Rare is the case where you can come to a French city and realise all that you see is real, never redone rebuilt from the ashes of a war. This is the case of Vannes, capital of the Morbihan dept 56 of my lovely Bretagne. My capital city and work and many afternoons.
Each visit brings back wonderful architecture and history surrounding these old buildings. I had to go back to Vannes today, for my Dad’s doctor visit and took advantage to write again on this wonderful city Gwened as known by the Bretons. Oh yes my Dad is well nothing ,like a rock at soon 85.
Let me tell you about the curiosities of Vannes I saw again, maybe took a photo as not before but nevertheless is magical Vannes.
And here , well, a bus line ! Kiceo network bus line 2 goes from the park and relay west or P+R ouest ,then Fourchêne, Le Pargo, Le Bris Patriotes, Madeleine,école normale, Liberation (square); Hôtel de Ville (city hall), République’(city center), Le Port (old town), Jaurés, Calmont, Becquerel, – Marcellin, Petit Tohannic, and Tohannic groupe scolaire Université. The Kiceo Line 2 is here: Kiceo bus line 2 Vannes
I highlighted all the stop that will bring you to city center and the wonderful old of Vannes. I was today around place de la République. But before , notice, P+R ouest or park and relay west, this is what some big cities should had done (Paris!) a central bus location with free parking to drop off your car and then take the bus into the city. Of course, a wonderful Kiceo bus network to boot. Good planning ahead.
Now , having said the above, I do come by car always. The rest of my family have done the bus and of course my boys for school done it more. The best parking to come into the city and be worry free for the rest of the day are the one handle by Indigo at above and underground parking pl de la République. More here: Park Indigo Republique Vannes
And those handle by Q-Park such as underground parkings of Centre, du Port ,and pl de la Loi. More info here : Q Park parkings at Vannes
The Place de la République is a public square in city center/downtown Vannes capital of dept 56 Morbihan. It is one of the largest public squares in Vannes. Crossed by rue Thiers, which leads from the City/Town hall to the port, it is located on the edge of the historic center. Covering an area of approximately 1.8 hectares, it is rectangular in shape. It has a bus terminal and an underground car park is also provided under the square. The main public transport interchange at Vannes is located here.
The Place de la République was created in 1862 under the name of “place de la Halle-aux-Grains”, in reference to the covered market which was built there at the same time. Initially square, the square takes a rectangular shape from its origin, when the construction of a court (courthouse and prefecture) is decided there. It also expanded towards the historic center, when the space east of rue Thiers, corresponding to the ditches of the old ramparts, was added to it. In 1955, the Halle aux Grain (grain hall), used as a post office since 1912, was demolished. It was replaced by a new post office in the 1970s.
The rue Thiers starts really by the Hôtel de Ville and bordering the old town of Vannes. It’s a street full of shops, restaurants and passes by the Place de la République. It ends at the traffic circle or rond point du Port on the harbor or Le Port of Vannes.
Some interesting things to see on rue Thiers are
1 rue Thiers : Merchant’s house built in the latter part of the 16C. The date of 1663 worn on the right gutter wall of the second floor of the neighboring house during the elevation of the wall indicates for some of the alterations made on this date such as the demolition of the rear room and development at each level of a corridor between the spiral staircase and rooms and construction of an additional body posterior to the neighboring house, and others the construction of this house. The house belongs in the regards and the reformation of the royal domain of 1684 to the heirs of the “nobles Pierre Les Moyne” merchants on the port. It would have been an inn under the Ancien Régime.
3 rue Thiers is the former Chapelle des Ursulines or Chapelle de la Sainte Famille or Holy Family within the walls of the Saint-François-Xavier middle /high school. The chapel, placed under the name of the Holy Family, was built between 1688 and 1690 to serve the Ursuline convent. This convent was built between 1627 and 1670 to accommodate a community of nuns from Tréguier. The convent, except the chapel and the sacristy, was sold during the French revolution, later it was erected an oratory in the chapel in 1802 . From the convent, burned in 1949 and largely rebuilt, only this chapel remained, transformed into a library on two levels. Only the facade has retained its 17C appearance.
4 rue Thiers, is the headquarter of the Maison des Plus Belle Baies du Monde or house of the most beautiful bays in the world founded at Vannes (which includes the Gulf of Morbihan). More info here: World Bays on the Gulf of Morbihan and Vannes
18 rue Thiers : House probably built in 1880 for Joseph Bernard, roofer, on the old ditches cut into gardens between the bastions of Brozillay and Haute-Folie. According to the archives, the house is built on the same plot as the neighboring house and by the same presumed family-sponsor. The rear outbuildings indicate the existence of a business at this location, probably that of the owner. In 1913, its known that the house is the headquarters of the General Coffee Warehouse Co.
31 rue Thiers, Hôtel de Limur.(see post). The construction of the Hôtel des Douves , former name of the Hôtel de Limur, probably begins around 1685. By 1748, begins the long and chaotic destiny of the Hôtel de Limur. It was acquired by the City in 1947, ceded to the State in 1980 and recovered by the City in 1991. It retains the name of the Limur family who owned it from 1820 to 1947.
The Hôtel de Ville or City/Town hall, is located on Place Maurice Marchais, was built between 1880 and 1886. This part really faces rue Thiers. The rue Thiers ends at Place Maurice Marchais. The other part of the municipal services of the town is in the municipal administrative center located rue Joseph Le Brix . More info in English here : Mayor’s office of Vannes
And we have to use the post office and very conveniently located as the main Post Office of Vannes is at 25 place de la République running along rue Thiers. More here: La Poste Vannes
And why not the main office of my bank BNP Paribas is at 9 Place de la République. More info here: Bank branches of BNP Paribas Vannes
And we got back doing the big item, buy the baguette and pastries of course. All at our favorite Boulangerie Y & E in Pluvigner rue de la gare! And home for another day that started earlier doing our big items surplus in the waste collection center in town. We do the ecolo correct here: waste collection center Pluvigner
And now relax, see the news, eat good have that rose wine from the Loire and sit back, we are in France; la vie en rose or la vie est belle! Salut. Hope you enjoy this one and the other up close and personal posts of daily life in my belle France.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 