Rennes Tourist Office

The Breton climate is mild and temperate.

Summer is generally cooler than in other French regions. In winter, sub-zero temperatures are rare. Generally speaking, the weather in Rennes, like everywhere else in Brittany, is quite changeable. It’s not uncommon to have alternating rain and clear skies in the same day, so it’s a good idea to bring a light rain jacket just in case.

In autumn, the region is occasionally swept by ocean storms that are more spectacular than they are dangerous.

Spring is particularly pleasant, with cool mornings and pleasant afternoon temperatures. Across the entire year, average temperatures in Rennes are around 13 degrees. Excluding heatwaves, summer temperatures fluctuate between 20 and 25 degrees Celsius, or even higher.

If there’s one local speciality you really must try in Brittany, it’s galettes de blé noir (savoury) and crêpes au froment (sweet).

In Rennes, there are almost forty crêperies where you can sample these delights. These are traditional, inexpensive restaurants that serve dishes for the whole family. But Rennes’ signature speciality is the galette saucisse: a tasty pork sausage wrapped in a buckwheat pancake. It’s a kind of hot dog served with Breton sauce, and usually accompanied by mustard and onion confit.

A popular dish that can be enjoyed on the street or at the market, and which has another advantage: it only costs between €2.50 and €3. To be enjoyed without moderation. In Rennes, you’ll also find the Brittany’s finest local produce being served the restaurants: seafood and produce from local farms, with a higher proportion of organic produce than the rest of France.

Rennes can be enjoyed all year round, with a cultural or music festival taking place nearly every week.

The liveliest times are at the end of the year, in December, when the Trans Musicales music festival, Christmas markets, outdoor lighting displays, huge projections onto the town hall and end-of-year shows all take place.

During the summer months of June, July and August, you can enjoy major contemporary art exhibitions as part of Exporama, screenings at the Parlement de Bretagne and many other free festivals (Transat en ville and Tombées de la nuit).

September is also a busy time for cultural events, with several film and music festivals and heritage days taking place, when you can visit many monuments free of charge. Spring is the ideal time for cycling, walking along the canals and strolling through the flower gardens (Le Thabor, Parc Oberthür, Prairies Saint-Martin, Jardin Saint-Georges).

The official language in Brittany and Rennes is French. The Breton language is still very much alive in the region. In the part of Haute-Bretagne where Rennes is located, the traditional language is called Gallo.

If you don’t speak French, Breton or Welsh, you’ll encounter plenty of English speakers due to the large student population and the region’s cultural proximity to Great Britain. Last but not least, at the Tourist Office, our travel consultants can answer your questions in English, German or Spanish.

Hotels often offer to keep your luggage safe if you’ve stayed there. Additionally, many shops and businesses are part of the nannybag network, making it easy to reserve somewhere to store your luggage.

Emergency numbers in Rennes are the same as anywhere else in France:

112, the European emergency number, even works without a SIM card.

• Call 18 to contact the fire service.
• Dial 15 to contact Samu (the emergency medical service).
• Call 17 to contact the police and gendarmes.