This is a pictorial more than text of my beautiful Vannes, capital of my dept 56 Morbihan, region of Bretagne, and my belle France! I always like to brag worked outside of it and come in every day to this gorgeous medieval town off the Unesco Gulf of Morbihan, one of the most beautiful bays in the world (Great Bays and Conde Nast).
I was there around midday so took more pictures, more and more they all seems beautiful and on site the looks is even better…. I like to give you another brief glimse of my beautiful Vannes. Of course, the sights below have posts all over my blog! Hope you enjoy as I do.
Saint-Pierre Cathedral is of Gothic style, it stands on the site of the old Romanesque cathedral. Its construction spanned five centuries, from the 15C to the 19C, and if we include the duration of existence of the Roman bell tower preserved from the old church, we arrive at a construction duration of seven centuries. I have written plenty on this hugely nice and historical cathedral keeping the rests of Saint Vincent Ferrier of Valencia Spain.
The Halle aux Poissons or fish market, located on the Place de la Poissonnerie is made up of 23 permanent traders . Open all year, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 7h to 13h. The first fish market in Vannes was built in wood in 1821 on an arm of the Marle river located west of rue Saint -Vincent on the square where an old fish market was held, which has become the Place de la Poissonnerie . Worth the detour we love shop in it always!!!
The Place du Poids Public or public weight square. The name of this traditionally commercial square is linked to the verification of the weights and measures of goods which was carried out there. It was part of the new developments during the expansion of the city to the south at the end of the 14C. The half-timbered houses in the square bear witness to the first urbanization in the 15-16C. I will cite as an example No. 13, 17 and 19. The beautiful corner hotel in white stone makes a strong mark on the premises with its watchtower and classical architecture. it was enlarged and modified in the 17C. Under the influence of the arrival of the Parliament of Brittany in Vannes in 1675, many houses in the square were remodeled, probably for rental purposes. In the 19C, embellishment work focused on the southern slope with the construction of new buildings on the site of the mill and adjoining dwellings. Along with that of the Lices, this square is the site of a famous market which is held every Wednesday and Saturday of the week. Yes again new photo of a place we shop a lot.
The Place des Lices is originally a former free space devoted to tournaments and other outdoor exercises that took place in the Middle Ages. The Lices, a term which was used to designate the field or the enclosed land surrounded by palisades, intended for these activities, recall this first use of the premises. This space was created in the 14C during the accession of Jean IV,(John) Duke of Brittany. The latter who wishes to make Vannes his administrative capital. Located at the foot of the first urban wall, this square is bordered to the east by the farmyard of the Hermine castle and various ducal buildings, coin workshop, kiln houses, tennis court, castle stables. It is surrounded by various constructions including the old Lices chapel, built around 1400-1425 with its cemetery. The area is bounded by half-timbered houses, and new ones were built in the 17C on the site of the old courtyard of the castle, which had become obsolete. The 19C alignments led to the demolition of the ducal chapel and the reworking of a number of old facades. At the same time, the square takes for vocation a market which is still held today every Wednesday and Saturday of the week. In 1912, the square was provided with a covered market for small producers, which in 2000 was replaced by a new halle. Yes again new pictures and we shop here a lot.
The Halles des Lices or covered market covers 1350 m2 offered by thirty sedentary traders, joined by 16 producers on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. The Halle des Lices opens Tuesday to Sunday from 8h to 14h throughout the year. Closed on Mondays. They are open every day of summer, between Monday July 7 and Monday August 31, 2020. It sits on the site of the old Hôtel de Rosmadec 17C, and was built in 1912 .
The small Place Henri IV is located at a crossroads of old ways. Its current name dates back to the 19C and has supplanted its designation of origin from place de Mein-Guèvr (Breton) or Place de la Pierre-aux-Chèvres (French). It is bordered by half-timbered houses with overhanging floors, dating mainly from the end of the Middle Ages. It is worth mentioned that numbers 2 and 4 of the square was the lodgings of Guillaume Le Roux, general treasurer of Brittany. It was originally an almost closed square, which later developments have transformed it. Restoration, demolition and alignment of the building in the 19C have modified the architectural framework of the square. Another great shopping spot full of wooden houses of old!
The Place Saint Pierre formerly Place de la Comédie. A very old square located between the St Pierre Cathedral and La Cohue Fine Arts museum, bordered above all by half-timbered houses and two important buildings facing each other and which give it the character of a square (cathedral and museum) .It is joined to the Place Henri IV by a narrow passage between two houses. The La Cohue – Musée des Beaux-Arts is located here. A few old residences adjoining the Cohue, opposite the cathedral, the Cohue designating the old partly Romanesque halls, remains dating from the 16C. The stalls of merchants, mostly butchers and the first floor reserved for courts of law occupied the ground floor. Parliament sat there when he was exiled to Vannes. In the last century, a theater occupied the first floor which now houses the museum. At No. 9 in the square is one of the oldest houses in the city, recognizable by its many small windows, testimonies of civil architecture from the beginning of the 15C.
The Rue de la Monnaie is very commercial with shops on each house. However, it is a very old street where the coin workshop was located from 1237 to 1488 and which from the cathedral goes down to Place Lucien Laroche. The old cadastres show that an old striped plot borders the street where cantilevered timber-framed houses are built like the one but larger which remains at 3 rue de la Monnaie.
The Rue Emile Burgault, goes from the Place Henri IV to the Rue Joseph Le Brix. However, for the keen eye see No 29 located on the edge of the former Notre-Dame bastion which belonged in the 19C to the printing shop of Galles. The house is semi-terraced built in alignment with the street with a simple plan in depth of 2 square floors surmounted by a floor in addition with shop on the ground floor. The wooden staircase is lateral. Also, at No 27 backing onto the Notre-Dame bastion built in the 16C and on the edge of rue Notre-Dame which crosses the bastion. The house is semi-terraced built in alignment with a street with a simple plan in depth of 2 square floors surmounted by a floor in addition with shop on the ground floor. The wooden staircase is lateral. In April 2019, the City of Vannes acquired the two houses at 27 and 29 rue Émile-Burgault, in order to highlight the portion of the ramparts behind .
The city of Vannes on its heritage: https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/vannesdecouverte/histoire-et-patrimoine/plein-feu-sur-les-monuments/
The Morbihan dept 56 tourist office on Vannes: http://www.morbihan-tourism.co.uk/home/discover/morbihan/the-main-destinations/vannes
The local Gulf of Morbihan tourist office on Vannes: https://www.golfedumorbihan.bzh/explorer-vannes/decouvrir-vannes/golfe-morbihan/vannes/
There you go folks, another dandy in my Bretagne not to miss if in the region. One nice town, Vannes, well kept with monuments architecture of old and history galore of France, Bretagne and afar. Hope you enjoy the post!!
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 