Streets squares and districts to visit France

Inaugurated in 1825, the Saint-Martin canal was originally designed to bring drinking water to the capital. Today, it is a pleasant option for a stroll. Starting from the Bastille marina, you will walk along its 4.5 km length, from the Ourcq canal to the Villette basin. By bike or on foot, you will ride along the waterfront and pass by nine locks, including those of the Temple and Récollets, and two swing bridges.

The medieval town retains a hundred-fold houses, which are discovered along the winding streets of the Saint-Jacques quarter. They recognize their corbel from one level to another. On the ground floor, usually granite, was the shop whose wide openings are still recognized. On the floor and under the attic, the weavers lived. Indeed, it was in the Saint-Jacques area that the sheets of parthenay were produced who exported to the Middle Ages in the north of the kingdom.

The Verdeau passage came out of land in 1847, it bears the name of Mr. Verdeau, one of the promoters and shareholders of the company in the Jouffroy crossing. The passage is the work of the same architects as the latter and lies in the extension and the Panorama passage. More effacé and less prestigious, he has always suffered from comparison with his neighbours. But he has to be very bright because he has a high glass roof on the fish edge. All three passages offer an original and unusual location. The opening of Hotel Drouot (1852) has attracted in the passage Verdeau numerous antique shops and boutiques (antique books, old postcards, photo cameras…). For example, at 14-16, you can find a photo store… since 1901! A see around: the Grands Boulevards, the Grand Rex, the Grévin Museum, etc.

Very typical of the Medieval Old Vannes, this shopping street along the cathedral has some nice examples of old shops and wooden houses decorated with sculptures.

This large paved artery is the Bourges shopping temple since the Belle Epoque. In the th century, urban planning works on the Middle Street and its surroundings to make it a long axis leading to Séraucourt Square. The tram is then the preferred means of transport. Looking back, you can admire art nouveau buildings built after the fire that devastated Average street in 1928. The facades and roofs of the New Galleries, where Fnac and H & M are located, and the Aubrun store are part of it, as is the old Ladies de France store (Planchat Square). All three are listed in the Additional Inventory of Historical Monuments.

A symbol of Saint-Malo, the ermine leaves for a moment the flag and coat of arms of the city to guide you through its historic centre. There is no need for a plan or guide, just follow the nails with its effigy - no less than 150 - scattered here and there in the city. They will lead you to explanatory terminals - 42 in total, including 35 panels and 7 desks - where you can learn a little more about the history and anecdotes of Saint-Malo. Each borne has a flashcode that allows you to have more details on your smartphone.

Tariff: free.

Duration: 2 h.

Difficulty: .

The Republic Square will be reborn in 2025. For the moment, it is this vast crossroads of buses and pedestrians that pass through the city's most central metro station. Here stands the Palace of Commerce, built between 1885 and 1929, which housed the Posts and Telegraphs on the one hand and the Trade Exchange on the other. It is the work of Jean-Baptiste Martenot and Emmanuel Le Ray. The central pavilion, square in plan, open to traffic on the ground floor, surmounted by a floor, housed the city's festival hall. The Palais du Commerce currently houses the Central Post Office, the city has launched a call for projects to transform the functions of this building by 2025. In the centre, the layout of the square offers small shops, benches and vegetable shelves, you can stop in the heart of the Rennes hustle and bustle. But more than just talking about the square, it is the neighbourhood that is of great interest. It is true that the whole district revolves around the Palace of Commerce (Post Office building) up to the Emile Zola High School, where the review of the trial of Captain Dreyfus was held. Behind the Place de la République, there is the Marché Central, a daily market renamed the Auction, and the semi-pedestrian rue Vasselot, which is full of small restaurants and shops. Also discover the remains of the former Carmelite convent at number 34. Walk along the rue du Pré-Botté in which the Ouest-France building stands. Don't forget to take a detour to the Musée des Beaux-Arts on Quai Emile-Zola, which traces the history of painting from the 14th century to the present day.

Take for half an hour walking in the streets of the old Croisic on a 1,5 km journey through the streets of the city. The th and th centuries are periods of full prosperity for the port of Croisic. Taking advantage of the trade in salt, cod fishing and shipbuilding, shipowners and traders are getting richer. You must stroll through the narrow streets of this shipowners'town to discover the traces. The streets of the Church, Saint-Christophe and Saint-Yves houses wooden houses of the th and th centuries. The house Guillaume André is one of the finest specimens of this architecture of the th century. The beautiful waterfront residences, the former city hotel occupied by the Duke of Brittany, the th century governor of Brittany, make Croisic a very attractive destination. The sites remind us that she was loved by the poets: Musset, José Maria de Hérédia (Corner rue Haute-des-Bains and Rue Porte and 15, Port-Ciguet quay). At the foot of the Boom, the superb bronze statue of Hervé Ministerial, works by sculptor René Paris. You can also remove a «circuits» guide from the Tourist Office free of charge on four proposed thematic circuits at Croisic.

It owes its name to the visit of the Russian imperial fleet in 1898. Completely demolished in 1944, it was replaced by massive buildings typical of the 1950s. The famous Atlantes by Pierre Puget support the balcony of the town hall of honor and the statue of the Genius of Navigation, nicknamed the Admiral of Cuverville, is enthroned there, looking towards the horizon. You will find a modern maritime station (renovated in 2013) as well as a multitude of restaurants, bars and stores facing the sea.

Located steps from the Louvre museum, the Palais Royal and the covered market, this passage is lined with art galleries, antique shops, bookshops and various shops. Their fronts are made of wood and copper, while the floor is tiled in marble. Above you, painted ceilings alternate with windows. Note that on either side of the entrance rue du Bouloi side, you can see in niches two statues, one of Hermes, the other of Hercules. Finally, note that the name of this gallery comes from the two local butchers who ordered its construction in 1826.

It is a beautiful illustration of Josselin's prosperous trading period. Most of the houses date from the 16th century and have retained the appearance they had at that time. Take time to stroll around to admire the wooden sections and sculptures restored by the latest restorations, with the exception of the house known as the House of the Seneschal, right next to the basilica. This beautiful 18th century house was home to one of the most famous Republican leaders, General Hoche, during his visit to Josselin in 1795.