The Region

Saint-Malo is surrounded by many places overflowing with history. The most famous: Intra-Muros, the historic heart of the city. Surrounded by a 1754 meter long rampart you can visit, built in the 12th century and listed as a Historic Monument since 1921. The old town is full of treasures.

We can spot, everywhere in Intra-Muros, the statues of the great people who made the history of Saint-Malo. Jacques Cartier, Robert Surcouf, Rene Duguay-Trouin, these famous Corsairs who made the name of Saint-Malo and its nickname, the Corsair city.

The Solidor Tower built in the 14th century is a former prison which is now the house of the International Museum of Long Course and Cape Hornier.

Two small islands near Saint-Malo and easy to walk to at low tide, also protect two monuments: the tomb of the writer Chateaubriand, located on the Grand Bé. On the Petit Bé, you'll find a fort dating back from 1689 and designed by Vauban.

The Mont Saint-Michel recently became an island again thanks to the work started 10 years ago. It welcomes nearly 2.5 million visitors each year and was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1979 by the UNESCO.

The rock got its first church built in 709 by the Bishop of Avranches, Aubert at the request of the Archangel Michael. In 966, Benedictine monks settled on the mountain and the church became an abbey. After that, the abbey has been modified many times over the centuries. With the Hundred Years War, military fortifications were added to resist a siege. During the revolution, the Mont Saint-Michel became a prison. Before being entrusted to the historical monument and seeing a religious community return in 1966.

You can walk or have a bite in the village built in the Middle Ages, sheltered from the walls built during the Hundred Years War.

In addition to the abbey and the village, you can visit the bay and the various museums that are there.

The medieval city of Dinan, along the Rance, is full of incredible places. In the heart of Dinan, its castle, which is now a museum, stands proudly in the middle of the city. Climbing onto the dungeon roof, you can see another important place of Dinan: the Clock Tower. 46 meters high, it was classified as a belfry when Anne de Bretagne decided to add a clock.

You can choose to hike to visit the banks of the Rance and explore the Rance Valley as well as the villages and ports that settled there a very long time ago. The region offers more than 250km of paths and trails in the forest and on the edge of the Rance. If you are not interested in walking or cycling, you will still be able to see the wonders of The Rance by taking one of the cruises available near Dinan.

Many other places and activities are to be discovered in Dinan and in the Rance Valley. The Dinan Tourist Office offers you a complete list of these wonderful places to explore.

Dinard experienced a huge change in the middle of the 19th century by becoming a seaside resort. Once a simple fishing village, Dinard attracted the first bathers with its exceptional coastal landscapes. In 1958, the first bathhouse of Dinard appeared. Dinard owes its success to its English community, which has brought many activities such as golf or horse racing, etc. Villas appeared along the coast during the Roaring Twenties. Today, we can observe them while walking in the city.

The Cap Fréhel is a wonderful ornithological reserve along the Emerald Coast, which separates the bay of Saint-Brieuc from the bay of Saint-Malo. Composed of shale and pink sandstone, the 70 meters high cliffs offer a spectacular sea view. The lighthouse that overcomes these magnificent cliffs was built in the 1950s and is among the 5 most powerful French lighthouses. It can be visited from April to early November. Once at the top, you can see Fort la Latte. A hour and a half walk allows you to reach these two exceptional places. Fort la Latte is a medieval castle, classified as a historic monument. Tours and events are organized all year long.

Cancale, located in the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, takes advantage of the tides to cultivate oysters. By going to the marine farm, you will learn everything there is to know about oysters.

In addition to oysters, Cancale has a rich natural heritage. Marking the entrance of the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, the Pointe du Grouin overlooks the bay and the Mont Saint-Michel. A 7km hiking trail allows you to access it. If walking is not your cup of tea, the place is accessible by car and a parking area is next door. Near the coast, there are two well-known islands. The Rock of Cancale, or otherwise called the Seaking rock, and the island of Rimains, famous for its fort, built by Vauban.

The port welcomes you with a myriad of restaurants ready to serve you its local specialties.

Several places and activites are to be discovered in the region. Here are some examples: 

 - The St-Malo aquarium
   www.aquarium-st-malo.com

 - Museums of Saint-Malo
   www.saint-malo-tourisme.com

 - The Marine farm in Cancale
   www.ferme-marine.com

 - Hiking trails, easy to access

 - Water sports such as kayaking, windsurfing

 - On-foot fishing thanks to the tides