Vannes Old Town, a Historic Centre Between Harbour and Ramparts, Brittany France

Vannes outdated town is fortified by the Romans in the medieval periods. The metropolis is a gateway to the Gulf of Morbihan by the Marle estuary south of Brittany. Getting the capital of Morbihan, Vannes aged town has a really port, medieval architecture, stunning gardens, squares, food scene, and so forth., to find out.

After a number of times of nature exploration subsequent our highway vacation itinerary for Brittany, we felt exhausted and longed for a leisurely outing. Therefore, the go to to Vannes old town was a perfect tour to fit our agenda.   

We strolled into the previous city from the harbourside. The highlights of the Vannes previous town are:

• Port de Vannes
• Position Henri-IV
• 50 percent-timbered residences in Breton fashion
• Jardin des Remparts
• Saint-Patern historic centre
• Significant structures
• Local stores and shops

Port de Vannes

Vannes Harbour

Appropriate stage exterior of the Q-Parking, we identified ourselves struggling with the semi-circular plaza Place Gambetta immediate in entrance of the Vannes port. The walkway to the south along the harbour is very long and sheltered with planted avenues of trees. It reaches the peninsula at Conleau.

Numerous boats and yachts docked on the port, subsequent to every other devoid of any gap. Reduced-mounting condominium structures neatly encompass the tiny port.

Place Gambetta

Going for walks towards the most important entry gate of the previous town from the port, we passed the Place Gambetta, a active trafficking position wherever most autos also generate by the square. Put Gambetta has many contemporary eating places and cafes with intensive outdoors seating regions and good sights.

St Vincent Gate(Porte St Vincent Ferrier)

The historic monument Saint-Vincent Gate at the northern end of the harbour is a former metropolis gate in Vannes. Coming into by the medieval gate, we obtained misplaced in the medieval architecture and the winding medieval alleys of Vannes aged city.

Put Henri-IV

Individuals medieval alleys join quite a few plazas in the aged city. A single of them is notably value seeing, the Put Henri-IV. It is a historic strolling location that showcases 16th-century properties and intriguing museums.

La Cohue – Musée des Beaux Arts de Vannes

La Cohue is home to the Vannes Great Arts Museum. Inside the making, the hall teems with daily life from medieval instances, the stone, archways, and the passageway. La Cohue utilized to home a lot of stalls on the ground flooring and the ducal courthouse on the very first ground.

I dropped in and was curious about the white paper-formed objects hanging about. Later on, from a number of facts boards exterior we discovered the answers. That was an exhibition presenting the outstanding approaches of advanced folding and construction crumpling. The artists had made natural designs using sheets of baking paper.

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre (Saint Peter’s Cathedral)

Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, specifically opposite the Museum of Good Arts, is a Basilica developed on the continues to be of an historical Romanesque cathedral. The cathedral is a combine of architecture, together with the tomb of the town’s patron saint, St. Vincent Ferrer.  

Porte Jail (historic landmark)

Walking in the direction of the east behind the cathedral and together the Rue Porte Prison is a fortified Jail Gate, one particular of the oldest entrances to the walled town. It connects to a stunning fifty percent-timbered residence that attracted far more of my consideration.

Fifty percent-timbered homes in Breton style

50 percent-timbered residences have regular Breton architectural trends. Those people homes boast 3 or four flooring with corbels jutting out from a wall. The larger floors of the 50 %-timbered homes are wider than the ground floor, allowing for a huge passage on the general public street even though raising the area area on the upper flooring.

The floor flooring of the houses comprise an considerable assortment of stores, boutiques, and cafes. It is also so straightforward to locate a position for a break.

Jardin des Remparts

A portion of the original ramparts is nonetheless intact and consists of a big part of the battlement walls, durable towers, and arched entrances. One of the towers was initially element of the courtyard of the Chateau de l’Hermine.

Upcoming to the ramparts is a effectively-maintained yard. Many strolling paths neatly divide the garden into patches. The backyard garden is a tranquil position to relaxation just after a lengthy wander as a result of the aged town. The rather minor structures next to the river are the primary washhouses for Vannes. By all usually means, It is value walking the length of the walls and getting in the views of the gardens and the Vannes old city.

Saint-Patern historic centre

All around the church of Saint Patern is a further charming historic centre. The church was named following the initial regarded bishop of Vannes. Although it is not a must-see location, the watch of the church from the Jardin des Remparts is beautiful.

The Saint-Patern quarter is total of modest restaurants and cafés. Its full neighbourhood sits on the slopes of the Boismoreau hill. And, it is also the oldest element of Vannes with charming residences. 

Crucial properties

Vannes Hôtel de Ville

Remaining the aged city at the northwest corner is the majestic town hall, the Lodge de Ville on Maurice-Marchais sq.. The opulent creating is upcoming to an spectacular previous school. 

The town corridor framed by north and south wings has a façade that is particularly prosperous in decoration. There are square pillars on the side wings, semi-columns on the central tract, alternating triangular and gables, cartouches and busts, and volutes.

I admired the attractive symmetry and wished to have a appear inside of. But thanks to the pandemic situation, it was closed to the public. Later, I have realized that the setting up has a monumental double staircase illuminated by a huge skylight.

Préfecture du Morbihan

The Préfecture du Morbihan, built on a U-formed program, is an administrative developing positioned in Vannes, money of the French department of Morbihan. The decoration refers to Breton heritage with representations of Nominoë, Count of Vannes, and Alain Barbetorte, two heroes of Breton independence. And the developing is surrounded by a five-hectare park that largely resembles an English Backyard garden.

Community shops and shops

Suitable behind the main gate, St Vincent Gate, are all effectively-preserved medieval streets & fifty percent-timbered homes, whose ground flooring are stores and retailers promoting the specialties of Brittany. I popped in a number of outlets as we handed through the Vannes previous city and could not resist the temptation of the baked goods. Some retailers focus in a single kind of products, these kinds of as wines and ciders. Other individuals promote standard Breton goods, from baked sweets, canneries, Breton Enamel with blue and white designs to the standard Breton rain jackets. I lingered in one particular retail outlet and purchased several sweets and baked solutions that experienced caught my eyes. 

Vacation suggestions for Vannes Outdated City

Where by to continue to be

Due to the fact Vannes is a excellent foundation to discover southern Brittany, France, it also has many lodging in the old town.  Below two accommodations are straight in the centre of the town:

How to get there

The TGV coach from Paris to Vannes normally takes fewer than three hrs. In normal, there are a number of scheduled trains a working day. Vannes educate station is about 700 metres to the edge of the Vannes Previous Town.

The big streets E60 and N166 get to Vannes. There are plenty of parking spots specifically outside the aged town, and the closest one is subsequent to the harbour, Q-Park Port, about 100 metres to the major gate of the previous town.