Brittany, France · Europe
Rennes sits on the route: 10 minutes from Saint-Grégoire, 32km from Manoir de l'Automobile, Loheac.
Rennes is in Brittany, France, with about 230,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Saint-Grégoire, about 5 km away.
Rennes (French: [ʁɛn] ) is a city in the east of Brittany in Northwestern France at the confluence of the rivers Ille and Vilaine. Rennes is the prefecture of the Brittany region and Ille-et-Vilaine department. In 2023, the city had a population of 230,890 inhabitants, while the larger metropolitan area is the 10thRead more
most populated in France with a population of 789,516. The inhabitants of Rennes are called Rennais (masculine) and Rennaises (feminine) in French.
Rennes's history goes back more than 2,000 years to a time when it was a small Gallican village named "Condate." Together with Vannes and Nantes, it was one of the major cities of the ancient Duchy of Brittany. From the early sixteenth century until the French Revolution, Rennes was a parliamentary, administrative and garrison city of the historic province of Brittany in the Kingdom of France, as evidenced by its 17th-century Parliament's Palace. Rennes played an important role in the Stamped Paper Revolt (Revolt of the papier timbré) in 1675. After the destructive fire of 1720, the medieval wooden center of the city was partially rebuilt in stone. Remaining mostly rural until the Second World War, Rennes underwent significant development in the twentieth century.
Since the 1950s, Rennes has grown in importance through rural flight and modern industrial development, partly in the automotive sector. The city developed extensive building plans to accommodate upwards of 200,000 inhabitants. During the 1980s, Rennes became one of the main centres in telecommunications and high-tech industry. It is now a significant digital innovation centre in France. From 2002 to 2008, Rennes was the smallest city in the world to have a metro.
Labeled a city of art and history, it has preserved an important medieval and classical heritage within its historic center, with over 90 buildings protected as historic monuments. Home to more than 70,000 students in 2026, it is also the eighth-largest university campus of France. In 2018, L'Express named Rennes as the most liveable city in France.
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Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Rennes.
Within an hour or so of Rennes: Manoir de l'Automobile, Loheac (32 km), Dinan (47 km), Mont-Saint-Michel (60 km).
The nearest famous roads are Passage du Gois.
Rennes is in Brittany, France, about 5 km from Saint-Grégoire.
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Essential numbers in France
Carrying a warning triangle and hi-vis vest in your vehicle is mandatory. Motorway emergency phones connect to official breakdown services only.
Full driving guide for France3 notable places within an hour's drive.
museum
One of Europe's largest private car museums, packing over 400 vehicles into a Breton village - supercars, F1 machines and a full Alpine collection - alongside a busy rallycross circuit.
32 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
A beautifully preserved medieval Breton town with half-timbered houses, ramparts, and a picturesque port on the River Rance.
47 km · about 55 min drive
landmark
Stunning medieval abbey perched on a tidal island off the Normandy coast, surrounded by vast sand flats.
60 km · about 70 min drive
April to October
Other places to explore near Rennes.
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