Experiencing the Rennes Nightlife as an American University Student

    “Hitting the town”: A term sometimes used by American students in the U.S., consists of going out with friends, to a hip downtown area where there are countless restaurants, pubs, bars, and venues for concerts and shows until early hours of the morning… that is if you are over 21. I’m only 19, so essentially, this downtown going out scene is non-existent in my day to day life in California.

One of my biggest passions in life is food, cooking, and viticulture. Growing up in the heart of wine country in Sonoma, CA, has continuously allowed me to learn about and grow accustomed to some of the best food and restaurants in the United States. So naturally, my love for French food and the interest in the differences of California wine and French wine became one of the things I was excited to explore before I came to Rennes. Since the drinking age is 18 here, I can finally immerse myself in the culture of university students, by experiencing the casual, almost expected activity of going to pubs and bars with my friends. One of the things I was most excited for coming to Europe this summer was being able to spend some nights on “la rue de la soif” with new friends, and in the past few weeks, I have done just that!

Before I arrived, I knew that “La rue de la soif” and the area of Saint-Anne existed, but I didn’t know until I got there just how fun it would be. I went with a group of strangers (at the time) from my program, and we all had such a good night, pub crawling and talking to other university students sitting at nearby tables. I personally enjoy striking up conversations with bartenders as well, because talking to locals is always interesting, especially when I’m at a very happening downtown scene and can get a different point of view.

Not to my surprise, the act of ordering a beer is so normal, it almost feels like I’ve done it in the states. But I haven’t, of course, because ordering a beer at my age is illegal, yet so incredibly expected and normalized here. In a way, it’s so foreign to me… yet also so liberating knowing I’m treated as a full-fledged adult. I’ve become friends with some other university students that I met on a night out, and that’s just something that I would never be able to do in California, at least for another two years. Not only is it fun to meet up with new friends on another night, but its great practice speaking in French as well!

For me, I’ve always been interested in the French culture, especially the culture for students and young adults my age. I made it a goal for myself to fully immerse myself by going out and doing the usual things “les jeunes” do here. I think I have gotten a good taste of the going out scene here in Rennes, and more importantly, a great taste of local beers, wine and delicious restaurants. The fact that young people here do not abuse the privilege of buying alcohol or being able to buy drinks at a bar, is highly respectable. Going out in the US is so different, and the party scenes are opposite. Because it’s illegal in the US, alcohol is abused and used by underage drinkers very often. But how is it, that a short flight away, it’s just suddenly legal at 18 to do the same thing? That’s why I think experiencing different cultures in other countries is so important, it really makes you grow up a little bit, immersing yourself in something completely different than what you’re used to.

I’m very excited to be here for another 5 weeks, it’s going by so quickly I don’t know how I will be able to go home and not have Rue Saint-Michel a short bus ride away. My homestay family fully understands and wants me to go out at night, to the point where my homestay mom asked me at dinner tonight “Tu ne sors pas avec tes amis ce soir?” My response was that even university students need a night to stay at home and write in their journal and do their homework! But by tomorrow night, and potentially a few nights next week, I will be ready to go out with my (now) friends I have made through this program and make more memories.

To an exciting summer in France, Santé!

Hanna Lemaire

University of Redlands