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Exeter Twinning Circle members visit to Rennes – May 2026
2026 is the 70th anniversary of the partnership between Exeter and Rennes, established in 1956. Since then Rennes has gone on to form partnerships with many sister cities across the globe, but as its first partner Exeter always has a special place. The French city has planned several events to mark the anniversary, some of which have been funded by the British Embassy. The year began in February with a visit to Rennes by two Exeter artists, who worked with residents and arists from the Maurepas district, home of the city’s Rue d’Exeter, helping them to imagine what life would be like if Rennes was merged with its sister city in Devon.
In the last week of May members of Exeter Twinning Circle visited Rennes. Departing on a Tuesday evening from Plymouth we travelled by overnight ferry to Roscoff, then by bus or taxi to Morlaix, from which we headed to Rennes by highspeed train. Everyone was warmly welcomed at the station by our French hosts, then quickly whisked off to the host accommodation as the first day in Rennes had a full schedule remaining. At 6pm that evening we were officially welcomed, together with members of the Rennes Twinning Association, in the historic Hôtel de Ville. Following welcoming speeches by the Mayor of Rennes and the UK Deputy Ambassador to France we presented a letter from the Lord Mayor of Exeter confirming the association between the cities.
After canapes and renewal of old acquaintances we departed for a welcoming dinner at the Rennes campus of Ferrandi Paris – one of the foremost culinary training centres in France. Here we were treated to a five-course dinner, created and served by students on three year Bachelor’s Degree programmes in culinary arts, gastronomy and hospitality management. Needless to say, every course was delicious! As was the accompanying wine!
Our second day was just as busy. We gathered in the morning in the Thabor park, in the centre of Rennes. Here we viewed a memorial plaque first presented by Exeter Twinning Circle in 1987, also marking the 50th anniversary visit in 2006. The plaque is surrounded by a rose garden with over 2,500 roses planted, displaying more than 950 varieties.
The rose garden at Thabor Park, with over 2,500 roses planted. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
On display are more than 950 varieties. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
Roes at Thabor park, in the centre of Rennes. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
After a picnic provided by the International and European Department of the City of Rennes we moved on to view a very impressive photographic exhibition – ‘Regards Croisés’ (Crossed Perspectives). This was created by the Rennes Twinning Association and featured splendidly stunning of photographs of the sights in both cities. The Exeter images were taken by a very talented member of our Twinning Circle.
Not finished by any means, we moved on to a festive event in the Rue d’Exeter. This was effectively a street party, organised by residents of this newly refurbished part of the city who live in the recently completed apartment blocks on this street. Just as in Exeter, the construction of new accommodation is taking place at a brisk pace in Rennes, and eventually there will be further streets in the area named after other ‘sister cities’. The festival was lively, with enthusiastic children having fun drawing pictures of the Exeter they imagined, and included a stall offering ‘English Afternoon Tea’, musicians and games.
The group moved onto a festive event in the Rue d’Exeter. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
The event was a street party, organised by residents. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
The festival was lively, with enthusiastic children having fun drawing pictures of the Exeter they imagined. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
There were a number of different stalls at the event. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
The theme of the anniversary is a comparison of similarities and differences between the two cities, first explored when our artists visited in February. There were paintings that examined this:
Paintings were on display that showed the similarities and differences between the two cities. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
All culminating in the unveiling of a plaque depicting the apartment building in Rue d’Exeter if it was merged with prominent buildings from Exeter, including Exeter Cathedral and the House That Moved:
A plaque was unveiled depicting the apartment building in Rue d’Exeter if it was merged with prominent buildings from Exeter. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
Exeter Cathedral and the House That Moved were the buildings from Exeter included in the merged images. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
The theme of the anniversary was a comparison of similarities and differences between the two cities. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
The plaque that was unveiled as part of the twinning celebrations.Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
And this was only the second day of the visit!
The next morning the Exeter twinners were taken by their hosts to Cherrueix, on the northern coast of Brittany – part of the Bay of Mont St Michel. There we went for a ride on a ‘sea train’ deep out into the bay (it was low tide!) which is a 500 square kilometre of coast experiencing Europe’s highest tides (up to 14 metres). It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, which has supported fishing industries for centuries, and seen ancient pilgrims picking their way around the quicksands to visit the Mont. The sea retreats up to 15 km from the shore and it was across this that our ‘train’ (coaches pulled by a tractor) took us to visit the fishing traps and mussel farms. Our guide showed us how the fishing traps used wicker fences to guide marine life into traps which could be harvested as the tide retreated. Despite the now very low tide our guide was still able to put in her net and pull out jellyfish, sardines, small flatfish and young rays, as well as crabs and cuttlefish. After showing us, these were returned to the ocean.
The Exeter twinners were taken by their hosts to Cherrueix, on the northern coast of Brittany. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
The group was shown how fishing traps used wicker fences to guide marine life into traps. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
One of the fishing traps. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
Jellyfish, sardines, small flatfish and young rays, crabs and cuttlefish were seen, then returned to the sea. Photo: Exeter Twinning Circle.
After this, and a picnic lunch on the shore, we were off to Dol-de-Bretagne for a guided tour of the cathedral and town. This is a very picturesque town, full of architectural gems, an impressive gothic cathedral and an ancient history of early Christianity in Brittany.
Saturday was left free for shopping, sightseeing and just enjoying Rennes, before we met at Le Grand Huit in the evening. This is a working museum of fairground and roundabout activities, full of families having fun, eating and drinking with children enjoying the many amusements. We were booked in for supper, and an interesting film show of previous twinning visits. A marvellous Saturday night! Sunday was a morning to spend with hosts, and to enjoy lunch, a[er which we were off to the Château des Rochers-Sévigné for a guided tour of this interesting home of a very early ‘grand dame’.
Early on Monday morning, we took a train back to Morlaix and the ferry back to Plymouth arriving on Monday evening. We were tired, but with a wealth of memories and promises to revisit. Who says Twinning isn’t fun!
