captured on D-Day. Patton's army freed the capital of Brittany on 4 August, as retreating German troops blew up the bridges behind them, adding further damage. About 50,000 German prisoners were kept in four camps, in a city of only about 100,000 inhabitants at the time.
From 1954 onwards the city developed extensive building plans to accommodate upwards of 220,000 inhabitants, helping it become the third fastest-growing city in France, after Toulouse
and Montpellier
(1999 census).
Since the 2008 cantonal elections
, all eleven cantons are held by Socialists
or their allies. The right held Rennes-Nord-Ouest
until 2008.
Rennes is divided into 12 quarters
:
, a member of the Socialist Party
who replaced retiring Socialist
incumbent Edmond Hervé
, in office from 1977 to 2008.
Among previous well-know mayors is:
The (City hall) is right in the centre of Rennes.
, the largest women's prison
in France.
and the Vilaine
.
, and 588,684 inhabitants as of the 2007 estimate.
Basilica Saint-Sauveur is also located in the historic centre.
Colourful traditional half-timbered houses are situated primarily along the roads of Saint-Sauveur, Saint-Georges, de Saint-Malo, Saint-Guillaume, des Dames, du Chapitre, Vasselot, Saint-Michel, de la Psallette and around the plazas of Champ-Jacquet, des Lices, Saint-Anne and Rallier-du-Baty.
There are 16th century polychromatic wooden busts in the façade of 20, Rue du Chapitre.
River.
Les Champs Libres is a building on Esplanade Charles de Gaulle designed by the architect Christian de Portzamparc that houses the Brittany Museum (Musée de Bretagne), regional library Bibliothèque de Rennes Métropole on six levels and a Espace des Sciences science centre with a planetarium.
At Place Honoré Commeurec is Les Halles Centrales, a covered market of 1922, with a part converted into contemporary art gallery.
Mercure Hotel is located in a restored building on rue du Pré-Botté, which was the prior location of Ouest-Éclair, and then of Ouest-France
, a premier daily regional newspaper.
There are large mills at Rue Duhamel, constructed on each side of the south branch of the Vilaine in 1895 and 1902.
s of the Canal d'Ille-et-Rance
of 1843.
There are two halls of the printer, Oberthür, built by Marthenot between 1870 and 1895 on Rue de Paris in the eastern part of the city. Oberthür Park is the second biggest garden in the city.
The 17th century manor of Haute-Chalais, a granite chateau, is situated to the south of the city in Blosne Quarter (Bréquigny).
, currently the largest employer of the population of Rennes, opened a manufacturing plant at Rennes La Janais in 1961. Technicolor (ex-Thomson) employs over 1,000, and France Telecom R&D over 1,200.
In few years, Rennes became one of the main centres in high tech industry.
Rennes is one of first Technopole
s in France that were established in an effort to stimulate the economies of regions other than Paris during the Aménagement du territoire.
Rennes is the 2nd concentration of ITC firms in France after Paris(with well-known companies like Atos, SFR, Orange France Telecom, Technicolor R&D, Canon, Mitsubishi, Alcatel-Lucent, Texas Instruments, NXP, Thales or Logica), and the 3rd innovation potential in agrofood French industry.
Rennes invests heavily in arts and culture and a number of its festivals (such as the music festival Les Transmusicales
, les Tombées de la Nuit and Travelling (a cinematic festival)) are well known throughout France.
Rennes was one of the first towns in France to have its own television channel 'TV Rennes', created in 1987.
In Rennes is the only Institut Franco-Américain in France.
There are 4 museums in Rennes:
The Parc du Thabor contains a compact but significant botanical garden
, the Jardin botanique du Thabor
. The University of Rennes 1
, with a campus in the city's eastern section, also contains a botanical garden
and collections (the Jardin botanique de l'Université de Rennes
).
The Rennes agglomeration has a large student population (around 60,000). The Breton language
is taught in one Diwan
school, some bilingual public and catholic schools, in evening courses, and in university.
The city has two main universities; Université de Rennes 1
, which offers courses in science, technology, medicine, philosophy, law, management and economics and Université Rennes 2
, which has courses in the arts, literature, languages, communication, human and social sciences, sport.
There are a few École Supérieures in Rennes. The École Normale Supérieure de Cachan
has a branch on the Ker Lann campus, just outside Rennes. An École Supérieure for political science, Institut d'études politiques de Rennes
(site), is also based in Rennes.
There is also a branch of École Supérieure d'Électricité – Supélec
in the east of the city (Cesson-Sévigné
), Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Rennes
and the grande école Institut National des Sciences Appliquées
, which is next to the "École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes".
The computer science and applied mathematics research institute, IRISA
, is located on the campus of the Université des Sciences, nearby Cesson-Sévigné. The Délégation Générale pour l'Armement
(defense procurement agency) operates the CELAR research center, dedicated to electronics and computing, in Bruz, a neighboring town.
on 24 January 2008.
In 2008, 2.87% of the children were enrolled in bilingual primary schools and the number of children enrolled in these schools is steadily growing.
(capacity of 31,000 seats) in the French Division One
.
line that was inaugurated in March 2002 and cost €500 million to build. The driverless Rennes Metro
(VAL) is 9.4 km (5.8 mi) in length and has 15 stations, including one designed by architect Norman Foster
(La Poterie station).
A second metro line is being planned, it should be operational by 2018, and the construction will begin in 2013.
The Gare de Rennes
, opened in 1857, is now two hour and twenty minutes by TGV
high speed train from Paris. This will be reduced to one hour and 30 minutes from 2014, after extension of the High Speed Rail Line
. Rennes is also an important train station for regional transport in Bretagne.
