You’ll find the city of Rennes in Brittany, in the west of France. It is the capital of this region, and stands 35 miles from the coast, at the meeting point of two rivers, the Ille and the Vilaine. If you hire a car in Rennes you’ll be able to tour the city, its sights and the outlying areas too - St Malo, Dinan and Mont St Michel are all within a short drive. Rennes has a convenient road network as it’s the transport hub for all Brittany. For example, there’s an outer loop of motorways joining trunk roads from all over France and a good network of main routes through the city itself.
If you have a hire car in Rennes you’ll soon notice that the old town centre is built on a hill, while the modern suburbs and industrial areas spread out over the surrounding river plains. This old district at Rennes’ heart is worth wandering. The narrow cobbled streets have many restored old buildings, including traditional half-timbered houses. Nearby is the Brittany Parliament building, dating back to the 17th century, and St George’s Palace, a 350-year-old former abbey. Elsewhere there are impressive remains of the city wall and gates. Rennes has a big student population and also is regarded as a busy regional centre for shopping
