Description:

The town of Redon was first built around the Abbey Saint Sauveur in the 9th century.  The area is also known as the location that the earliest document in the history of Brittany was written, the 'Cartulaire de Redon'.

In the Middle Ages, Redon benefited from maritime business due to its location on the Vilaine and until World War 1 was an important seaport for Rennes.

Redon is a Sub Prefecture (sous prefet) of Rennes.

Now due to the numerous waterways and locks crisscrossing the town the city has the nickname 'Venice of the West'.  Additionally Redon is called 'Ville Fleurie' as it is listed as a 'Ville Fleurie category 3' - essentially reserved for towns that demonstrate a good attention to gardens and flowers.

Redon is in the department if Ille et Vilaine department in south Brittany and covers an area of 15.09 km².  The town borders the departments of Morbihan and Loire Atlantique.

The Nantes Brest canal runs through Redon which is also situated at the confluence of the rivers Vilaine and Oust.

The market in Redon can be found in Les Halles all day on a Monday.  For all other groceries there are six local supermarkets.

Redon also has a lively shopping area with lots of clothes stores and more traditional French craft shops.

Redon has all the key services you would expect from a small town including several schools, pharmacies, doctors, a hospital, butchers, bakeries, beauty salons and banks.  There is one centralised Post Office. 

For entertainment there is a lively theatre, a cinema, an outdoor and indoor pool, a bowling alley, skate park.   The town also has a lake which has its own beach.

There are also lots of restaurants catering for all tastes as well as bars in which you can find regular live music.

The Eglise de Saint Sauveur was once one of the largest churches in Brittany and still dominates the towns skyline with both is Romanesque and Gothic towers.  The church has a four storey belfry and is known locally for housing the tomb of the judge who convicted Bluebeard the pirate.

Redon has several events and festivals throughout the year.  The 'Fete du Chant Traditionnel' takes place every year in April and features traditional songs and music and the 'Les Nocturiales' in July celebrates medieval, baroque and celtic music.  Many performances take place around the Eglise de Saint Sauveur.

The largest festival 'La Foire de la Teillouse', the Chestnut Fair, takes place in October and sees stalls in the streets, markets every day, traditional music concerts, Breton dancing and a funfair.   The 'Foire de la Teillouse' also incorporates the 'Festival de la Bogue d'Or' which is a special gathering focusing on songs, music and stories from Upper Brittany.

Worth a visit:

• Take a boat trip down one of the many waterways in the area
• Located on the wet dock,the Musee de la Batellerie, celebrates the history of river navigation in Brittany.
• Walk up the old main street lined with wood sided houses and stroll through the old port
• Have a picnic at the Park Bel Air which has some great games for kids and pets

Due to its position next to two rivers and the canal there is a wealth of water based activities available.  Try hiring a sailing boat, canoes to explore the river or for a more leisurely trip hire a barge!

There are also good Horseriding and Golf facilities in the area as well as lots of good well mapped hiking trails.