The Project

The Ille-et-Vilaine Departmental Archives preserve, collect, classify, communicate and maximize the value of documents used for historical research or to prove rights. The majority of these archives come from old or contemporary administrations, as well as from private individuals. They comprise millions of items extending over ten centuries and deployed over 50 linear kilometres of shelving in the Beauregard district of Rennes. These items come in multiple formats and over four million images or pages are already online. Find out more here: https://archives.ille-et-vilaine.fr

The "Images Past and Present" website has two aims: to offer a digital counterpart to a series of exhibitions on the subject of the environment and to anticipate the development of a web publication tool for these collections and research resources: "archives-on-line".

First and foremost, this website invites you on a journey to discover the heritage and landscapes of Brittany, whether online or in-situ, exploring the iconographic resources contained in the Ille-et-Vilaine departmental Archives. From home or in the field, it lets you search from thousands of images to find out more about built heritage, natural sites and places connected with historical figures, along with the history of this local area with its wide-ranging industrial and agricultural heritage and unique landscapes.

Its geographical and thematic approach should facilitate database access for everyone curious about the local heritage and landscapes. The website is also designed to be used on the go, in mobile form, to explore surrounding points of interest. It also has an integrated search engine (with facets) and random content function.  

The website currently contains a select few iconographic collections. We want to encourage you to discover some hitherto unpublished resources to contribute to your understanding of and interest in Brittany's environmental history.

As well as simply viewing images, you can also download, share and reuse them freely.