Le Bocal is a self-managed feminist and queer space in the Blosne district, in the south of Rennes. It describes itself as somewhere trans, gay, lesbian, bi and intersex people can meet, get informed on the things that affect them, and find people to organise with.
The premises are modest and that is the point: a common room and a kitchen, used for film screenings, games evenings, meetings, self-organised support groups in chosen mixity, and parties. There is a care space people can use when things are difficult, run on a free or pay-what-you-can basis, and Le Bocal à Vélo, a bike self-repair workshop on the same footing.
It is run by the people who use it rather than by staff, so the programme depends on who is organising at the time. It is a different proposition from a bar, and it is one of the very few queer spaces left in Rennes with a door of its own.
The people in this picture are AI-generated.
