Rennes Métropole covers an area of 61,000 ha (122000 acres) with a population of 365,000 organised in 38 communes. Rennes itself has 206,229 inhabitants and is the 10th largest city in France. It is a metropolis of human size, welcoming and very pleasant to live in. The quality of life, the rich patrimony, the numerous cultural events and the economical and social dynamism of the city are veyr much appreciated by local people and visitors alike. It also has the largest student population in the west of France. With two universities and many other higher education schools and institutions, Rennes is a major university research centre.

  A bit of history
  Economic dynamism
  European and international activities
  Culture
  University and research

  A bit of history

At the time of the Gauls, the city was first called Condate because of its situation at the confluence of two rivers, the Ille and the Vilaine. After the conquest by Julius Caesar in 57 BC, the city took the name of Civitas Riedonum. In the 3rd century, it was nicknamed the "Red City" because of the color of its fortifications.

When the Bretons arrived from England, Armorique became Brittany and was governed by dukes who were crowned in Rennes. The 15th century was the golden age of Brittany, an independant dukedom where peace and prosperity reigned while France was engaged in the Hundred Years War. The marriage of Anne de Bretagne first with Charles VIII, then with Louis XII marked the beginning of the union of Brittany with France in 1532.

On the 23rd of December 1720, a terrible fire started in Rennes and lasted 6 days. The city centre was completely destroyed and rebuilt on a more geometrical pattern. In the 19th century, the industrial revolution brought the Oberthür printing factory, the Arsenal and the railway station. In 1899, the retrial of Captain Alfred Dreyfus was held at the Lycée Emile Zola. In the same year, the newspaper Ouest-Eclair was founded in Rennes. Now called Ouest-France, it is the biggest selling daily newspaper in France.

After World War II, the reconstruction of the country and the establishment of the Citroën factory led to a period of great development in Rennes.

  Economic dynamism

Rennes is a particularly dynamic city, with record job creation (+30,000 between 1990 and 2000) and population increase.

Service industries employ 65% of the working population in Rennes, but many other industries are also very active in Rennes, such as PSA Peugeot-Citroën, Ouest-France, Oberthür Fiduciaire (printing of bank notes), Oberthür Editions (printing of calendars and personal diaries). Brittany is the top food-producing region in France while Ille-et-Vilaine is the most important milk-producing region. For example, Besnier/Bridel (dairy products) and La Brioche Dorée are both based in Rennes.

IT and Telecom are the most efficient sectors for job creation, research and education. Rennes-Atalante is a major European pole for telecommunications with companies such as France Telecom, Canon or Alcatel.

  European and international activities

Rennes is strongly committed to developing initiatives and partnerships in Europe and the rest of the world.

The city is twinned with 13 foreign cities all around the world and participates in many humanitarian and health programmes worldwide, mainly through the numerous local and national associations. Many of them, such as Rennes 35, Le Mouvement Européen, La Maison de l’Europe, La Maison Internationale, contribute to increasing public awareness of European and international issues. Other important information and resource centres include the Euro-Info-Centre of the Regional Chamber of Trade and Industry, and the Centre of European Documentation of the Faculty of Law and Political Science.

Rennes is also very active in many European programmes and is a member of several organisations and European networks such as the European Council of Communes and Regions, the Conference of the Peripherical Maritime Regions, the Conference of the Cities of the Atlantic Arc, the Association of Europen Cities of Culture.

  Culture

The capital of Brittany is an important city of art and history, with numerous monuments with architectural styles spreading over many centuries: the Parliament of Brittany, the City Hall, the Opera, the Trade Palace, as well as churches, monasteries and convents such as the Palace of Saint-George, Notre-Dame en Saint-Melaine, Eglise Toussaints and the Cathedral of Saint-Pierre.

The rich cultural life is also evident in the museums and numerous theatres, cinemas, concert halls and exhibition centres. Many annual festivals and events make Rennes an important place for French and foreign culture, marked by a strong Breton identity.

Thanks to its historical and cultural richness together with a central position in the west of France, the Breton capital is a must for every visitor in Brittany.

  University and research

Rennes is a one of the major university cities in France, with more than 55,500 students in two universities, 22 schools of engineering and higher education, 23 specialised training centres and 18 schools for high-level technicians.

It is also a major scientific and technological pole, with more than 3,500 researchers mainly in electronics, imaging and communication, bio-industry, chemistry, health and environment.

Higher education in Rennes has a strong international vocation, in particular through the Europôle Universitaire de Rennes whose mission is to favour the mobility of students, researchers and teachers, and to promote abroad the institutions of higher education of Rennes.