In many respects, Rennes is an open-air museum! It is partly thanks to the talent of a family of Italian mosaic-makers : the Odorico family. This date marks the start of a real saga, because the descendants of the Odorico brothers, Isidore and Vincent, took over the family business when they died. Driven by the hygienic trend of the era, these entrepreneurial artists decorated a great number of buildings in the city.
Public monuments, churches, schools and also the entrance halls of private buildings and bathrooms: the Odorico style is everywhere. Built in , this swimming pool is a wonderful illustration of provincial Art Deco: a traditional desk, a rotunda, numbered wooden changing rooms and a pool entirely covered in little tiles in shades of blue. Thanks to all this, the Rennes pool is ranked the 8th most beautiful swimming pool in the world by the magazine Architectural Digest, a reference publication in the design world.
Many guided tours are organised. The first essential visit often forgotten by tourists is the courtyard of the former Saint Michel prison in the centre of Rennes. A terrifying jail in the Middle Ages, this mythical site in Rennes now contains a nightclub in the basement and restaurants on the floors.
This well-preserved medieval building is a listed historic monument. Another hidden place is the Blossac mansion house in the centre of Rennes. Do you want to extend this immersion in the secret sites of Rennes? Have a little snack or enjoy an aperitif with friends on a discreet terrace : the Loco Loca for a warm atmosphere, the Combi Bar for a delicious cocktail, the Peacock for its delicious pastries and cosy sofas, or the Panama for a barbecue with friends.
Profoundly rooted in the architecture of the Breton capital, the medieval period shaped its identity. This fabulous heritage can be seen just be lifting your head up! On Place du Champ Jacquet , admire how the half-timbered buildings seem to lean on each other in a fragile feat of balance! Another flagship of the historical heritage of the capital of Brittany: Portes Mordelaises , connecting the bottom of Place des Lices to Rennes cathedral.
