Paris1972-Versailles2003

We have come here for many years , do not recall exactly but must have been since 2015 or 2016 and enjoy it very much. Columbus Café is one of the places the whole family took part for lunches while sightseeing or shopping in our capital city of Vannes. Needless to tell you again, many posts on this city. However, we stop by today again and again fabolous ambiance, food, and prices . However, we did a bit more walking today and will include those sights in this post, Therefore, here is my take on fabulous places of Vannes !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.

The Columbus Café is located at 11 rue du Mené, open since 2014 on a surface of 125 m². The restaurant has more than 65 seats inside and a dozen more on the terrace. open Monday to Friday from 7h45 to 19h, and Saturday from 9h to 19h. We had our usual goat cheese bagel and chocolate muffin with peach ice tea and then a café latte to finish for me, My sons had a variety of different items all good and all at good prices 14 euros per person,

The official Columbus Café of Vannes:  https://www.columbuscafe.com/en/boutique/vannes-rue-du-mene-2/

And of course not there without some shopping and Dad paying some is a visit to Japanim, the mangas and figurines stores my boys are craze about, Each time here they load up , long time customers and now in a nice bigger store at 3 Place Joseph le Brix just across from Monoprix,

By the rue du Mené ,and Place Joseph Le Brix ,there are some interesting historical and architecturally stunning buildings some of which will highlight briefly here for you and me

The building at 20 rue du Mené was a commercial building called Grand Bazar du Morbihan Paul Coquinet, then Magasins Modernes, then Les Nouvelles Galeries, then Eurodif and currently Magasins Bouchara, It initially was established in the fourth quarter of the 19C by Paul Coquinet at n°24 rue du Mené. This bazaar was subsequently bought by the Magasins Modernes (of Paris) at the beginning of the 20C and is given in management. In 1920, an expansion project was requested that gave rise to the building adjoining the first commercial building, located on an old garden. The building leaning against the adjoining rampart facing the street comprising 2 square floors and one in addition. The front elevation is coated with limestone ashlar used for the frames of the openings. Double in depth, the building originally served by a symmetrical T-shaped staircase, now replaced, is linked on the rear facade to 2 other buildings, the first with long sides and the second leaning on the rampart, probably replacing a courtyard interior with direct access from the street through a passage under the porch. The building on the street is later doubled by another building with a gabled façade and zenital lighting.

The building now housing the Le Temps Des Cerises (women clothing ), and the L’Hiboutique of Harry Potter fame is at 18 Rue du Mené, The house built in 1892, date given in Roman numerals on the facade for Charles Marin, wine merchant and whose shop, built on a plot abandoned at the beginning of the 20C, is adjoining. Charles Marin was president of the commercial court and mayor of Vannes. The house faces the street entirely in freestone limestone, with a square story and an additional story facing the street. The rear elevation is coated, with a gabled hipped roof, with a square story and an additional story. Large bay window on the street facade surmounted by a dormer window with gabled pediment balcony. The facade of the shop retains its original woodwork.

At the Place Joseph Le Brix , a travelers hotel rebuilt on an older building appearing on the cadastre of 1844 and the plan of Vannes de Bassac of 1869. A café opened in the wing back on Avenue Victor Hugo in the first quarter of the last century. The hotel is flanked by a cabaret avenue Victor Hugo destroyed and replaced some time later by the hotel of Madame Chauchet. The hotel was then sold to Monsieur Foucaud who set up his tire business there in 1927 according to the plans that have been kept. Building located in alignment with Place Joseph Le Brix and back on Avenue Victor Hugo with a double plan in depth. The building is made of fully coated granite rubble. The elevation on the ordered place, is marked by the 3 median bays, topped by a large attic skylight open to several bays.

The Monoprix store was inaugurated in March 1967 on the land which until then had housed the Mené community and their Notre-Dame-du-Mené chapel. The 6,000 m2 of the huge building and its 1,800 m2 of shelves on two levels now serve this wonderful store chain very much in vogue in Vannes, and of course we have shopped there too !!

A bit more on the fine Rue du Mené , which means “hill” in Breton, was urbanized in the 19C. Built on the ditches of the fortifications, with a significant leveling, the opening of the current avenue Victor-Hugo gives an additional axis to the Nantes-Quimper axis, by linking the train station to the city center. The upper part of rue Notre-Dame-du-Mené, named since 1931 Joseph-Le Brix (an aviator born in Baden Morbihan 56), is adorned with buildings such as the “Hôtel de voyageurs du commerce et de l’épée” (1844), known for its comfort, its luxury, its large café with a room for the bourgeois and the military. Next to the current Cheminant (formerly Le Royal cinema from 1934 to 2000), was built in 1920 at nº 17, instead of the public baths, the Modern Hôtel. On the site of the current pharmacy, was the Hôtel de Bretagne, run by two sisters in caps until 1927, renowned for its clean beds and fresh water ! It will then be a tire trade. On the current place Joseph-Le Brix, buildings with cut sides are visible. The Monoprix building was built in the 1960s after the total destruction of a church. At numbers 21 and 23 are the André Frères novelty shops, where the names of towns served by the train are still inscribed on marble slabs. At nº 18, a beautiful limestone building from 1892 housed a wine merchant (now Banque Populaire). In 1920, at nº 20, leaning against the ramparts, the 1st Grand bazaar of Morbihan set up its commercial premises, which would become Nouvelles Galeries before Eurodif, and now Bouchara as above. The oldest house on the street (1840) is above the Caroll store. In the rue du Mené, the old town is forgotten while it remains visible behind many shops. A wonderful area to walk and see history and architecture at its best !

The building at 8 Rue Joseph le Brix now houses the Chez Suzette resto on the corner of rue Billault and rue Joseph Le Brix, The building was built in 1928 with granite rubble, on the site of a mid-19C house, This building was built in the gardens of the old moats of the rampart, destroyed, on a site that was virgin until 1840, but was built with two houses on 1863. It was built in two close campaigns, because of this double plot: the first is prior to 1897, and concerns the five east bays. It was extended to the west by three spans shortly after its construction on the site of this old house. It could have been raised by one floor at the beginning of the 20C. The attic floor was created on the attics in the second half of the 20C. The apartment building located in alignment with rue Joseph Le Brix with a double plan in depth. With an elongated plan, it is equipped with a half-timbered service body on the rear facade. On a freestone ground floor, the building develops a facade with 8 coated bays. The facade is structured horizontally by two running balconies highlighting the first and third floors. The rear facade is made of slate and the chimneys are in brick.

The city of Vannes on its heritage and architecture: https://www.mairie-vannes.fr/architecture-et-patrimoine

The local Gulf of Morbihan tourist office on Vannes: https://www.golfedumorbihan.co.uk/explore/meet-the-exceptionnal/visit-vannes/

There you go folks, a wonderful old town indeed ,that needs to be discovered more by all ; my capital city of Vannes. It is as said, a must to visit and you will be glad, the looks at it are awesome, full of wonderful architecture and history of this fine city. Again, hope you enjoy the post as I

And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!