Rennes

any cheap hostel recommendations????

Horrible weather in the winter, but a nice little city none the less. Lots of students (there are two major universities here, plus a IEP (Sciences Po). Try the market at Place de Lices on Sundays, it’s fantatic. Get a gallette (buckwheat crepe) with a sausage and some mustard. Just the thing when you have been out partying the night before. In the summer there is a huge music festival called TransMusicales, which is totally worth going to. Lot’s of bands on their way up. The whole city parties!

I loved this little city. It’s one of France’s gems. Ancient history, little alleys and beautiful houses. It’s a university city which gives it plenty of life. There is a wonderful buzz to Rennes. I had a fantastic meal (North African style restaurant – can’t remember the name). The weather was great, and the place was easy to get around given its compact nature. It’s friendly and lively.

Great night life on “rue de la soif”!

We rolled into Rennes one lovely evening, and decided to park and get something to eat before heading further along to meet our friends.
We had a wonderful meal near the city hall with some yummy rustic crepes with apple wine.
Imagine our surprise when we returned to the parking garage. It was locked! I mean locked so much that we couldn’t even crawl in anywhere to get our luggage from our car. True, the hours are posted (we noticed too late!) and they would be open in the morning.
So, not a problem, we’d just find a hotel in Rennes. Well, we looked at the 4-star hotels, but each had a sign complet (full!), but we figure 3-star would be okay for one night. Also full! Same for 2-star and even 1-star. Apparently there was a big conference so everything (!) was sold out.
Fortunatunatly, we found a nice bistro that was still open where we could have a beer while we waited for our friends to come rescue us.
The moral – read the hours of the parking garages!

if you run out of citys to see if FRANCE come to RENNE!!

I experienced the rudeness I expected, but honestly it probably had a lot more to do with the fact that I looked rough and lost. Actually still that’s no reason for rudeness.

Yes I was an American tourist, but since I don’t really speak French, I was having trouble finding something to eat. I didn’t even mean to be in the town in the first place but that’s another story. I was hungry and looking for food.

Anyway, I was passing by this restaurant that had it’s french doors open, and I stopped to look in. A man in a group of people, sitting, asked me if I was looking for something. He asked in English, as I’m sure it was quite obvious that I was American (I had a green Army dufflebag, tennis shoes, and these loose sporty blue Caffeine pants on). I said that I was looking for something to eat, and as a precusor to is degrading laughter, he said, “Well it’s not here.”

fuck off.

I found a ham and cheese baguette down the street. Just like Paris I’d like to give it another chance.

i went to see and photograph the old houses and then had a little lunch picnic with friends at parc du thabor. if ever you are in bretagne, do see rennes.