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Rennes Historical Churches Walking Tour, Rennes

Rennes Historical Churches Walking Tour (Self Guided), Rennes

Historical churches occupy a significant place in the cultural identity of Rennes, France. Travelers with a keen interest in religious history and architecture will find plenty to look at in this town.

Standing out majestically among the local ecclesiastical landmarks is Rennes Cathedral. Built in the 12th century, it underwent a centuries-long transformation from its Gothic origins to its present Neoclassical facade.

Another notable site is the Saint-Yves Chapel, known for its grand Flamboyant Gothic style and association with Saint Yves, the patron saint of lawyers. Today, the building serves as the town's tourism office.

The Church of Saint Sauveur, with its imposing bell tower, has been in place since the turn of the 18th century.

Meanwhile, the Jacobite Convent, also known as the Convent of Bonne-Nouvelle, has held its historical charm since the late 1360s.

The Basilica of Our Lady of Good News is a testament to Rennes' devotion to the Virgin Mary. Among its highlights are the ornate stained glass windows crafted predominantly by local master glassmakers.

Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine, the former cathedral of Rennes, is the 17th-century sanctuary dedicated to Saint Melaine, the bishop of Rennes from 505.

Saint-Germain Church, constructed between the 15th and 17th centuries, showcases Gothic architecture, notably a striking south porch from the Late Renaissance period.

Collectively, these churches embody centuries of Rennes' religious and cultural evolution, which makes them indispensable landmarks. To take a closer look at the intricate details of these sacred sites and let their stories unfold before you, take this self-guided walk.
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Rennes Historical Churches Walking Tour Map

Guide Name: Rennes Historical Churches Walking Tour
Guide Location: France » Rennes (See other walking tours in Rennes)
Guide Type: Self-guided Walking Tour (Sightseeing)
# of Attractions: 7
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.1 Km or 1.3 Miles
Author: DanaOffice
Sight(s) Featured in This Guide:
  • Rennes Cathedral
  • Saint-Yves Chapel
  • Church of St. Sauveur
  • Jacobite Convent
  • Basilique Notre-Dame de Bonne Nouvelle de Rennes (Basilica of Our Lady of Good News)
  • Église Notre-Dame en Saint-Melaine (Church of Our Lady in Saint-Melaine)
  • Saint-Germain Church
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Rennes Cathedral

1) Rennes Cathedral (must see)

The earliest cathedral of Saint-Pierre was replaced by a Gothic-style religious edifice in 1180. This took two centuries to build. The Gothic facade collapsed in 1490. The reconstruction works were started by Yves Mahyeuc, a senior Dominican of the Jacobins Convent and Confessor to Anne of Brittany. This important figure, who became the bishop of Rennes, started a construction site that outlived him.

The present facade of Neoclassical granite towers was built in four sections. The first tower was finished by 1543. Tugal Caris, a French architect, built the second tower in 1564. The third, done by architect Pierre Corbineau, was finished in 1678. The architect François Hoguet completed the towers in 1704, at their present height of 48 meters, and added the escutcheon of King Louis XVI between them.

During all the changes, architects rebuilt the interior as a Roman basilica. The nave and choir, however, had not been restored. After a great stone fell from the roof of the choir, it was decided to demolish all these parts and rebuild them. Reconstruction was done in the same style as the facade, using 44 massive white granite columns throughout. In 1841 Godefroy Brossay-Saint-Marc became bishop of Rennes. He wanted more changes.

Godefroy was wealthy and had powerful connections, including Pope Pius XI and Napoleon III. Changes focused on interior decor. The Tro Breizh, the region's iconic pilgrimage of the Seven Saints of Brittany, is depicted in the nave and the ambulatory by artist Jobbe-Duval. Charles Langlois covered the granite columns with stucco.

Statues of the four Evangelists by sculptor Laurant Esquerre overlook the transept. They were installed in 2019 at the opening of the new Cathedral treasury. The most prized treasure is a Flemish altarpiece dating from 1520. Display cases hold gold and silver crosses, censers, a Papal chalice, and precious liturgical vestments.
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Saint-Yves Chapel

2) Saint-Yves Chapel

Visiting Chapel Saint‑Yves offers travelers a captivating glimpse into the city’s medieval past. This compact gem was originally built in 1494 as part of a hospital complex founded by Canon Eudon Le Bouteiller in 1358 to serve during the turbulent times of the Breton Succession War.

The chapel is a standout example of Gothic architecture, with a graceful façade featuring pointed arches, sculpted niches, and tall Gothic windows that bathe the interior in soft light. Inside, the rectangular nave is topped by a vaulted ceiling supported by carved wooden sablières—ornate horizontal beams with engravings dating back to the 15ᵗʰ century.

Over the centuries, the chapel’s function evolved dramatically: after the hospital moved in 1858, it became everything from a cathedral chapter space to a hardware store. It was officially classified as a Historic Monument in 1945, purchased and restored by Rennes cityers in 1981, and later served as the Rennes Métropole Tourist Office until 2019.

Today, Chapel Saint‑Yves houses an interpretive center showcasing the rich architectural and social history of the city. Visitors can follow an educational trail highlighting local heritage, and enjoy modern stained‑glass windows by artist Gérard Lardeur installed in 1997. Temporary exhibitions also draw cultural tourists seeking deeper insight into the city’s evolution.
3
Church of St. Sauveur

3) Church of St. Sauveur

The Church of Saint Sauveur is a Roman Catholic minor basilica associated with Our Lady of Miracles and Virtues. The present building rose in the early 18th century after an earlier church collapsed, adopting a sober classical style behind its 18th-century façade. Dedicated worship at the site goes back centuries, with the church formally elevated to basilica status in 1916.

