Château de Vitré & Old Town
Château de Vitré
A triangular medieval castle and a half-timbered old town, among the best-preserved historic towns in Brittany. Reachable by train in 25 minutes.
Vitré is a gateway town in eastern Brittany. Its triangular castle, built between the 11th and 15th centuries, features pointed round towers, a drawbridge, and walls. It now houses a municipal museum, and you can climb the towers for views over the town. Below the castle, Rue Baudrairie and Rue de Poterie preserve many 15th- and 16th-century half-timbered houses, and Notre-Dame church, outside the walls, has an external stone pulpit. The castle is open daily from April to September, and in winter the museum is closed on Tuesdays. Admission is about €8. The TER train from Rennes takes about 25 minutes, making this a good half-day trip.
Opening hours
Castle about 10:00 AM–12:30 PM, 2:00–6:00 PM (open all day in summer); closed Tuesdays in winter
Nearby sights
- Château des Rochers-Sévigné
- Écomusée du Pays de Rennes
- Parc du Thabor
- Notre-Dame-en-Saint-Melaine
- Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rennes
- Les Champs Libres & Musée de Bretagne
- Parlement de Bretagne
- Hôtel de Ville & Opéra de Rennes