Rennes is seen at its best in the first ten days of July, when the Festival des Tombées de la Nuit takes over the whole city to celebrate Breton culture with music, theatre, film, mime and poetry (information from the tourist office). In the first week of December, the Transmusicales rock festival attracts big-name acts from all over France and the world at large, though still with a Breton emphasis (tel 02.99.31.12.10).The Théâtre National de Bretagne, 1 rue St-Helier (tel 02.99.31.12.31), puts on varied events throughout the year, except in August. All year round, in a different auditorium on the same premises, Club Ubu (tel 02.99.31.12.00) puts on large-scale gigs. Live jazz gigs take place twice weekly at Déjazey Jazz Club, 54 rue St-Malo (tel 02.99.38.70.72; closed Sun). The Barantic, 4 rue St-Michel, is one of the city's favourite bars, putting on occasional live music for a mixed crowd of Breton nationalists and boisterous students; if you don't like the look of it, or it's too full, there are half a dozen similar alternatives within spitting distance. The friendly bookshop Co-op Breizh at 17 rue Penhoët (tel 02.99.79.01.87) has cassettes of Breton and Celtic music along with books and posters, and there's a large FNAC bookshop in the Colombier shopping centre.
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