Rennes is also served by a small airport, Rennes-St. Jacques Airport, located 7.2 kilometres (4.5 mi) from the centre to the south-west in the commune Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande
.
with:
(These twinned towns are inscribed on the bridge over the central canal of Rennes)
Within France
Pacts of cooperation
Sponsorship
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine is a department of France, located in the region of Brittany in the northwest of the country.- History :Ille-et-Vilaine is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
department.
History
Rennes is the administrative capital of the country of BrittanyBrittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, in France, the other historical capital being Nantes. It has a long history due to its location at the confluence of two rivers.
The eastern Armorica
Armorica
Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast...
n people of Redones founded Condate —an ancient Celtic word meaning confluent— at the confluence of the Ille and Vilaine rivers and made it the capital of a territory that extended to the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel is a rocky tidal island and a commune in Normandy, France. It is located approximately one kilometre off the country's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches...
. The name of the city of Redon also reflects that of the Redones. Early in the 1 century BCE, they adopted the Greek and Roman practice of issuing coinage, adapting the widely imitated gold staters of Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon "friend" + ἵππος "horse" — transliterated ; 382 – 336 BC), was a king of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC. He was the father of Alexander the Great and Philip III.-Biography:...
, in the characteristic Celtic coin metal alloy called billion. Without inscriptions, as the Celtic practice was, the Redones coinage features a charioteer whose pony has a human head. Large hoards of their coins were unearthed in the "treasure of Amanlis" found in June 1835 and that of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande
Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande
Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Bretagne in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande are called Jacquolandins or Jacolandins.-References:* * -External links:*...
, discovered in February 1941. The Museum at Rennes contains a large representative collection.
They joined the Gaulish coalition against Rome in 57 BC, which was suppressed by Crassus. The following year, Roman emissaries were held hostage by the Redones, which obliged Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
to intervene in Armorica
Armorica
Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast...
and suppress the rebels, and the following year to cross the Channel to discourage further support of the Redones by the Britons. In 52 the Redones responded to the call of Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix
Vercingetorix was the chieftain of the Arverni tribe, who united the Gauls in an ultimately unsuccessful revolt against Roman forces during the last phase of Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars....
to furnish a large contingent of warriors
Roman era
In the Roman era, Condate became Condate Riedonum, capital of Civitas Riedonum.The oldest known rennais is Titus Flavius Postuminus, known to us from his stele
Stele
A stele , also stela , is a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected for funerals or commemorative purposes, most usually decorated with the names and titles of the deceased or living — inscribed, carved in relief , or painted onto the slab...
s found in Rennes in 1969. As indicated by his name, he would have been born under the Flavian dynasty
Flavian dynasty
The Flavian dynasty was a Roman Imperial Dynasty, which ruled the Roman Empire between 69 and 96 AD, encompassing the reigns of Vespasian , and his two sons Titus and Domitian . The Flavians rose to power during the civil war of 69, known as the Year of the Four Emperors...
, under the reign of Titus
Titus
Titus , was Roman Emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death, thus becoming the first Roman Emperor to come to the throne after his own father....
, i.e. between 79 and 81 AD. One of the steles tell us, in Latin, that he took charge over all the public affairs in the Civitas Riedonum. He was twice duumvir and flamen
Flamen
In ancient Roman religion, a flamen was a priest assigned to one of fifteen deities with official cults during the Roman Republic. The most important three were the flamines maiores , who served the three chief Roman gods of the Archaic Triad. The remaining twelve were the flamines minores...
for life for Mars Mullo
Mullo (god)
Mullo is a Celtic god. He is known from inscriptions and is associated with the god Mars in the form of Mars Mullo.The cult of the god was popular in northern and north-western Gaul, particular in Brittany and Normandy...
.
During the Roman era, the strategic position of the town contributed to its importance. To the west the principal Roman route, via Osismii stretched from Condate to Vorgium (modern Carhaix).
In the year 275, the threat of barbarians led to the erection of a robust brick wall around Rennes. Rennes became known as the "red town".
Threatened by the danger of peasant marauders called bagaudae
Bagaudae
In the time of the later Roman Empire bagaudae were groups of peasant insurgents who emerged during the "Crisis of the Third Century", and persisted particularly in the less-Romanised areas of Gallia and Hispania, where they were "exposed to the depredations of the late Roman state, and the great...
at the end of the Roman Empire in the 5th century, the Armorican peninsula, including Brittany and therefore Rennes, constituted the last of the strongholds of the western Roman Empire. The invincible Armorican Romans held their ground against Clovis I
Clovis I
Clovis Leuthwig was the first King of the Franks to unite all the Frankish tribes under one ruler, changing the leadership from a group of royal chieftains, to rule by kings, ensuring that the kingship was held by his heirs. He was also the first Catholic King to rule over Gaul . He was the son...
, who occupied most of Alamans, then the Visigoths. Melaine
Melaine
Saint Melaine was a 6th century Bishop of Rennes in Brittany .-Traditional history:...
, the bishop of Rennes, played an important role in the peace treaty between the Franks and the Armoricans in the year 497. He famously declared "" ("Peace must be made between Christians").
Middle Ages
Starting in the 5th century, Bretons occupied the western part of the Armorican peninsula, which started to be called Little Britain, and then BrittanyBrittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, while the Franks took the rest of Armorica
Armorica
Armorica or Aremorica is the name given in ancient times to the part of Gaul that includes the Brittany peninsula and the territory between the Seine and Loire rivers, extending inland to an indeterminate point and down the Atlantic coast...
