Rallier du Baty square

You are now on the very pleasant Rallier du Baty Square. Doesn’t it just make you want to sit at one of the cafés and observe Rennes’ everyday life go by? It was named this way in the year 1726, in honor of Toussaint Rallier du Baty, mayor of Rennes from 1695 to 1734. Rennes has never had a Mayor in office for that long! If you look at the corner, you will see a section of the ramparts, but much older remains were found here. At the end of the 19th century, thanks to the expansion of the “Grand Bazaar Parisien”, now replaced by the Ouest Matin Newspaper, 19 military pillars with roman inscriptions from the 2nd and 3rd century were discovered! Isn’t it crazy to think about everything this square has lived through up to your visit from today! If you want to see what those pillars look like, you should know that they are exhibited in the very interesting Champs Libres museum. To end a good note, look at the floor, the cobblestone made out of crimson schiste indicate the site of the old barbican that protected the Saint-Michel Gate, destroyed in 1868. Before leaving, come take a look at the fountain, in the middle of the square. It looks like a simple closed shell, but in reality it offers you to discover what’s inside. Come closer, and place your eyes on the designated spots. The artwork is named “chrysalide”, and tells the medieval myth of Tristant and Iseult. Extracts from the book are carved on the base, and, if you look inside, you will see, on either side of the sculpture, a photograph of both lovers arms around each other, bathed in a cloud of mist. Keep going straight, but before venturing into “rue Rallier du Baty”, go and take a look at what is hiding in the alley of the same name, that reveals itself on the left while leaving the square.