In 2010, the AOSD conference will be held in Rennes and Saint-Malo, France.
Rennes is the capital of Brittany and, together with Lannion and Saint-Malo, is part of what is known as the French “Telecom-Valley”, since most of the major players of the country’s telecommunications industry have a site in this region (e.g., Alcatel, France-Télécom, Thomson) and it hosts 40% of France's telecom sector public research. Rennes is in the heart of an area that hosts 1,200 high-tech companies, and local companies offer a full range of skills in this industrial sector i.e. components, networks, software engineering, digital imaging, sound techniques, MDE. Rennes is easily accessed by plane or by train from Paris and Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.
Video about the history of Saint-Malo (in French)
Saint-Malo is a corsair (a corsair is a kind of official “pirate”, hired by the king) city located on the north coast of Brittany, close to the Mont Saint-Michel and to Rennes. Every street corner, every shore recalls the city's legendary past, along the innumerable walks and seafront promenades. Saint Malo is accessed by train from Paris or Rennes. Its outstanding
landscapes and rich historical heritage make Saint Malo
a unique destination. With its 52,000 inhabitants, this city offers a
varied and healthy economic activity. Its international trade port,
travelers port, fishing port and sailing port add up to an economic
activity definitely open to the world.
The official site of the
city provides
a number of informations and panoramic views. The area offers a number
of
places
for tourism. The website of the
tourism
board collects useful brochures and addresses for building up the
program of a unique summer stay.
More generally, Brittany offers a variety of amazing landscapes, each
part of the coastline having its own identity. The official website for
tourism in Brittany provides numerous informations, brochures, photos and maps.
As part of AOSD’10, you will have the opportunity to visit the Mont Saint Michel, one of Brittany's best-known attractions and the second most visited monument in France. Surrounded by the most powerful tides in Europe, perched high on a rocky island, this medieval city and its abbey are a UNESCO World Cultural and Natural Heritage Site.