. To contain the expansion and avoid Breton incursions, the Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
s instituted a Breton march or frontier province, composed of the counties of Rennes, Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, and Vannes
Vannes
Vannes is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2000 years ago.-Geography:Vannes is located on the Gulf of Morbihan at the mouth of two rivers, the Marle and the Vincin. It is around 100 km northwest of Nantes and 450 km south west...
.
These marches were entirely absorbed by the Breton Kingdom in the 9th century, and Rennes became Breton in 851. Rennes would later become the capital of the duchy of Brittany.
During the Breton War of Succession
Breton War of Succession
The Breton War of Succession was a conflict between the Houses of Blois and Montfort for control of the Duchy of Brittany. It was fought between 1341 and 1364. It formed an integral part of the early Hundred Years War due to the involvement of the French and English governments in the conflict; the...
, in 1356 and 1357, the city was laid siege to by Henry of Grosmont, the Duke of Lancaster
Duke of Lancaster
There were several Dukes of Lancaster in the 14th and early 15th Centuries. See also Duchy of Lancaster.There were three creations of the Dukedom of Lancaster....
, cousin of the English king, but Bertrand du Guesclin
Bertrand du Guesclin
Bertrand du Guesclin , known as the Eagle of Brittany or the Black Dog of Brocéliande, was a Breton knight and French military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was Constable of France from 1370 to his death...
slipped into the city and took over the resistance, which would ultimately be victorious. After nearly a year, Lancaster abandoned the English siege in 1357.
In 1491, the French army of Charles VIII
Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
, led by General Louis II de la Trémoille
Louis II de la Trémoille
thumb|Portrait of Louis II de la Trémoille by [[Domenico Ghirlandaio]] or one of his assistants.Louis II de la Trémoille was a French general. He served under three kings: Charles VIII, Louis XII, and Francis I...
, unsuccessfully attacked Rennes. Brittany having already capitulated elsewhere, Rennes alone still resisted. The defenders of Rennes were determined to resist to the death, but the Duchess Anne of Brittany
Anne of Brittany
Anne, Duchess of Brittany , also known as Anna of Brittany , was a Breton ruler, who was to become queen to two successive French kings. She was born in Nantes, Brittany, and was the daughter of Francis II, Duke of Brittany and Margaret of Foix. Her maternal grandparents were Queen Eleanor of...
chose instead to negotiate. By her marriage to Charles VIII, she made Brittany a part of France. Anne jealously guarded Brittany's autonomy, but the duchy was eventually fully merged with the French crown by her daughter Claude of France
Claude of France
Claude of France was a princess and queen consort of France and ruling Duchess of Brittany. She was the eldest daughter of Louis XII of France and Anne, Duchess of Brittany....
.
Modern era
In 1857 the Rennes train stationGare de Rennes
Rennes railway station is situated in the town centre of Rennes, France. It is situated on the Paris–Brest, Rennes–Saint-Malo and the Rennes–Redon railways....
was built, which gradually led to the southward sprawl of the town. In 1899 Alfred Dreyfus' trial
Dreyfus Affair
The Dreyfus affair was a political scandal that divided France in the 1890s and the early 1900s. It involved the conviction for treason in November 1894 of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a young French artillery officer of Alsatian Jewish descent...
in Rennes caused a national commotion.
During World War II Rennes suffered heavy damage from just three German aircraft which hit an ammunition train parked alongside French and English troop trains and near a refugee train on the yard: 1,000 died. The next day, 18 June 1940, German troops entered the city. Later, Rennes endured heavy bombings by the US and Royal Air Forces in March and May 1943, and again in June 1944, causing hundreds of deaths. Rennes contained a German transit POW camp and a POW hospital which contained many of the paratroopers captured on D-Day. Patton's army freed the capital of Brittany on 4 August, as retreating German troops blew up the bridges behind them, adding further damage. About 50,000 German prisoners were kept in four camps, in a city of only about 100,000 inhabitants at the time.
From 1954 onwards the city developed extensive building plans to accommodate upwards of 220,000 inhabitants, helping it become the third fastest-growing city in France, after Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
and Montpellier
Montpellier
-Neighbourhoods:Since 2001, Montpellier has been divided into seven official neighbourhoods, themselves divided into sub-neighbourhoods. Each of them possesses a neighbourhood council....
(1999 census).
Administration
Rennes is divided into 11 cantons:- Canton of Rennes-BrequignyCanton of Rennes-BrequignyThe Canton of Rennes-Brequigny is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in the south of Rennes.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes...
(15,397 inhabitants) - Canton of Rennes-CentreCanton of Rennes-CentreThe Canton of Rennes-Centre is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in the south of Rennes.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes...
(19,017 inhabitants) - Canton of Rennes-Centre-OuestCanton of Rennes-Centre-OuestThe Canton of Rennes-Centre-Ouest is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in Rennes.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes...
(21,264 inhabitants) - Canton of Rennes-Centre-SudCanton of Rennes-Centre-SudThe Canton of Rennes-Centre-Sud is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in Rennes.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes...
(15,774 inhabitants) - Canton of Rennes-EstCanton of Rennes-EstThe Canton of Rennes-Est is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in Rennes.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes...
(20,323 inhabitants) - Canton of Rennes-le-BlosneCanton of Rennes-le-BlosneThe Canton of Rennes-le-Blosne is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in Rennes.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes...
(21,151 inhabitants) - Canton of Rennes-NordCanton of Rennes-NordThe Canton of Rennes-Nord is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in Rennes, Brittany.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes...
(21,845 inhabitants) - Canton of Rennes-Nord-EstCanton of Rennes-Nord-EstThe Canton of Rennes-Nord-Est is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in Rennes.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes...
