Le parlement de Bretagne à Rennes!

On a beautiful afternoon last week in Rennes, the students in the High School Study Abroad Global Navigator Program enjoyed an introduction to the Parlement of Rennes which used to be a court of justice under the French "Ancien Régime" up until the French Revolution.  "As with all the parlements before they were abolished in 1789, that of Brittany was a sovereign court of justice, principally listening to appeals of sentences issued by lower jurisdictions." (wikipedia.org)  

The students learned that in February 1994, because the price of fish fell drastically, fishermen decided to show their anger and protest.  The police used flares to control the crowd and some landed on the roof, destroying the upper level of the Parlement, along with many important documents.  While visiting, the students could see the difference between the stones used for its restoration and those used when it was originally built.  

Not only did the students stroll through history and learn a little about law, but they also learned about the different symbols of French royalty like the "fleur de lys," the bee as a symbol of Napoleon, and the sun representing Louis XIV.  These symbols were all meticulously woven into the beautiful mosaic on the walls of the main courtroom. Today, the Parlement serves as the Rennes Court of Appeal, however, on this particular day, the judges were on vacation and court was not being held.  Here is what some students said about their visit:

"I really loved the paintings and the history behind them."  Adrianna

"I really enjoyed learning about all the Brittany history."  Brooke

"I loved learning about the legislative branch in Brittany."  Eleanor

"I loved the big rooms with a lot of gold."  Kieran  "I loved the paintings with the gold all around them."  Saray

"I loved the decoration inside the building and the art on the walls and ceilings."  Maggie and Raphael