I come to my nice Rennes. This time one of the nicest monument , and of course the City is in Îlle et Vilaine dept 35,of my lovely Bretagne, I have come back to this beautiful City after a long hiatus and it was wonderful, Bear with me as the next posts will be on this beautiful City, Let me tell you a bit more on the former Chapelle Saint Yves of Rennes !!! Hope you enjoy it as I.
The main facade, on the rue Le-Bouteiller side, includes a low-arch entrance door, surmounted by three now empty niches. On the rue Saint-Yves side, the facade has four windows, one of which is very large, and a low door also surmounted by niches. Following the installation of the tourist office, the buildings encompassing the chapel have been transformed into offices and a reception area. The nave of the chapel is fitted out with an educational trail on the history of Rennes and its architecture. The tourist office is also ,now moved to the old convent of Jacobins (see post).
The Metro Rennes architecture and heritage interpretation center presents the history of the city with regard to its heritage, represented by photographs, models, desks and objects. The former tourist office in a former St Yves chapel ! The former tourist office had for years been located in the heart of the historic center in the chapelle Saint-Yves, 11 rue Saint-Yves corner with the rue Le Bouteiller The Saint-Yves Chapel will remain the starting point for groups ,and will always house the permanent exhibition on architecture and heritage of Rennes. Very nice indeed !
The Saint-Yves chapel is closely linked to the development of hospital activity within the city of Rennes . On October 8, 1358, the act of founding a Maison-Dieu (see post) in Rennes, deciding to transform the manor and its outbuildings in a hospice also dedicated to the Virgin. Very soon placed under the invocation of Saint Yves, freshly canonized in 1347 and also a former official of the Trégorois bishopric, the hospital was not long in being rebuilt, starting with the chapel, undertaken in 1494 on the site of the old oratory of the manor. Today, this is the only testimony of a hospital establishment which was to continue in these places until its transfer in 1858 in the current Hôtel-Dieu, rue de la Cochardière.
The Augustinian nuns of Mercy of Dieppe moved to the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Yves on June 27, 1644. They served the sick until the French revolution before returning in 1804 and participating in the moving of the new Hôtel-Dieu, not ceasing their activity until 1896. Grown up in the 17-18C, the hospital, located on the banks of the Vilaine, experienced the gradual destruction of its classical buildings, Transformed into a hardware store after the Hôtel-Dieu moved . The St Yves chapel was finally bought by the city in 1981 to be restored, then refurbished to house the Rennes Métropole tourist office until 2019. Now at 1 rue Saint-Malo
The chapel also hosted from 1754 to 1790 the catedral chapter of the city. It was the Saint-Yves Hospital chapel, destroyed around 1860 for allow the alignment of the quay. Today, this constitutes the only testimony of a hospital establishment which was to continue in these places until its transfer in 1858 in the current Hôtel-Dieu, rue de la Cochardière. The Augustine nuns of the Mercy of Dieppe settled at the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Yves on June 27, 1644. They will provide the service of the sick until the French revolution before returning, in 1804 and participate in the move of the ‘Hôtel-Dieu, ceasing their activity until 1896 , The chapel was transformed into hardware store after the move of the Hôtel-Dieu , and was finally bought by the city in 1981 to be restored, then redeveloped in order to house the Tourist Office from Rennes Métropole until 2019, when moved to the former Jacobins convent (see post)
In 1997, The Saint Yves chapel housed a permanent exhibition on the architectural history of “Rennes, metropolis of art and history”. Fortunately, the five modern stained glass windows harmonize with this advanced age construction. After having served as an exhibition site and meetings, it has been unused for several years and the city of Rennes wonders, in October 2023, on its fate, considering giving it. In 2025, the city decided to launch a call for expressions of interest (AMI) for the sale of the building. The AMI for the Saint-Yves Chapel is part of the City and Metropolis’s real estate strategy, which focuses notably on rationalizing their building assets. Still going on lately maybe turn into a private ownership and open a restaurant, time will tell.
The Rennes tourist office on its heritage: https://www.tourisme-rennes.com/en/#not-to-be-missed-city
The Rennes tourist office on the Chapel St Yves: https://www.tourisme-rennes.com/sortir/chapelle-saint-yves/
There you go folks ,another jewel in my wonderful capital city ofRennes. The walks are worth it with plenty of lovely areas, Again, hope you enjoy the post on the former Chapelle Saint Yves of Rennes !!! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