(18,224 inhabitants) - Canton of Rennes-Nord-OuestCanton of Rennes-Nord-OuestThe Canton of Rennes-Nord-Est is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in Rennes.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes* Gévezé* Pacé* Parthenay-de-Bretagne...
, which includes parts of Rennes but also the communes of GévezéGévezéGévezé is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Gévezé are called in French Gévezéens.-References:* ;* -External links:*...
, PacéPacé, Ille-et-VilainePacé is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Bretagne in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Pacé are called Pacéens.-References:* ;* -External links:* *...
and Parthenay-de-BretagneParthenay-de-BretagneParthenay-de-Bretagne is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Parthenay-de-Bretagne are called Parthenaisiens.-References:* ;* -External links:*...
(28,130 inhabitants) - Canton of Rennes-Sud-EstCanton of Rennes-Sud-EstThe Canton of Rennes-Sud-Est is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in Rennes.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes* Chantepie* Vern-sur-Seiche...
, which includes parts of Rennes and the communes of ChantepieChantepieChantepie is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Chantepie are called in French Cantepiens.-References:* ;* -External links:* *...
and Vern-sur-SeicheVern-sur-SeicheVern-sur-Seiche is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of Brittany in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Vern-sur-Seiche are called in French Vernois.-References:* ;* -External links:* *...
(33,459 inhabitants) - Canton of Rennes-Sud-OuestCanton of Rennes-Sud-OuestThe Canton of Rennes-Sud-Est is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in Rennes.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes* Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande* Vezin-le-Coquet...
, which includes parts of Rennes and the communes of Saint-Jacques-de-la-LandeSaint-Jacques-de-la-LandeSaint-Jacques-de-la-Lande is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Bretagne in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande are called Jacquolandins or Jacolandins.-References:* * -External links:*...
and Vezin-le-CoquetVezin-le-CoquetVezin-le-Coquet is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Bretagne in north-western France. A men's prison, the Centre Penitentiaire pour Hommes de Vezin , is located within the commune.-Demographics:...
(28,707 inhabitants)
Since the 2008 cantonal elections
French cantonal elections, 2008
Cantonal elections to elect half the membership of the general councils of France's 100 departments were held on 9 and 16 March 2008. These elections coincided with the municipal elections, in which the left did well.-Electoral system:...
, all eleven cantons are held by Socialists
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
or their allies. The right held Rennes-Nord-Ouest
Canton of Rennes-Nord-Ouest
The Canton of Rennes-Nord-Est is a canton of France, in the Ille-et-Vilaine département, located in Rennes.The canton contains the following communes:* Rennes* Gévezé* Pacé* Parthenay-de-Bretagne...
until 2008.
Rennes is divided into 12 quarters
Quarter (country subdivision)
A quarter is a section of an urban settlement.Its borders can be administratively chosen , and it may have its own administrative structure...
:
- Le Centre
- Thabor/Saint Hélier
- Bourg l'Évêque-Moulin du Comte
- Saint-Martin
- Maurepas-Patton-Bellangerais
- Jeanne d’Arc-Longs-Champs-Beaulieu
- Francisco Ferrer-Landry-Poterie
- Sud Gare
- Cleunay-Arsenal-Redon
- Villejean-Beauregard
- Le Blosne
- Bréquigny
Mayors
The current mayor of Rennes is Daniel DelaveauDaniel Delaveau
Daniel Delaveau is a French politician and incumbent Mayor of Rennes. He is a member of the Socialist Party....
, a member of the Socialist Party
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
who replaced retiring Socialist
Socialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
incumbent Edmond Hervé
Edmond Hervé
Edmond Hervé is a French politician, a member of the Socialist Party and French senator since 2008. He was the mayor of Rennes from 1977 to 2008, succeeding Henri Fréville...
, in office from 1977 to 2008.
- Henri FrévilleHenri FrévilleHenri Fréville was a French history professor, resistor, writer and politician.-Life:...
(1905–1987), mayor MRPPopular Republican MovementThe Popular Republican Movement was a French Christian democratic party of the Fourth Republic...
from 1953 to 1977. - Eugène Quessot (1882–1949), interim mayor from 15 July 1947 until 26 October 1947
- Yves Milon (1897–1987), mayor RPFRally of the French PeopleThe Rally of the French People was a French political party, led by Charles de Gaulle.-Foundation:...
from 1944 to 1953.
Among previous well-know mayors is:
- Jean Janvier (1859–1923), from 1908 to 1923
- Edgar Le Bastard (1836–1891), from 1880 to 1891
- Toussaint-François Rallier du Baty (1665–1734) from 1695 to 1734
The (City hall) is right in the centre of Rennes.
National representation
The French Prison Service operates the Centre pénitentiaire de RennesCentre pénitentiaire de Rennes
The Centre pénitentiaire de Rennes is a women's prison of the French Prison Service in Rennes, Brittany, France. It is the largest women's prison in France, and it is the only correctional facility in France exclusively for women. Its operations began in 1878.-External links:* - French Prison...
, the largest women's prison
Incarceration of women
This article discusses the incarceration of women in correctional facilities.-History:In the United States, authorities began housing women in correctional facilities separate from men in the 1870s...
in France.
Geography
The ancient centre of the town is built on a hill, with the north side being more elevated than the south side. It is at the confluence of two rivers: the IlleIlle
The Ille is a small river in Brittany, France, right tributary of the river Vilaine. It flows into the Vilaine in the city Rennes.The Ille is linked to the river Rance by the Canal d'Ille-et-Rance. By this canal, Rennes has a connection with the English Channel coast at St. Malo...
and the Vilaine
Vilaine
The Vilaine is a river in Brittany, in the west of France. The river's source is in the Mayenne département , and flows out in the Atlantic Ocean at Pénestin in the Morbihan département . It is 218 km long...
