The 10 Best Bars In Rennes France

As the capital of Brittany and with one of the largest student populations in France, it is no wonder that Rennes has so many bars in which to have a good night out. We take a look at some of the best the town has to offer after dark…

1. L'Artiste Assoiffé

Bar, French, Wine

For an authentic French experience, L’Artiste Assoiffé is a wonderful little place in which to soak up the local vibe and sample some interesting cocktails. The warm and inviting ambiance makes it the kind of place where guests can while away whole evenings without realizing where the time went. One activity that locals often enjoy is to come to this little bar’s terrace after shopping in the famous Marché des Lices on a Saturday afternoon. Patrons are more than welcome here to sample what they have just bought while drinking a glass of lovely wine.

2. Hibou Grand Duc

Bar, French, Wine

Not far from the charming La Vilaine canal, Hibou Grand Duc is a lovely bar that serves a great selection of wine and beer and is always buzzing with locals. It has a welcoming ambiance that makes visitors immediately feel at home. The cheese and charcuterie platters to accompany your drinks are generous and reasonably priced, served with fresh French bread. The outdoor terrace is equally lovely and especially of note are the frequent live concerts that take place here.

3. La Bernique Hurlante

La Bernique Hurlante

A nice spot in the heart of Rennes, La Bernique Hurlante is one of the few places in the city to openly embrace LGBT culture, meaning that it is a comfortable place for its large variety and diversity of clientèle. It is one of the main hubs for the animated artist scene of Rennes. Its quirky, second-hand shop-style decor adds to its ambiance and it also has a wide range of interesting and instructive books for browsing over drinks.

40, Rue Saint-Malo, Rennes, France +33 (0)2 99 38 70 09

LGBT Culture in Rennes | © Julie Missbutterflies/Flickr

4. Sunset Café

Bar, Cafe, French, Beer, Wine, Cocktails, Pub Grub, Coffee, Tea , Vegetarian, Street Food, Fast Food

Located on one of the most animated roads for Rennes’ nightlife (a great place for a bar crawl), Sunset Café is an original and creative little bar. It serves fun cocktails and shots, including the unusual ‘smurf’ flavor. With colored lights and a warm ambiance, the bar is the perfect place to start (or end) a great night out in Rennes. The charming terrace is also a great spot for people-watching and experiencing the cool local vibes.

5. Couleurs Café

Couleurs Café

An unmissable spot for all rum and cocktail lovers, the Couleurs Café has an extremely impressive list of cocktails, rums (a choice of about 40) as well as coffee, hot chocolate and some delightful snacks. And when we say ‘impressive list of cocktails’, we really mean it, since it actually holds the Guinness World Record for the largest cocktail menu ever. It offers more than 1,400 rum-based and more than 600 non-alcoholic drinks.

27, Rue Legraverend, Rennes, France +33 (0)2 23 40 07 13

Couleurs Café | © hermesmarana/Flickr

6. Oan's Pub

Pub, French, Wine, Beer, Cocktails, Pub Grub

A stone’s throw from the magnificent Cathédrale Saint-Pierre, Oan’s Pub welcomes patrons into a cozy and friendly atmosphere, with its fun, nostalgic decor. It offers an authentic Breton experience, complete with real Breton drinks and cuisine. One would do well especially to watch out for their special soirées, including, for example, a table tennis tournament on occasion. Yet the most notable feature of this charming pub is its passion for music; as well as a large number of live concerts throughout the year, it even has its own radio show.

7. Le Sablier

Bar, French, Beer

Surrounded by lots of university faculties, Le Sablier manages to retain a cool, bohemian student vibe while still serving with style sumptuous, organic food and excellent drinks. The drinks include both Breton and Belgian beers as well as local, organic wines. A hub for artistic creativity, it often hosts live acts, ranging from spoken word to improv theatre to music, while its already unusual and imaginative decor is often enriched by the addition of exhibits of local artworks and photography on the walls.

8. L'Heure du jeu

Bar, French

Enjoy playing board games while having a drink? Such an activity no longer has to be confined to one’s home as L’Heure du jeu (literally “time for games”) is a bar with a twist. It has a fantastic range of board games, dice games, card games, computer games and any other games you can think of, all of which can be played while drinking one of their fabulous drinks, alcoholic or not. You choose to drink great cocktails as well lovely hot chocolate among other things. This concept is really perfect for finding a way to entertain the kids, breaking the ice between strangers, or just having a new and fun way to spend a night with your friends.

9. Funky Munky

Funky Munky

Just a few paces from the beautiful and historic Church Saint-Melaine, Funky Munky is funky indeed, with its stylish and original decor and cozy, intimate ambiance. The large range of delicious cocktails, available in pitchers, are especially worth trying, as are the 40 different homemade flavors of vodka. The drinks are made using organic fruit, spices, herbs and old-fashioned candy, including poppy, elderflower and salted caramel made with real Breton salted butter. The Wednesday night ‘funky quizzes’ are also not to be missed, with different nationalities always more than welcome.

37, Rue Saint-Melaine, Rennes, France +33 (0)2 99 38 16 72

10. Le Nabuchodonosor

Bar, Charcuterie, Wine Bar, Wine

Just a few meters from the impressive Parlement de Bretagne, Le Nabuchodonosor welcomes patrons into a comfortable and relaxed wine bar that proposes a wide range of interesting reds and whites. The outside terrace is especially pleasant, since this district of Rennes is one of the best kept, while during the winter the fireplace makes this a particularly cozy spot to visit. The platters of cheese and charcuterie to accompany the drinks are carefully chosen and of exceptionally good quality too.

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