Photo : Chateaugiron / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Châteaugiron
Châteaugiron, a few kilometres east of Rennes, is a Petite Cité de Caractère, a label it has held since 1978. It is dominated by its castle, built from the twelfth century, which has two faces: a medieval fortress with its 38-metre keep and defensive towers, and a pleasure residence remodelled in the eighteenth century. It now houses the town hall, and the tourist office offers guided tours to discover its history.
The town owed its former prosperity to the trade in sailcloth, the "Noyales". It keeps merchants' houses with ornate, brightly coloured half-timbering, concentrated in the old centre, notably on rue de la Madeleine.
The old covered market dates from 1858, and the Les 3 CHA art centre occupies the castle's former chapel. Groups can book visits all year round with the tourist office.