.
Climate
Demographics
The population of the city (commune) of Rennes at the 1999 census was 206,229 inhabitants (209,100 inhabitants as of February 2004 estimates). The inhabitants of Rennes are called Rennais. Rennes has the 3rd fastest growing Metropolitan area in France. The population of the metropolitan area at the 1999 census was 521,188 inhabitantsPopulation
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
, and 588,684 inhabitants as of the 2007 estimate.
Historic Centre
The Parlement de Bretagne (Administrative and judicial centre of Brittany) is arguably the most famous 17th century building in Rennes. It was rebuilt after a terrible fire in 1994 caused by a flare fired by a protester during a demonstration. It houses the Rennes Court of Appeal.Basilica Saint-Sauveur is also located in the historic centre.
Colourful traditional half-timbered houses are situated primarily along the roads of Saint-Sauveur, Saint-Georges, de Saint-Malo, Saint-Guillaume, des Dames, du Chapitre, Vasselot, Saint-Michel, de la Psallette and around the plazas of Champ-Jacquet, des Lices, Saint-Anne and Rallier-du-Baty.
There are 16th century polychromatic wooden busts in the façade of 20, Rue du Chapitre.
- Place des Lices and surrounding area
- Les Halles Martenot of the 19th century, built between 1868 and 1871 by Jean-Baptiste MartenotJean-Baptiste MartenotJean-Baptiste Martenot was a French architect, born in Bourgogne, in the city of Rennes. The Halles Martenot and the Préfecture Martenot are names in his honour...
, host the market on Saturday mornings (the third largest market in France). - The Mordelaises Gate (Portes Mordelaises), chatelet with two towerTowerA tower is a tall structure, usually taller than it is wide, often by a significant margin. Towers are distinguished from masts by their lack of guy-wires....
s and a drawbridgeDrawbridgeA drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:... - The remaining fortifications from the 3rd century
- The Jehan Duchesne tower of the 15th century, on rue Nantaise
- The 15th century ramparts east of the Gallo-Roman fortifications, in Rallier-du-Baty square.
- Rennes Cathedral (cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Rennes)
- Les Halles Martenot of the 19th century, built between 1868 and 1871 by Jean-Baptiste Martenot
- The former St. Yves chapel, now the tourism office and a museum about historical Rennes development.
- Place Saint-Anne (Plasenn Santez-Anna)
- Saint-Aubin Church
- Location of a former 14th century hospital
- JacobiteSyriac Orthodox ChurchThe Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
conventConventA convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
- La rue Saint-Michel nicknamed Rue de La Soif (Road of Thirst) because there are bars all along this street.
- Area from Saint-Melaine to Saint-Melaine square
- Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine basilica,
- tower and transept from the 11th century Benedictine abbeyAbbeyAn abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
of Saint-Melaine - 14th century GothicGothic architectureGothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
arcades - 17th century colonnade
- bell tower topped with a gilded Virgin Mary (19th century)
- 17th century cloister
- tower and transept from the 11th century Benedictine abbey
- Magnificent park, The Parc Thabor, (formal French garden, orangerie, rose garden, aviary), on 10 hectares of land, built between 1860 and 1867. Contains the Jardin botanique du ThaborJardin botanique du ThaborThe Jardin botanique du Thabor, also known as the Jardin botanique de la Ville de Rennes, is a compact but significant botanical garden located at the eastern side of the Parc du Thabor, Place Saint-Mélaine, Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine, in the region of Brittany, France...
, a botanical gardenBotanical gardenA botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
. - The 17th century promenade "la Motte à Madame", and a monumental stairway overlooking the rue de Paris entrance to the Thabor.
- Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine basilica,
- Rue Saint-Georges and rue Gambetta
- 1920s Saint George Municipal Pool, with mosaics
- Saint George Palace, and its garden
- Place de la Mairie (City Hall Plaza, Plasenn Ti Kêr)
- City Hall
- Opera
- Vau-Saint-Germain square
- Saint-Germain Church
- Saint-Germain footbridge, 20th century wood and metal construction to link the plaza with Émile Zola Quay, across the VilaineVilaineThe Vilaine is a river in Brittany, in the west of France. The river's source is in the Mayenne département , and flows out in the Atlantic Ocean at Pénestin in the Morbihan département . It is 218 km long...
River.
- Champ-Jacquet square
- statue of Leperdit ripping up a conscriptionConscriptionConscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
list.
- statue of Leperdit ripping up a conscription
- Rue du Chapitre
- Hôtel de BlossacHôtel de BlossacThe Hôtel de Blossac is an 18th century in the historic center of Rennes, Brittany.Made of two main wings, the building was built in 1728 after the 1720 Rennes city fire, supposedly on a drawing by Jacques Gabriel...
- Hôtel de Blossac
South of the Vilaine
The Fine Arts Museum is situated on Quai Émile Zola (Émile Zola Quay), by the VilaineVilaine
The Vilaine is a river in Brittany, in the west of France. The river's source is in the Mayenne département , and flows out in the Atlantic Ocean at Pénestin in the Morbihan département . It is 218 km long...
River.
Les Champs Libres is a building on Esplanade Charles de Gaulle designed by the architect Christian de Portzamparc that houses the Brittany Museum (Musée de Bretagne), regional library Bibliothèque de Rennes Métropole on six levels and a Espace des Sciences science centre with a planetarium.
At Place Honoré Commeurec is Les Halles Centrales, a covered market of 1922, with a part converted into contemporary art gallery.
