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Now inseparably attached to the mainland, Saint-Malo is the most visited place in Brittany. Sites of interest include: The walled city (La Ville Intra-Muros) The château of Saint-Malo, part of which is now the town museum
- Saint-Malo Walls
- Old Saint-Malo
- Plage Du Sillon
- Château de Saint-Malo
- Grand Aquarium Saint-Malo
- Paramé
- Fort National
- Grand Bé
- Gr-34
- Parc de La Briantais
The ramparts protect the entirety of the old part of Saint-Malo and from a circuit of 1.75 kilometres. They were started in the 1100s, updated to combat new military technology in the 1600s and then expanded again up to the mid-18th century. When you do the walk be sure to have some literature with you, because every gate, bastion and view has a st...
With grey granite as the their material, Saint-Malo’s houses have a distinguished air that borders on severe, but is always beautiful. The “Intra-Muros” district is all cobblestone streets with bars, restaurants, upmarket shops and crêperies, and exploring is the name of the game. The sense of the city’s venerability is so strong that it almost see...
One of those dynamic beaches in a constant state of flux, Plage du Sillon is three kilometres of fine sand beginning just north of the walled city. On the edge is a great embankment, built at the turn of the 20th century and spanning more than a kilometre and a half. This makes for easy strolling at any time of year, to work up an appetite and see ...
In the northeast nook of the walls is the castle built by the Dukes of Brittany from the 1400s to ensure their ownership of the city, now Saint-Malo’s city hall. The castle loomed over the city as a reminder of the authority of the dukes, and then the King of France after unification in the 16th century. The Grand Donjon has the best vistas of Sain...
A quick bus ride from the walled city will land you at Saint-Malo’s aquarium, a high-profile day out that is updated almost every new season. For those holidaying with little guys it’s a rainy day attraction that also ties in neatly with the city’s seafaring history. You can’t talk about the animals without mentioning the 360° shark aquarium, which...
The district next to Plage du Sillon, northeast of the walled city, grew quickly in the late 19th century furnishing it with many stunning Belle Époque villas. These were built by wealthy holidaymakers, who gave free rein to their sense of whimsy. With an itinerary you could have a little walking tour of this leafy neighbourhood, stopping to see fa...
The engineering mastermind Vauban drew up plans for this forward bastion on the Îlette rock at the western end of Plage du Sillon. It bears his tell-tale star configuration, and was the final piece in Saint-Malo’s defensive puzzle, conceived to protect the city from the British navy. It did just this job in 1693 when it helped to fend off an Anglo-...
You also have to wait for low tide to access Grand Bé, another islet a few strides from the ramparts. In the Second World War rocky little islands such as this became a useful spot location for German gun emplacements. When the Americans liberated Saint-Malo Grand Bé fell quickly, but it was weeks before the Alet peninsula at the mouth of the Rance...
The Sentier des Douaniers (Custom’s Officers’ Trail) is exactly what it says it is: A coastal footpath devised in the 1700s to foil smugglers. If you wanted you could start from Saint-Malo and walk all the way to Brest in Finistère. But you may need to allow 25 days to walk these 400 kilometres, so it’s not exactly a day trip! Instead you could pas...
On high ground by the Rance Estuary is a sumptuous English park that once formed the grounds of the Château de la Briantais. The estate belonged to rich ship-owners, who built a baroque mansion here in 1666, and the eerie but handsome ruins of this building are still visible in the park. A newer château from the 19th century is still going strong a...
Saint-Malo, France. Saint-Malo, originally built as a walled citadel guarding the mouth of the Rance river, was for centuries home to feared pirates. They’ve all gone to Davy Jones’ Locker, though, and now it’s Brittany’s most-visited city.
Discover the history, culture and nature of Saint-Malo, a portside city with a rich maritime heritage and stunning ramparts. Explore its old town, beaches, festivals, sailing races and nearby attractions in Brittany.
Où se promener autour de Saint-Malo ? Les Remparts de Saint-Malo. L'aquarium de Saint-Malo. Les plages. Les îles des Bés. La Tour Solidor. Le Phare Môle des Noires. La Digue de Rochebonne et ses villas. Les Rochers Sculptés de Rothéneuf.
Visit a malouinière. Discover the sculpted rocks of Rothéneuf. Walk along the dike to observe the villas. Do the Aquatonic circuit of the Thermes Marins. Events not to be missed in St-Malo in 2023. Étonnants Voyageurs. Quai des Bulles. Visit St-Malo Intra-Muros: the must-sees.
Saint-Malo is a small walled coastal city in Brittany, France. Understand. edit. Once the feared base of pirates (corsairs), heavily fortified against Norman (or English) attack, today's Saint-Malo is one of the top tourist draws in Brittany.
