Paris1972-Versailles2003

This is one of the wonderful things we do here, going shopping in Vannes!!! We love the fact that we have such a great capital city not big not small just right, next to the Gulf of Morbihan and we live in a small quiet nice town just 30 km or  about 18 miles from it. Let me update for you this older post on shopping in Vannes!!! Hope you enjoy it as I.

I  have written several articles on market shopping especially in my new area of the Morbihan Breton. They never stop amazing my family, we just simply love them. We do most of our food shopping in them, and the misc extra in the supermarket.  We did again some wonderful shopping in our capital city of Vannes; where most of the shopping is located, and I worked just outside in a castle ruins (1504) complex.  We get up and go by 9h and always find parking at the parking République that for less than 3 euros a day will do nicely across the market.  Also, parking by the ramparts as per picture is metered but cheaper. Down across rue Thiers we head to rue Le Hellec into the place du Poids Public , a great space of delicious goodies. Also, many stores like bakeries, butcher, fish market and the wonderful Halle aux Poissons or fish market. Right into the Place de la Poissonnerie/rue de la Poissonnerie. This goes back into rue Saint Vincent, nicely done with brick stones pavement.

However, the best is to go up from Place du Poids Public into the Place des Lices; another wonderful square full of shops even Belgian chocolates, souvenirs of Brittany, and fish canning store,not to mention anything to outfit your family and house.  This continues into the Place Lucien Laroche with stands all over. Here by the confluence of place des Lices and place du poids public you find the open air market where we got our mangos, avocados, raspberries, bananas, red/green peppers, clementine, dates, prunes, and next door to the stand a farmer’s hen roasted to perfection. Salads greens, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin. The works!!  In my opinion is the best market in Bretagne and we have been to all if not most of them already. Very well can match our beloved market of Notre Dame in Versailles… and that is saying a lot ::) The market here in Vannes are held on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8h to 13h30.

The Halles is a wonderful covered market that is open every day with over 30 merchants inside. This is the Halles des Lices as it is right in the Place des Lices; the back street is the ramparts of the old town.  The hours here change with some holidays ,but usually they are open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays (until 19h), and Sundays from  8h- 14h, closed Mondays.  We had here our oysters and shrimp on the Les Viviers des lices in the covered market Halles des Lices, nice folks, the oysters were open for us !!! We, also,got our breads au fournil Breton in the covered market slices to order with sesame seeds! and of course the baguette!

Right behind the Cathedral St Pierre (St Peter) at 4 rue des Chanoines you have a wonderful store for home decorations and furniture  with 300 m2 of space of changing modes according to season, call simply NOX. webpage:https://noxdeco.com/contactsnox/#vannes

Another nice one we go and long time here is Olivier Desforges at 22 rue Saint Vincent right by the market.  The accessories for the house from towels to linen, all tops.webpage: https://en.olivierdesforges.fr/storelocator/vannes-14.html

Another for home deco we like is L’échoppe at 15 rue des Halles off the place des lices into a laberinth of middle ages wooden houses! lamps, sofas, furniture in general, table décor in an ali baba bazaar (their words). Here for the memories as it is now gone.  We came back on way home to finish our shopping in our favorite hypermarket Carrefour at Avenue de la Marne, where we purchased the misc groceries like papers, cleaners, shampoos etc webpage: https://www.carrefour.fr/magasin/vannes

Now ,we do eat most of the time out. We did stop to try a new place here for us. Columbus Café, I figure from the name it had an international feeling for it, but is a complete French chain. The one in Vannes is very nice , right on rue du Mené and right next to a couple usual stores for us , Monoprix department store !, and Bouchara (old eurodif stores) home deco stores. Columbus Café; the service was very nice,and the products of high quality and reasonable price. We had our old time favorite pastrami bagel sandwich, a huge chuck of raspberry cheesecake and coca cola, we each had different menus, we end up with a huge mocha coffee all came to about 12.50€ per person. There are square tables by the counter area and then lounge low tables and seat on a side room all facing the street. We sat on a window facing the back entry of the Monoprix store. webpage: https://www.columbuscafe.com/boutique/vannes-rue-du-mene/

Some other nice places to eat I can tell you here are the Lecocq & Folks restaurant at 5 rue Saint Vincent ,almost at the foot of the gate or porte Saint Vincent to entered old town. This is a bistronomic style restaurant held by brother and sister! You have the Di’Vin, at 15 bis rue Noé right by the place du poids public in a wooden house  very fesh cuisines and great deco on the old town quant square. The Moulin du Roy at 14 place Gambetta ,just outside the Porte Saint Vincent facing the port marina , the Breton cuisine with burgers and chip and fish and great people watcher place. Next to it is the L’Atlantique, facing the  port marina Le Port, and a seafood lovers heaven !!!

Anna & Paul, 23 place du Général de Gaulle, in the old town section too near the government building prefecture, this is a couple and the name is after their kids. very homey welcome and good food, most is made in house, and good prices for a gourmand dinner or lunch. I have come for get together with collegues from work as well as family. Facebook page has more: https://www.facebook.com/Anna-et-Paul-218772718317241/

Bibovino at 18 Emile Burgault right up in old town on the way to the Cathedral. Great combination of food and wines!  Wonderful planchas of seafood, and great wines choices. Facebook page tells more: https://www.facebook.com/bibovinovannes/

There you go folks, a wonderful day shopping in Vannes with some resto recomm by yours truly, many of them with other posts in my blog. Hope you enjoy this other post on Vannes. And remember,happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all!!!