Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France and was our next intended stop. As it turns out, Rennes is a magnificent blend of old and new. It is quite an experience to stand in the square with its glass balustrades leading down to a modern Metro and modern architecture, together with very old timber framed buildings.
We walked along the cobblestone streets of the medieval old town, to see the colourful half-timbered houses and shops (and half-empty as it turned out). There was plenty of cafes and shops to explore.
We stopped to admire the old Parliament of Brittany, which was one of many of the Parliaments under the old regime, which was abolished in 1789. Today this magnificent building houses the Rennes Court of Appeal.
Another of the impressive building we had to see was the Mairie de Rennes (or Rennes City Hall) built after a great fire of 1720.
However, located in the central district of Rennes is the huge Palais du Commerce, a former stock exchange, with a vast pedestrian area that spans the river Vilaine. Walking through the Palais du Commerce we found some restaurants where one caught our attention, serving Thai street food (yep, it would be rude not to).
