Vannes is one of Brittany’s major cities, and a good starting point for exploring this region in northwestern France, with its Celtic roots and rugged coastline.
While Vannes is the capital of Breton department, the Morbihan, it feels more like a quaint, small town filled with medieval timber-framed houses. Like much of Brittany, Vannes has in turn been Celtic, Roman, Breton and finally French, and influences from the various periods can be seen in the city’s planning and architecture.
Contents
- Why is Vannes worth visiting?
- How long to stay in Vannes?
- Top 14 things to do in Vannes, France
- Remparts de Vannes (Ramparts of Vannes)
- Place des Lices (Lices Square)
- Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Vannes (Saint Peter’s Cathedral of Vannes)
- Porte Saint-Vincent (Saint Vincent Gate)
- Vannes et sa femme (Vannes and his Wife)
- Port de Vannes (Vannes Port)
- Musée des beaux-arts de Vannes, La Cohue (Vannes Museum of Fine Arts, La Cohue)
- Château de l’Hermine (Castle of the Hermine)
- Place Henri IV (Henry IV Square)
- Porte Prison de Saint-Patern (Saint Patern Prison Gate)
- Porte Poterne (Postern Gate)
- Les Lavoirs de la Garenne (Washhouses of the Garenne)
- Plage de Conleau (Conleau Beach)
Why is Vannes worth visiting?
- Important city in Brittany – Vannes offers a great introduction to the vast region of Brittany, with its many medieval buildings, authentic crêperies and examples of Breton art at the Musée des beaux-arts de Vannes, La Cohue (Vannes Museum of Fine Arts, La Cohue).
- Gateway to seaside destinations – Vannes has its own beaches, including Plage de Conleau (Conleau Beach), and is also located close to seaside destinations such as Quiberon, Belle-Île-en-Mer and Île-aux-Moines, which can be reached by boat from the Port of Vannes.
- Can be visited as a day trip from major cities – Vannes is easily accessible by train or bus from major cities Rennes, Quimper and Nantes.
How long to stay in Vannes?
Vannes is a compact city and can be explored easily on foot. You can technically see most of Vannes’ main sights in one day, but staying for at least two days will enable you to also visit the beach and enjoy the city without feeling rushed–especially if it rains, which it does often!
The Vannes Train Station (Gare de Vannes), which also serves as a drop-off point for coach services like FlixBus and BlaBlaBus, is located a 15-minute walk from the city centre.
Top 14 things to do in Vannes, France
Here’s my list of the key sights in Vannes. If you manage to see all of the following, you’ll be able to say that you’ve thoroughly explored the city.
Remparts de Vannes (Ramparts of Vannes)
The city walls of Vannes, built between the third and 17th centuries to protect the city from invaders, still stand proudly today and have been very well preserved.
Vannes was founded by Emperor Augustus during the Roman Empire, and the walls were first built in the third century to protect it. Later on, when Brittany was unified and ruled by the Dukes of Brittany, the walls were rebuilt and added to by Jean IV, one of the aforementioned Dukes—also known as the Conqueror during his lifetime in the 14th century, which gives us an idea as to his personality!
The remparts and their towers give the city a fairytale look—just remember that they were originally constructed to make killing approaching intruders easier. They are also flanked by beautiful, manicured gardens (Jardins des Remparts), which lie just outside the city walls.
Place des Lices (Lices Square)
Place des Lices (Lices Square) is a big town square in the historic city centre of Vannes and serves as one of its most recognisable meeting points. There are some well-preserved examples of half-timbered houses, an iconic sight in France, surrounding the square.
It is located on sloping ground, and was previously the site of medieval tournaments in which knights would joust! Today, much of the city’s social life is centred in this area thanks to its concentration of shops and a bi-weekly market on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Vannes (Saint Peter’s Cathedral of Vannes)
This neo-gothic cathedral was constructed between the 15th and the 19th centuries, and occupies the site of a previous cathedral whose bell tower from the 13th century still stands. Look out for the gargoyles grimacing on the façade.
Don’t forget to have a look around Place Saint-Pierre (Saint Peter’s Square), the town square in which the cathedral is located, as it is surrounded by colourful examples of half-timbered houses.
Porte Saint-Vincent (Saint-Vincent Gate)
There are several imposing gates, built into the ramparts, which previously acted as the main entry points into the town. The most well-known and centrally-located is Porte Saint-Vincent (Saint-Vincent Gate), which served as the main gate of the city after its construction in the 16th and 17th centuries.
Back then, people had to cross a bridge to get to the gate, but the space in front of it has been paved over and is now known as Place Gambetta (Gambetta Square), with the marina just beyond.
Vannes et sa femme (Vannes and his Wife)
Brussels has the Manneken Pis, Copenhagen has the Little Mermaid statue, and Vannes has… Vannes and his Wife. Less well-known perhaps, but cuter, more historical and more evocative, in my opinion!
This painted stone carving of a friendly-looking couple, dating back approximately to the 16th century, is part of the half-timbered house located at 3 Rue du Bienheureux Pierre René Rogue. You can also find it at 3 Rue des Halles on Google Maps.
