Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Private tourOnly your group will participate
Overview
Brittany’s capital, Rennes, has been shaped by an unwavering refusal to be defined by its past. On this self-guided audio tour, you’ll discover how this city transformed itself from a medieval timber town into a pioneer of modernism and an Art Deco showcase, all while maintaining its fiercely independent Breton identity. The tour starts at the Couvent des Jacobins, a Dominican monastery from the 1300s that’s now a state-of-the-art convention center. You’ll wander through the narrow streets of the medieval quarter, past timber-framed houses that survived the catastrophic Great Fire of 1720. You’ll walk through the elegant Place de la Mairie, where the City Hall and Opera House were designed as architectural mirrors – one concave, one convex – that locked together like jigsaw pieces. The tour ends at Place Hoche, a grand academic square anchored by the neo-Gothic Hôtel Galicier, which blends medieval fantasy with industrial-age concrete.
What's included
Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
App for Android and iOS
Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start
Smartphone and headphones
Transportation
Food and drink
Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour
What to expect
Couvent Des Jacobins Rennes
Pass by
Begin at the Couvent des Jacobins, a 14th-century Dominican monastery with Gothic arches and cloisters now transformed into a modern convention center. Discover how Rennes preserved the medieval stone shell while installing state-of-the-art facilities inside.
Place du Champ-Jacquet
Pass by
Admire Place du Champ-Jacquet, a picturesque square surrounded by timber-framed houses leaning at dramatic angles. Marvel at Ti Koz, the crimson house from 1505 that survived two devastating fires to become an icon of medieval Rennes.
Portes Mordelaises
Pass by
Pass through Les Portes Mordelaises, the imposing royal gates where every Duke and Duchess of Brittany swore their oath before entering the city. Explore the medieval machicolations above, designed to drop stones on anyone attempting to force entry.
Pass by
Visit Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, rebuilt in the 19th century after centuries of collapses and reconstructions. Peek through the gateway of the nearby Ancienne Manécanterie Saint-Pierre, a secret garden sanctuary for cathedral choirboys since 1476.
Place des Lices
Pass by
Stroll through Place des Lices, once the site of medieval jousting tournaments where Breton knights competed for glory. Experience France's second-largest Saturday market, where locals gather among timber-framed buildings that witnessed centuries of commerce.
Parlement de Bretagne
Pass by
Enter the Parlement de Bretagne, a 17th-century palace that went up in flames during a 1994 fishermen's protest. Learn how the city meticulously restored the gilded chambers and painted ceilings over nearly a decade.
Pass by
Discover the Saint-Georges swimming pool, an Art Deco masterpiece adorned with vibrant mosaics by the Odorico family. Admire the geometric patterns and ocean-inspired waves created by Italian immigrants who transformed Rennes in the 1920s.
Parc du Thabor
Pass by
Walk through Parc du Thabor, a 10-hectare garden combining French formal gardens, English landscape design, and exotic plant collections. Enjoy the rose garden, aviaries, and terraced lawns created from former Benedictine monastery grounds.
Mairie de Rennes
Pass by
Approach the Mairie de Rennes at Place de la Mairie, with its distinctive concave façade designed to mirror the Opera House opposite. Marvel at how these two 18th-century buildings lock together like architectural jigsaw pieces.
Pass by
Stand before the Rennes Opera House, its convex rotunda perfectly mirroring the concave City Hall across the elegant square. Explore this neoclassical masterpiece where curved colonnades create one of France's most harmonious urban spaces.
Meeting and pickup
Meeting point
This tour starts at Couvent des Jacobins. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
End point
Tour ends at Place Hoche.
Additional information
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