Mercure Hotel is located in a restored building on rue du Pré-Botté, which was the prior location of Ouest-Éclair, and then of Ouest-France
Ouest-France
Ouest-France is a provincial daily French newspaper known for its emphasis on local news and events. The paper is produced in 47 different editions covering events in different French départments within the régions of Brittany, Lower Normandy and Pays de la Loire...
, a premier daily regional newspaper.
There are large mills at Rue Duhamel, constructed on each side of the south branch of the Vilaine in 1895 and 1902.
Other sights
To the North-west of Rennes, near rue de Saint-Malo are the lockLock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
s of the Canal d'Ille-et-Rance
Canal d'Ille-et-Rance
The Canal d'Ille-et-Rance is a canal in northwestern France connecting Dinan to the Vilaine at Rennes in western France.-References:...
of 1843.
There are two halls of the printer, Oberthür, built by Marthenot between 1870 and 1895 on Rue de Paris in the eastern part of the city. Oberthür Park is the second biggest garden in the city.
The 17th century manor of Haute-Chalais, a granite chateau, is situated to the south of the city in Blosne Quarter (Bréquigny).
Economy
Local industries include car manufacturing and telecommunications. PSA Peugeot CitroënPSA Peugeot Citroën
PSA Peugeot Citroën is a French manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles sold under the Peugeot and Citroën marques. Headquartered in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, PSA is the second largest automaker based in Europe and the number eight in the world.-History:In December 1974 Peugeot S.A....
, currently the largest employer of the population of Rennes, opened a manufacturing plant at Rennes La Janais in 1961. Technicolor (ex-Thomson) employs over 1,000, and France Telecom R&D over 1,200.
In few years, Rennes became one of the main centres in high tech industry.
Rennes is one of first Technopole
Technopole
Technopole refers to a center of high-tech manufacturing and information-based quaternary industry.These may be developed by the private sector or by the co-operation or partnership between the public and private sectors. Governments of all levels promote them as a panacea for economies hurt by...
s in France that were established in an effort to stimulate the economies of regions other than Paris during the Aménagement du territoire.
Rennes is the 2nd concentration of ITC firms in France after Paris(with well-known companies like Atos, SFR, Orange France Telecom, Technicolor R&D, Canon, Mitsubishi, Alcatel-Lucent, Texas Instruments, NXP, Thales or Logica), and the 3rd innovation potential in agrofood French industry.
Culture
Transmusicales
Les Rencontres Trans Musicales is a three-day music festival held annually in December in Rennes, Brittany, France.Since its first years, the festival has been renowned for revealing the "next big thing."...
, les Tombées de la Nuit and Travelling (a cinematic festival)) are well known throughout France.
Rennes was one of the first towns in France to have its own television channel 'TV Rennes', created in 1987.
In Rennes is the only Institut Franco-Américain in France.
There are 4 museums in Rennes:
- Musée des Beaux Arts (Museum of Fine Arts of RennesMuseum of Fine Arts of RennesThe Museum of Fine Arts of Rennes is a municipal museum of fine arts in the French city of Rennes, the capital of Brittany. Its collections range from ancient Egypt antiquities to the Modern art period and make the museum one of the most important in France outside Paris, notably for its paintings...
). - Musée de Bretagne (Museum of Brittany) at the Champs Libres, together with le 'espace of sciences' and a planetarium.
- Museum of Farming and Rennes Countryside at la Bintinais, south of Rennes.
- Musée des Transmissions (Museum of Broadcasting) at Cesson-SévignéCesson-SévignéCesson-Sévigné is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.It is a suburb directly to the east of Rennes, bordered on its west side by the University of Rennes and the Technopole Atalante. It is primarily a residential area for the middle class. The south side...
, west of Rennes center.
The Parc du Thabor contains a compact but significant botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
, the Jardin botanique du Thabor
Jardin botanique du Thabor
The Jardin botanique du Thabor, also known as the Jardin botanique de la Ville de Rennes, is a compact but significant botanical garden located at the eastern side of the Parc du Thabor, Place Saint-Mélaine, Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine, in the region of Brittany, France...
. The University of Rennes 1
University of Rennes 1
The University of Rennes 1 is one of the two main universities in the city of Rennes, France. It is under the Academy of Rennes. It specializes in science, technology, law, economy, management and philosophy. The University of Rennes 1 has been in existence since 1969, but its heritage stems back...
, with a campus in the city's eastern section, also contains a botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
and collections (the Jardin botanique de l'Université de Rennes
Jardin botanique de l'Université de Rennes
The Jardin botanique de l'Université de Rennes is a botanical garden maintained by the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Rennes 1, Avenue du General Leclerc, Rennes, Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, France....
).
Education
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
is taught in one Diwan
Diwan (school)
Diwan is a federation of Breton language-medium schools in Brittany .-Concept:The Diwan concept, which allows children to learn French and Breton through immersion was inspired by the Gaelscoileanna movement in Ireland, Ikastolak movement in the Basque Country and the Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin...
school, some bilingual public and catholic schools, in evening courses, and in university.
The city has two main universities; Université de Rennes 1
University of Rennes 1
The University of Rennes 1 is one of the two main universities in the city of Rennes, France. It is under the Academy of Rennes. It specializes in science, technology, law, economy, management and philosophy. The University of Rennes 1 has been in existence since 1969, but its heritage stems back...
, which offers courses in science, technology, medicine, philosophy, law, management and economics and Université Rennes 2
University of Rennes 2 - Upper Brittany
The University of Rennes 2 is a French university in Upper Brittany, one of four in the Academy of Rennes.The main campus is situated in the northwest section of Rennes in the Villejean neighborhood not far from the other campus, located at La Harpe.-Creation of the University of Brittany:Asked...