Inside, visitors will find a harmonious single-nave plan accented by notable furnishings: the elaborate canopy over the high altar, a finely worked wrought-iron pulpit, and an organ that anchors the liturgical space. Devotional objects and ex-votos—among them one linked to the great Rennes fire of 1720—underscore the basilica’s long role in the city’s spiritual life.

If you’re interested in architecture, look for traces of the 18th-century rebuild by architect François Huguet, later continued by others after the 1720 fire. Even with its restrained exterior, the basilica rewards a few unhurried minutes inside to take in the altar ensemble and the light along the nave.
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Jacobite Convent

4) Jacobite Convent

The Jacobins Convent was founded in 1369 and grew into one of the city’s key religious and intellectual sites before being repurposed after the French Revolution. Today, the restored complex blends medieval stonework with a discreet contemporary extension.

Before restoration, large-scale archaeological digs here uncovered hundreds of burials and remarkable finds, including the well-preserved 17th-century remains of Louise de Quengo, a Breton noblewoman. These discoveries offered new insight into local funerary practices from the Middle Ages to the early modern era, adding another layer of history to the site you see today.

Reopened as the Rennes Convention Centre in 2018, the convent now hosts exhibitions, concerts, and major events while keeping its cloisters, refectory, and church volumes legible. The project, led for the city by architect Jean Guervilly, preserves the atmosphere of the old convent and introduces flexible halls and an auditorium within the historic fabric.
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Basilique Notre-Dame de Bonne Nouvelle de Rennes (Basilica of Our Lady of Good News)

5) Basilique Notre-Dame de Bonne Nouvelle de Rennes (Basilica of Our Lady of Good News)

The Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle is the city’s major 19th-century church. Designed in a neo-Gothic style, it was built between 1884 and 1904 by Rennes’s municipal architect Jean-Baptiste Martenot, and later raised to the rank of minor basilica in 1916.

Step inside for soaring rib vaults and light filtering through tall, patterned windows. Although the building was conceived on a grand plan, it was never fully completed: the nave runs to only three bays and the intended monumental façade was not realised. The effect, however, is still impressive, especially around the choir where the vertical lines and stonework frame the high altar.

The basilica preserves cherished emblems of local devotion. Look for the historic “Good News” image transferred from the former Dominican convent, the votive silver model of Rennes made after the 1634 plague, and stained-glass cycles by the Rennes workshops Rault and Lignel that recount scenes from the city’s and Brittany’s past.
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Église Notre-Dame en Saint-Melaine (Church of Our Lady in Saint-Melaine)

6) Église Notre-Dame en Saint-Melaine (Church of Our Lady in Saint-Melaine)

Church of Our Lady in Saint-Melaine is the former abbey church of Rennes’ Benedictine monastery, built on the site traditionally linked to Saint Melaine, an early bishop whose cult shaped the city’s religious life. The church you see today layers Romanesque and Gothic fabric with later classical additions, reflecting centuries of rebuilding from the 11th century onward.

Architecturally, expect a mix of a medieval nave and transept behind a classical bell-tower front. The façade was reworked in the 17th century, and in 1855 the tower was heightened and crowned with a dome and a gilded statue of the Virgin—turning the church into a recognizable city landmark.

Inside, look for robust Romanesque volumes, later Gothic details, and devotional art that anchors the building’s long monastic past. The church opens daily and functions as an active parish, with regular services and music that make the acoustics and organ a highlight for many.
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Saint-Germain Church

7) Saint-Germain Church

Saint‑Germain Church is one of Rennes’ notable historic monuments. Constructed from the late 15th to the late 17th century, it showcases the Gothic style, later complemented by refined elements of late Renaissance design. The richly detailed south porch, created between 1606 and 1623 by Germain Gaultier—the inaugural architect of the Brittany Parliament—remains its most remarkable architectural highlight.

The church’s origins, however, trace back to a simple 12th-century chapel, once surrounded by a cemetery in the 13th century. Today, two ancient pillars near the sacristy remain, quietly bearing witness to Rennes’ medieval roots. As the city flourished, Saint‑Germain became the parish of wealthy merchants and influential parliamentarians. Its gradual construction from roughly 1470 to 1690 reflects the evolving tastes and prosperity of its community.

Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a lofty nave with soaring vaults, slender arcades, and grotesque carved sablières—a hallmark of Breton Gothic design. The original wooden ribbed ceiling was eventually replaced in the 17th century by a continuous stone vault, heightening the church’s majestic ambiance. Inside, you’ll also find one of Rennes’ oldest stained-glass windows—an eclectic mosaic assembled by Max Ingrand using fragments salvaged from older medieval panels destroyed in 1944.

Saint‑Germain also houses a historic organ dating back to the early 19th century, expanded over time by noted manufacturers such as Daublaine‑Callinet and Merklin‑Schütze, and restored in 1996 to preserve both its classical and romantic richness. Its interior also features a fine painting of “The Resurrection of Lazarus” by Eloi Firmin Féron, and other sculptural elements—including a marble pulpit and baptistry—many of which are individually protected as historic artifacts.

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