TRAVEL THE WORLD - RENNES, FRANCE

We love walking these old town centres with their narrow streets and old houses as in these photos taken in Rennes in 2008. Half-timbered buildings have been preserved in several of the towns and cities we visited in Brittany. We noticed that often, as here, several adjacent buildings have been preserved, thus retaining the integrity of an entire street. What adds to the charm of areas like this is the attention given to landscaping and the effort that is made to find commercially viable uses for these old buildings.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - RENNES, FRANCE

In Rennes in 2008 we admired this swimming pool very much without being able to express exactly what it was that made us like it so much. When I discovered that it was an example of Art Deco, a style that was popular in the 1920's and 1930's, I was delighted. Although I had heard of Art Deco, this was the first example I had seen. It's always nice to discover something new and find that you like it.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - ST. MALO, FRANCE

This 2008 photo shows the entrance to the old city of St. Malo on the coast of Normandy in France. Three-quarters of the port and city were totally destroyed in the second World War and rebuilt brick by brick when the war was over, restoring St. Malo to its original charm. The fortifications had been built between the 12th and 17th Centuries.