Rue Saint-Michel

The Rue Saint-Michel is the street that Rennes people know as the Rue de la Soif, the street of thirst, and it is the city's best-known address for an evening out. It runs through the old part of Rennes, close to the Place des Lices and the former seat of the Parlement de Bretagne, and it is lined on both sides with bars and cafés occupying tall half-timbered houses. By day the street is quiet and pleasant, with a few shops and the sun on the old facades. By evening, especially on a warm night or a student weekend, the pavements fill with people, music spills out of the doors and the street becomes one of the liveliest in Brittany.

The buildings are an essential part of the character. Much of Rennes was destroyed by a great fire in 1720, which burned for days and left the medieval centre in ruins, and the city was rebuilt in stone in a regular classical style. A few quarters survived, and in these areas, half-timbered houses from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries still lean over the narrow streets, their upper floors jutting out over the lower ones and their timbers carved and painted. The Rue Saint-Michel is one of the best places to see them in a lively setting, and the contrast between the old structures and the modern crowd is part of the appeal.

The street lies close to many of the city's cultural sights, so it makes a natural end to a day of sightseeing. The Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Rennes, a large nineteenth-century church with a richly decorated interior, stands nearby, and the Musée de Bretagne and the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rennes offer history and art. The Parc du Thabor, one of the finest public gardens in the region, is a short walk to the east, and the La Vilaine River Banks offer a quiet walk along the water. The Place des Lices is the setting for the big Saturday market, and the Place Sainte-Anne, with its timbered houses, is another good place for a drink.

The parliament building, the Parlement de Bretagne, is a seventeenth-century palace that was badly damaged by fire in 1994 and has since been restored. Nearby streets such as the Rue Vasselot offer street art and a more alternative scene.

Visiting the Rue Saint-Michel is free, and it is open at all times. It suits walkers, students and anyone who wants to feel the energy of the city after dark. Noise can be considerable on weekend nights, so choose your timing, and take care late in the evening.