Passage des Carmélites

The Passage des Carmélites is a pedestrian walkway in central Rennes running from Rue d'Antrain to Place Hoche, designed with a gentle slope and stairs throughout. Local shops and workshops line the passage, giving it the character of an everyday neighborhood route.

The passage lies on a site with human settlement spanning centuries, as shown by Roman pottery fragments uncovered during 1994 excavations beneath it. An original gateway from 1666 collapsed during restoration work in 1972 and was replaced with a new structure.

The passage is home to one of Rennes' last silversmith workshops, where craftspeople continue to practice traditional techniques by hand. This type of skilled work has become rare in urban areas and gives the passage a particular character.

The passage stretches about a hundred meters and links different parts of northeast Rennes, making it a direct route through the older quarter. Regular maintenance and visible staircases help with navigation, though the slope can be slippery when wet.

The passage takes its name from nuns whose convent once stood nearby, with the original architectural memory from 1666 only giving way in 1972 to reconstruction. The replacement building created a new appearance for this historic route that locals still navigate daily.