se renseigner sur vs découvrir

Question

Could you use "se renseigner sur" instead of "découvrir", or would there be some nuance between those in this context? i.e. "J'ai adoré me renseigner sur l'histoire d'Anne de Bretagne..."

Cécile Janty-Davies · Accepted Answer

Bonjour Gareth, 
Both mean learning/finding out about something, but they differ in focus:
Se renseigner sur = to inquire about, to find out about (active process of seeking information)
Deliberate, intentional research. You don't yet have the information and are looking for it. 
Je me renseigne sur les vols pour Paris = I'm looking into flights to Paris
Découvrir = to discover (the moment of finding/encountering something)
The result or experience of coming upon something, sometimes unexpectedly. The focus is on the revelation itself, not the search
J'ai découvert un petit restaurant sympa = I discovered a nice little restaurant
 Key distinction: Se renseigner is the process of investigating; découvrir is the moment of finding. You might use  'se renseigner sur ' a city before you go, and then découvrir it when you arrive.