Since September 20, 1989 and the inauguration of the high-speed line heading west, Rennes has continued to move closer to Paris. A railway epic that has changed the face of the Breton capital.
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It is barely 7am and the platforms of Rennes station are already bustling with activity. The TGV is getting ready to set off for Paris. A journey that today allows more than 8,000 people to work in the capital while living in Rennes. Figures from INSEE that date back to 2020, before the health crisis. The phenomenon has become even more pronounced with the rise of teleworking.
With his foot half on the platform, half on the train, Timothée has found his balance. He lives in Saint-Malo and goes up to the capital two to three times a week: “I do the round trip during the day and, when there are no delays, it’s still nice. I clearly prefer living here than in Paris, it’s a great revolution.”
A revolution that began on September 20, 1989, to be exact. It was 8 a.m. when, departing from Montparnasse station, the first TGV Atlantique set off for Brittany. It was comfortable, more spacious and much faster.
Rennes is then 2h04 from Paris instead of 2h53 and Brest 4h09 instead of 5h33. The train can reach peaks of 300 km/h, as this report from Antenne 2 tells us.
The arrival of this TGV is also an accelerator of the opening up of Brittany, and Rennes will begin its transformation. Starting with the construction in 1992 of a second station with geometric lines and contemporary shapes.
Then, 25 years later, the excavators and cranes returned for a complete transformation of the building, which took on a futuristic appearance.
A way to support the arrival of the LGV in 2017 and the development of a new district called Euro Rennes. With a journey less than 1h30 from Paris, the station’s attendance exploded, going from 10 million passengers to 15 million in just 5 years.
It is estimated that between 120 and 170 companies and nearly 7,000 jobs have been created in the Euro Rennes district.
Marc Hervé, first deputy in charge of Urban Planning in Rennes.
An economic dynamism boosted by the rise of the high-speed line, while ensuring that this station district is an integral part of the city. 1,500 homes have been built there and companies have taken the plunge to set up shop.
This is the case of the Niji company, whose windows overlook the platforms of the station. This company, specializing in digital services, was created in 2001 in Cesson-Sévigné. It employs 1,400 employees spread across several sites in France and abroad. The arrival of the LGV was the trigger for the headquarters not to move to Paris.
Being in the region is no longer a handicap today. You are no longer characterized as a sub-company. You are received in the same way as when you are a big brand established in Paris in the beautiful neighborhoods.
Hugues Meili, the director and founder of Niji.
Next step in the railway epic in Brittany. Bringing the Finistère tip into high-speed mode. A Paris-Brest in less than 3 hours. A project that is not yet quite on track.