, which has courses in the arts, literature, languages, communication, human and social sciences, sport.
There are a few École Supérieures in Rennes. The École Normale Supérieure de Cachan
École Normale Supérieure de Cachan
The École Normale Supérieure de Cachan is one of the most prestigious French Grandes Écoles. Like all the other Grandes Écoles, this higher education institution is not included in the mainstream framework of the French public universities...
has a branch on the Ker Lann campus, just outside Rennes. An École Supérieure for political science, Institut d'études politiques de Rennes
Institut d'études politiques de Rennes
The Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Rennes also known as Sciences Po Rennes, was established in 1991 in Brittany's regional capital, Rennes. This prestigious and highly selective institute is modeled on the former Paris "École Libre des Sciences Politiques"...
(site), is also based in Rennes.
There is also a branch of École Supérieure d'Électricité – Supélec
Supélec
École Supérieure d'Électricité, commonly known as Supélec, is a French Graduate School of Engineering delivering the equivalent of a Master's Degree as well as Ph.D opportunities. It is one of the most prestigious and selective Grandes Ecoles in France, and a reference in the field of electric...
in the east of the city (Cesson-Sévigné
Cesson-Sévigné
Cesson-Sévigné is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.It is a suburb directly to the east of Rennes, bordered on its west side by the University of Rennes and the Technopole Atalante. It is primarily a residential area for the middle class. The south side...
), Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Rennes
Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Rennes
ESC Rennes School of Business or École Supérieure de Commerce de Rennes is a French business school located in Rennes, the capital of Brittany. This modern international business school was founded in 1990 by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Rennes and cooperates closely with the local...
and the grande école Institut National des Sciences Appliquées
INSA Rennes
The Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Rennes or INSA de Rennes is a Grande École d'Ingénieurs, a School of Engineering, under the authority of the French Ministry of Education and Research and part of the INSA's network....
, which is next to the "École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie de Rennes".
The computer science and applied mathematics research institute, IRISA
IRISA
The Institut de recherche en informatique et systèmes aléatoires is a joint computer science research center of CNRS, University of Rennes 1, INSA and INRIA, located in Rennes in Brittany...
, is located on the campus of the Université des Sciences, nearby Cesson-Sévigné. The Délégation Générale pour l'Armement
Délégation Générale pour l'Armement
The Direction générale de l’armement, which could be translated as “General Directorate for Armament”, or DGA, is the French Government Defence procurement agency responsible for the program management, development and purchase of weapon systems for the French military.-Armament programs...
(defense procurement agency) operates the CELAR research center, dedicated to electronics and computing, in Bruz, a neighboring town.
Breton language
The municipality launched a linguistic plan through Ya d'ar brezhonegYa d'ar brezhoneg
Ya d'ar brezhoneg is a campaign launched by the Ofis ar Brezhoneg in order to stimulate the use of the Breton language in daily life in Brittany, western France. In the first phase, started on 5 October 2001, civil society was targeted. Over 560 enterprises and organisations have signed the...
on 24 January 2008.
In 2008, 2.87% of the children were enrolled in bilingual primary schools and the number of children enrolled in these schools is steadily growing.
Football club
Rennes is home to Stade Rennais F.C., who play at Route de Lorient stadiumStade de la Route de Lorient
The Stade de la Route de Lorient is a football stadium, inaugurated on September 15, 1912. It is located at 111 route de Lorient, in west-central Rennes. Rebuilt in 2001 and able to seat 29,376, the stadium is currently the home of Stade Rennais.This stadium is not to be confused with the Stade du...
(capacity of 31,000 seats) in the French Division One
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
.
Transport
Rennes has well-developed national road, rail and air links. Local transport is based primarily on an extensive bus network (38 different lines) and a metroRapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
line that was inaugurated in March 2002 and cost €500 million to build. The driverless Rennes Metro
Rennes Metro
Opened on 15 March 2002, the metro in Rennes is based on the Siemens Transportation Systems VAL technology. There is one line, the 9.4-km A Line, which runs north-west to south-east from J.F...
(VAL) is 9.4 km (5.8 mi) in length and has 15 stations, including one designed by architect Norman Foster
Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank
Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, OM is a British architect whose company maintains an international design practice, Foster + Partners....
(La Poterie station).
A second metro line is being planned, it should be operational by 2018, and the construction will begin in 2013.
The Gare de Rennes
Gare de Rennes
Rennes railway station is situated in the town centre of Rennes, France. It is situated on the Paris–Brest, Rennes–Saint-Malo and the Rennes–Redon railways....
, opened in 1857, is now two hour and twenty minutes by TGV
TGV
The TGV is France's high-speed rail service, currently operated by SNCF Voyages, the long-distance rail branch of SNCF, the French national rail operator....
high speed train from Paris. This will be reduced to one hour and 30 minutes from 2014, after extension of the High Speed Rail Line
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
. Rennes is also an important train station for regional transport in Bretagne.
Rennes is also served by a small airport, Rennes-St. Jacques Airport, located 7.2 kilometres (4.5 mi) from the centre to the south-west in the commune Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande
Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande
Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Bretagne in north-western France.-Demographics:Inhabitants of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Lande are called Jacquolandins or Jacolandins.-References:* * -External links:*...
.
Notable people
- Bertrand d'ArgentréBertrand d'ArgentréBertrand d'Argentré was a Breton jurist and historian.Argentraeus was born the son of Pierre d'Argentré, seneschal of Rennes, and the nephew of historian Pierre Le Baud. After studies of law in Bourges, he was named seneschal of Vitré in 1541 and seneschal of Rennes in 1547...
