Early morning... 8:30 or so, on the train: Nantes to Rennes. Off to visit La Reine de Rennes... M. Philippe.
A couple hours later and voila... Rennes. Once we get to Philippe's he does what any self respecting Frenchman would do... pours some Champagne...
Here's a couple pics of the view from his apt. The front:
The back:
(ain't that the biggest cherry tree ya ever did see?!)
After a short rest and Champagne (of course) we went off for a walking tour of the city.
Rennes is quite a beautiful city, with a lot of history, as you'll soon see from it's archetecture... going back, oh about 500+ years or so...
My ankle curses you... oh cobbled streets!
In the distance you can see the bell tower of the abbey church of
Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine
...and a little bit closer...
Through the gates toward the Parc Thabor...
...and back again to the abbey church of Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine...
The Gendarmerie...
A miscellaneous window...
La Poste...
L'Hôtel de Ville, Place de la Mairie.
l'Opéra de Rennes...
...and to the right of the Opéra is
Le Picca,...
...where the who's who of Rennes are seen...
...oh look here they are now...
Le Parlement de Bretagne (Parliament of Brittany) probably the most famous 17th century building in Rennes. It was rebuilt after a terrible fire in 1994. It now houses the Rennes Court of Appeals.
Miscellaneous other buildings in the city...
I can only assume that a relative of mine owns this place... oddly enough showing my passport and family name of Ellis did not entitle me to any freebies. Dommage.
The only remaining medieval Gate of the original fortifications of Rennes: Les Portes Mordelaises. From the exterior...
...and the interior...
This is Gael and Jacques in front of le Restaurant Creperie des Portes Mordelaises... but more of that later in 'a la carte"...
