VITRÉ, just north of the Le Mans–Rennes motorway, rivals Dinan as the best-preserved medieval town in Brittany. While its walls are not quite complete, the thickets of medieval stone cottages that lie outside them have hardly changed. The towers of the castle, which dominates the western end of the ramparts, have pointed slate-grey roofs in best fairy-tale fashion, looking like freshly sharpened pencils, but sadly the municipal offices and museum of shells, birds, bugs and local history inside are not exactly thrilling (April–June & Sept daily 10am–noon & 2–5.30pm; July & Aug daily 10am–6pm; Oct–March Mon, Sat & Sun 2–5.30pm, Wed–Fri 10am–noon & 2–5.30pm; €4).Vitré is a market town rather than an industrial centre, with its principal market held on Mondays in the square in front of Notre-Dame church. The old city is full of twisting streets of half-timbered houses, a good proportion of which are bars – rue Beaudrairie in particular has a fine selection. Vitré's gare SNCF is a little way south of the centre, where the ramparts have disappeared and the town blends into its newer sectors. Just across the square from the station you'll find the tourist office (July & Aug daily 9am–7pm; Sept–June Mon–Fri 9.30am–noon & 1.30–5.30pm, Sat 10am–noon; tel 02.99.75.04.46, www.ot-vitre.fr), and most of the hotels too. The Petit-Billot, 5bis place du Général-Leclerc (tel 02.99.75.02.10, www.petit-billot.com; €40–55), is good value, while rooms on the higher floors of the Hôtel du Château, 5 rue Rallon (tel 02.99.74.58.59; €40–55; closed Sun out of season), on a quiet road just below the castle, have views of the ramparts. Of the town's restaurants, Le St-Yves, immediately below the castle at 1 place St-Yves (tel 02.99.74.68.76; closed Mon), serves menus from €8 to €27.50 (the €12.50 one should suit most requirements), and La Soupe aux Choux, at the top of rue de la Baudrairie at 32 rue Notre-Dame (tel 02.99.75.10.86; closed Sun in low season), prepares simple but classic French food. Alternate spellings:: France, Vitré, Vitré, Vitre
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