France. Rennes; city; Ille-et-Vilaine department, Brittany. Tables are set in the pedestrian street for a drink or a meal. Tourists stroll to discover this old town. From the end of the Middle Ages to the end of the Ancien Régime, many half-timbered houses were built in Brittany, notably in Rennes, which still has 286 houses. Wood was an abundant and inexpensive material, which is why this construction technique was used extensively in the 14th-15th century, and continues to be used until the 18th century. This heritage is protected and restored. Most of these houses have little shops, bars and restaurants.