(1519–1590) jurist and historian, seneschal of Rennes in 1547 than head of the présidial court. - Pierre Robiquet, 1780–1840, chemist, member of Académie des Sciences, discover of among others codein, asparagin and alizarinAlizarinAlizarin or 1,2-dihydroxyanthraquinone is an organic compound with formula that has been used throughout history as a prominent dye, originally derived from the roots of plants of the madder genus.Alizarin was used as a red dye for the English parliamentary "new model" army...
- Georges Ernest Boulanger (1837–1891) general and politician born in Rennes.
- René PlevenRené PlevenRené Pléven was a notable French politician of the Fourth Republic. A member of the Free French, he helped found the Democratic and Socialist Union of the Resistance , a political party that was meant to be a successor to the wartime Resistance movement...
(1901–1993), two times Presidents of the Council of MinistersPrime Minister of FranceThe Prime Minister of France in the Fifth Republic is the head of government and of the Council of Ministers of France. The head of state is the President of the French Republic...
, born in Rennes. - Jacques LegrandJacques Legrand (Mongolist)Jacques Legrand is a French linguist and anthropologist. He specializes in Mongolian literature and history and the Mongolian language.-Career:...
(1946–), Mongologist - Edwige LawsonEdwige LawsonEdwige Lawson , also Edwige Lawson-Wade, is a French professional women's basketball player for the WNBA's San Antonio Silver Stars. Edwige has played in numerous other professional basketball leagues as well. She started her professional career at the age of 17...
(1974–) basketball player - Francois-Henri PinaultFrançois-Henri PinaultFrançois-Henri Pinault, born in Rennes, Brittany, France, is a French businessman and the chief executive officer of PPR. He is the son of the company's founder, businessman François Pinault...
(1962–) Chairman and CEO of PPRPPR (company)PPR is a French multinational holding company specializing in retail shops and luxury brands. The company was founded in 1963 by the businessman François Pinault and is now run by his son François-Henri Pinault. It is quoted on Euronext Paris and is a constituent of the CAC 40 index...
. - Laure Sinclair Adult film actress
- Malika MénardMalika MénardMalika Ménard is a French beauty pageant titleholder, who won the title of Miss France 2010 and represented her country in Miss Universe 2010.-Miss France:...
Miss France 2010
Twin towns – sister cities
Rennes is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
with:
(These twinned towns are inscribed on the bridge over the central canal of Rennes)
 ExeterExeter Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the... , England, UK (since 1956) Rochester, New York Rochester, New York Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City... , USA (since 1958) Erlangen Erlangen Erlangen is a Middle Franconian city in Bavaria, Germany. It is located at the confluence of the river Regnitz and its large tributary, the Untere Schwabach.Erlangen has more than 100,000 inhabitants.... , Germany (since 1964) Brno Brno Brno by population and area is the second largest city in the Czech Republic, the largest Moravian city, and the historical capital city of the Margraviate of Moravia. Brno is the administrative centre of the South Moravian Region where it forms a separate district Brno-City District... , Czech Republic (since 1965) Sendai Sendai, Miyagi is the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, and the largest city in the Tōhoku Region. In 2005, the city had a population of one million, and was one of Japan's 19 designated cities... , Japan (since 1967) Leuven Leuven Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium... , Belgium (since 1980) Setif Sétif Sétif |Colonia]]) is a town in northeastern Algeria. It is the capital of Sétif Province and it has a population of 239,195 inhabitants as of the 1998 census. Setif is located to the east of Algiers and is the second most important Wilaya after the country's capital. It is 1,096 meters above sea... , Algeria (since 1982) |
Cork Cork (city) Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban... , Ireland (since 1982) Almaty Almaty Almaty , also known by its former names Verny and Alma-Ata , is the former capital of Kazakhstan and the nation's largest city, with a population of 1,348,500... , Kazakhstan (since 1991) Plateau Dogon, Mali (since 1995) Poznań Poznan Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be... , Poland (since 1998) Sibiu Sibiu Sibiu is a city in Transylvania, Romania with a population of 154,548. Located some 282 km north-west of Bucharest, the city straddles the Cibin River, a tributary of the river Olt... , Romania (since 1999) Jinan Jinan Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilisation and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub... , China (since 2002) |
Within France
| Saint-Gilles-du-Mené Saint-Gilles-du-Mené Saint-Gilles-du-Mené is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Bretagne in northwestern France.-References:*... , France (since 1978) Rennes-les-Bains Rennes-les-Bains Rennes-les-Bains is a commune in the Aude department in southern France.The spa village of Rennes-les-Bains lies in the heart of Cathar country. Bathers have enjoyed the natural hot spring waters for thousands of years - they are still used today as a cure for rheumatism and certain skin problems.... , France (since 1985) |
Pacts of cooperation
| Hué Hue Hue is one of the main properties of a color, defined technically , as "the degree to which a stimulus can be describedas similar to or different from stimuli that are described as red, green, blue, and yellow,"... , Vietnam (since 1992) Bandiagara Cercle Bandiagara Cercle Bandiagara Cercle is an administrative subdivision of the Mopti Region of Mali. The administrative center is the town of Bandiagara.The cercle is divided into 21 communes:*Bandiagara*Bara Sara*Borko*Dandoli*Diamnati*Dogani Béré... , Mali (since 1995) |
Sponsorship
| Vouziers Vouziers Vouziers is a commune of the Ardennes department in northern France.Vouziers is the burial place of the pioneer First World War fighter pilot Roland Garros, from whom the tennis location is named.... , France |