The origins of the carving are unknown, but one theory is that they were previously part of a commercial establishment such as a cabaret.
Port de Vannes (Vannes Port)
Located just beyond the Port Saint-Vincent (Saint-Vincent Gate) is the Port de Vannes (Vannes Port), another iconic meeting place in the city. The waterfront area buzzes with activity on sunny days, and houses a marina and drop-off points for various boats that take visitors to other scenic destinations in Brittany, such as Belle-Île-en-Mer and Île-aux-Moines.
Musée des beaux-arts de Vannes, La Cohue (Vannes Museum of Fine Arts, La Cohue)
Housed in a very recognisable yellow half-timbered building dubbed La Cohue, just opposite the Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Vannes (Saint Peter’s Cathedral of Vannes) is the Musée des beaux-arts de Vannes (Vannes Museum of Fine Arts). The building is considered a historic monument and was previously used as a theatre.
Like most fine arts museums of its kind in France, the museum has a collection of works across various time periods. Look out for paintings by Breton artists like Geneviève Asse and Béatrice Bescond, as well as representations of Brittany, such as Les Petites Bigoudènes (The Little Bigoudènes) and Marché à Concarneau (Market in Concarneau) by Joseph-Félix Bouchor.
The museum is free on Sundays from 1 October to 30 April, and all the time for under-25s except on public holidays. It’s always best to check their schedule before going.
Château de l’Hermine (Castle of the Hermine)
This imposing château was built on the site of an older castle, which was previously part of the ramparts surrounding the historic centre of Vannes, and served as the main residence of the dukes of Brittany from the 14th to the 15th century.
Its current incarnation is a luxurious neoclassical mansion built in the 18th century by a wealthy individual and goes by the official name Hôtel Lagorce (Lagorce Hotel), after its former owner. Today, it houses the headquarters of several organisations. There are plans to move the Musée des beaux-arts de Vannes (Vannes Museum of Fine Arts) here in the future.
Place Henri IV (Henry IV Square)
This is one of the most well-known town squares in Vannes, and is one of the best places to admire half-timbered houses in the city. Those surrounding the square date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Vannes (Saint Peter’s Cathedral of Vannes) is just around the corner, offering a beautiful view of the church spire in the background.
Porte Prison de Saint-Patern (Saint Patern Prison Gate)
The site of this imposing granite gate probably served as one of the entry points into the ancient city when it was part of the Roman Empire in the third to sixth centuries. So, why the name? Well, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the gate itself, with its towers, functioned as a prison.
The gate has undergone lots of reworking and reconstruction over the centuries, including the removal of one tower, but is still an impressive sight, with colourful half-timbered houses on either side.
Porte Poterne (Postern Gate)
There are several historic gates leading to the old town, but Porte Poterne (Postern Gate) is my personal favourite, thanks to its peaceful setting and proximity to the River Marle. It dates back to medieval times and was built around 1678. Look out for the statue of the Virgin Mary nestled in the external wall of the arch.
Les Lavoirs de la Garenne (Washhouses of the Garenne)
A stone’s throw from the Porte Poterne (Postern Gate), on the banks of the River Marle, are the Lavoirs de la Garenne (Washhouses of the Garenne), a public washhouse dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries where people would gather to wash their clothes, long before the invention of washing machines. Interestingly enough, washing clothes in the Marle has been banned since 1951.
Plage de Conleau (Conleau Beach)
The city centre of Vannes is located about an hour’s walk, or a 10-minute drive from the coast. Plage de Conleau (Conleau Beach) is officially part of the municipality of Vannes, and the most-visited stretch of beach by residents. It is located on Presqu-île de Conleau (Conleau Peninsula), which means that it feels like an island while still being attached to the mainland.
You can swim in the waters of the Golfe du Morbihan (Morbihan Gulf) in the summer and take long, scenic walks on the peninsula. If you’re visiting in warm weather, it can be worthwhile to spend an additional day or two in Vannes just to enjoy the beach.
Centre d’interprétation de l’architecture et du patrimoine (CIAP) Hôtel de Limur (Centre for the Interpretation of Architecture and Heritage, Limur Hotel)
Part of the fun of visiting museums in France is checking out the historical buildings they’re often housed in. The CIAP is located in the Hôtel Limur (Limur Hotel), a grand old building whose construction began in 1685 at the behest of the wealthy owner after whom it was named.
The museum is small and free to visit, as are the lovely gardens, but opening hours are somewhat limited, so be sure to check their schedule.
Other destinations near Vannes
- Major cities near Vannes include Rennes, Nantes and Quimper, all of which can be reached via train or bus.
- You can take a boat from the Port of Vannes to the peninsula of Quiberon and islands Belle-Île-en-Mer and Île-aux-Moines.
- Vannes is a short train or bus ride away from Carnac, with its megaliths and standing stones, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Vannes is a gateway to other cities on the south coast of Brittany, including Auray, Lorient and Concarneau.
