If you are in Vannes exploring the old city, this area is easy to find as it is usually full of tourists:-). But, take a minute anyway to admire the half timbered buildings (and the fact they are still standing) while having a coffee and a bite to eat. Plenty of other things to see in Vannes but take a few minutes of your day to contemplate what must've went on here over the centuries.
Follow the route recommended by the tourist office to explore the attractive old town in Vannes and you will pass through this place.
The historic centre of Vannes with fine slate roofs and half-timbered houses. Small enough to see all round easily, and a pleasant walk when the shops aren't open.
We have often taken holidays on the S Brittany coast. Vannes is the local centre.This makes a pleasant change for 'Townies' from beach and countryside, and useful for supplies and prezzies. Best to park up on the many free spaces by the Marina and walk up the harbour to the city gates. The castle and fortifications are worth a look and there are modern shops and a very cutesy photo-op old quarter.There are lots of restaurants for all tastes and prices, as well as bread/cake shops.Also worth a visit is the nearby hidden gem:- Quai Franklin at Saint-Goustin Port, nearby Auray
Lively atmospheric square at heart of old Town Vannes, good place to sit and relax enjoy a cup of coffee or aperitif and watch the world go by. A great place to take photographs of the mediaeval architecture that is the attraction of the old Town.
The beauty of Vannes is that most of the interesting places to swee are located in one small area. The other reviews sum up this old part of the town. Even though there was a constant heavy flow of traffic, sitting in one of the cafes enjoying a coffee allows the atmosphere of the place to roll over you.
The wooden framed medieval buildings that form a square just past the cathedral form the centre of old Vannes. The oldest half-timbered buildings date from the 15thC, and there are 272 classified historical monuments within the city. You will often find musicians playing here in the summer. The two tallest buildings seem to almost meet across the street. From here you can continue along cobbled streets to explore a large number of small specialist and boutique shops. At Place Valencia you’ll see a carving of a man and a woman on the corner of a half-timbered house – they are known as ‘Vannes and his wife’.
We visited this atmospheric town a Monday in July. We went for a stroll and admired the charming buildings and the nice atmosphere, sat down in one of the many street cafés and had crepes, ice cream and coffee. There are also a lot of exciting small shops to look into :-)
This is a beautiful square in Vannes. The buildings are well preserved and it is well worth a visit.Gets very busy with tourists.
A quite beautiful medieval square surrounded by timbered houses. From this period quite a few buildings are preserved in comparison to cities such as Nantes or even Rennes. The whole city is well worth strolling through and the distances are not great between squares and beautiful buildings.