Industrial · Parks

Parc Hamelin Oberthür

Rennes

Parc Hamelin Oberthür, also known as Parc Hamelin Oberthür, is a public botanical garden located east of central Rennes, in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of the Bretagne region. It covers nearly three hectares in the Thabor - Saint-Hélier - Alphonse Guérin neighborhood. The park forms a roughly rectangular area extending north to south for about 200 meters and measuring about 100 meters wide. It is bordered by rue de Paris to the north, the imprimerie Oberthür to the west, boulevard Jeanne d’Arc to the south, and rues René Marcille and Édouard Jordan to the east. The park has entrances on each side, including two main entrances on rue de Paris and one on boulevard Jeanne d’Arc.

The park takes its name from the Oberthür family, especially François-Charles Oberthür and his wife Marie Hamelin. It was initially a private garden before becoming public. François-Charles Oberthür began buying adjoining lands in 1852, and the park was created in 1863-1864 from land that had previously included farms, nurseries, meadows, orchards, and vegetable gardens. The garden was designed by landscaper Denis Bühler, who also designed the parc du Thabor. Expanded by about 2 hectares in 1882, the park contains unique botanical specimens.

Map showing the location of Parc Hamelin Oberthür in Rennes
Location of Parc Hamelin Oberthür in Rennes

Nearby Objects

Parc Hamelin Oberthur

Parc Hamelin Oberthur is a public botanical garden located east of the center of Rennes, in the Ille-et-Vilaine department of the Bretagne region. It is also known simply as Intro, and its name comes from the Oberthur family, especially Francois-Charles Oberthur and his wife Marie Hamelin. The garden was initially a private garden before becoming public. It covers nearly three hectares and contains unique botanical specimens, which contribute to its interest as a cultivated urban green space.

Location and Access

Parc Hamelin Oberthur is located east of downtown in the Thabor - Saint-Helier - Alphonse Guerin neighborhood. The park forms a rectangle extending roughly 200 meters from north to south and about 100 meters in width. It is bordered by rue de Paris to the north, the imprimerie Oberthur to the west, boulevard Jeanne d Arc to the south, and rues Rene Marcille and Edouard Jordan to the east.

The park has an entrance on each side. Its two main entrances are on rue de Paris at 82 and 86, beside hotel Oberthur, and on boulevard Jeanne d Arc to the south. The western entrance, square Roland-Garros, opens onto rue Jean Malo-Renault, while the eastern entrance opens onto rue Rene Marcille. The site is served by bus line C5 at the Oberthur stop, and a self-service bike station called Oberthur is located north of the park.

Creation and Development of Parc Hamelin Oberthur

François-Charles Oberthur began buying adjoining lands in the suburb of Paris in 1852, when the area consisted mainly of farms, nurseries, meadows, orchards, and vegetable gardens. He first acquired several hectares of Beauregard, then bought several plots towards Petit Paris between 1853 and 1869. The park was designed by landscaper Denis Buhler, who also designed the parc du Thabor, and it was created in 1863-1864. It was reserved for the Oberthur family. In 1875, François-Charles Oberthur's private mansion was built. The park was later expanded by about 2 hectares in 1882 after the purchase of additional plots. The Oberthur printing workshops operated in 1870, 1883, and 1900, placing the park within the wider history of the family estate and business.

History and Public Use

Parc Hamelin Oberthuer has a history of public and community use that began in 1887, when it hosted the fanfare and gymnastics society of the printing workers. In 1953, part of the park was allocated for subdivision to create Rene Marcille street, reducing the park area by about 1.8 hectares, from 4.9 to 3.1 hectares. The park became property of the City of Rennes in 1960 and was opened to the public on a proposal by Edmond Herve. The current park occupies one-third of the original area. It is now the largest park in Rennes city center after parc du Thabor and serves as a venue for various local events. Among these was the Rennes-Sculpture exhibition in 1982, which featured Francis Pellerin.

Landscape and Features

Parc Hamelin Oberthur covers approximately 3.1 hectares and is organized around a water body at its center, with lawns and wooded areas surrounding it. The wooded areas are mainly concentrated between the north and west entrances. In the north, along rue de Paris, two hotels are connected by a porch, while the southern part includes a chalet and stone block caves from Pont-Rean. The park also contains a pond inhabited by ducks, turtles, sparrows, blackbirds, magpies, and a heron. The pond has regularly been stocked with fish, mainly carps. Other animals recorded on site include rabbits, squirrels, and an otter. The park has 375 trees, including several notable specimens.