Rennes and Vannes (I Think They Rhyme)

After two nights in Chartres we left for Rennes. That day featured two amazing bewilderments. First, on the way to Renne we somehow got 50 kilometers north of where we wanted to be. We can't figure out how that happened. Maybe it has something to do with the French penchant for naming towns after saints. So if there was a saint named Gibaud there will ten towns of that name in France.

Anyway, a helpful Breton cafe owner put us back on the right track.
The supreme bewilderment came later, after the secondary stress of finding our way into the old town center in Rennes. It had to do with finding our hotel in Rennes. Somehow, in my state of jet-lag, overcome with tiredness and natural stupidity I had got it into my head that our hotel had 150 rooms. So, when the GPS said we had arrived and I saw the big backside of a white apartment building, I thought it was the hotel, except, due to the complications of the streets we couldn't get in front of it. After a half hour of confused and maniacal conversations with the hotel I finally realized it was not the hotel. The hotel was a 26-room converted manor house, Lecoq-Gadby, located one block before the apartment building.

A short rest and a really outstanding meal in La Coquerie, the one-star restaurant in the hotel somewhat restored our equilibrium. I will review that restaurant in Trip Advisor when I have time. The chef, Julien Marie, really blew us away.

On the next day we walked around the old section of Rennes before leaving for Vannes. Not bad. Big renovations are going on in Renne and it is not as consistently medieval as Vennes. But worth seeing.

Vannes is a lovely port town, with a fine old section right off the marina/center, graced by a lovely moated chateau in the center. beautifully adorned with flower gardens and a great Saturday-morning food market, which we were lucky enough to see the day we left. We added a good cantaloupe and fresh figs from France and Spain to our emergency car supplies. Occasionally such things take the place of a meal when the timing is not right for a food stop.

Emergency food stop after realizing we were 50 kilometers away from where we thought we were. Cantaloupe, plums and a good cheese.

Rennes street. It wasn't easy clearing all the pedestrians out for this shot.

Rennes chateaux. WRONG! This was the town of Vitre where we stopped before Rennes.

Medieval houses now feature ethnic restaurants

Military memorial ceremony in Rennes

Facades in Rennes

Street named after former mayor

View from our garret room facing the marina. Crudely lightened with Photoshop - that explains the lines.

View towards our hotel from the opposite direction. We got lucky with on-the-street free overnight parking near the hotel.

Vannes houses

Cantaloupe selection in the Saturday food market in Vannes. It extended for many blocks.

Fish Market in Vannes featuring the famous Shellfish Twins behind the counter

Cleaning the Squid by turning it inside out and removing a membrane.

Six Types of Garlic

Château de l'Hermine in Vannes - an old fort

Another view of Château de l'Hermine's  moat and a street