Vitré (pop. 15,908), east of Rennes on the left bank of the Vilaine, has preserved its original townscape almost unchanged. The most picturesque street is Rue Beaudrairie, once the quarter of the saddlers (baudroyeurs).
The Gothic church of Notre-Dame (15th-16th C), with an external pulpit and a fine interior (triptych consisting of 32 panels of Limoges enamel), seems entirely in place against the background of the old town walls and towers.
The massive castle on a spur of hill, built on the remains of an earlier stronghold, dates from the 14th and 15th centuries, and now houses various museums. At the foot of the castle is the old town with its medieval lanes and half-timbered houses.
Address: Château de Vitré, F-35500 Vitré, France
Hours:
July 1 to September 30: 10am-12:30pm, 2pm-6:15pm
October 1 to March 31: 10am-12pm, 2pm-5:30pm; Closed: Tue
Always opened on: New Year's Day (January 1), May Day / Labor Day (May 1), All Saints' Day - Christian (November 1), Remembrance Day / 1918 Armistice Day (November 11), Christmas - Christian (December 25)
Always closed on: New Year's Day (January 1), All Saints' Day - Christian (November 1), Christmas - Christian (December 25), Easter - Christian
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