Saint Malo what to see, what to do, where to sleep, where to eat and how to get there
What to know before visiting Saint-Malo?
Saint Bad to see. Saint-Malo France the medieval city of privateers and spectacular tides
Saint-Malo, a must-see in French Brittany. It's one of the essential cities to visit in Brittany. A city of approximately 50.000 inhabitants, it's divided between the walled city (Intra-Mures) and the area outside the walls (Extra-Mures). It's well-connected by train to other major cities like Rennes and Nantes, and also well-served internally by its bus network. However, you can reach almost all the main attractions on foot in about half an hour.
It is the French city of corsairs, pirates with royal permission, par excellence. With an old town within impressive walls, of good diameter. It will take an hour to go around the walls.
Walls, through which you can stroll above, contemplating on one side the beautiful city and on the other the great spectacle of the Atlantic tides of French Brittany.
Saint Bad to see. Essential visits
The islands of Saint-Malo, What to see in Saint Malo on the islands.
1 The islands of Grande Be, Petit Be and Gran Fort are a must-see in Saint Malo, France.
The islands of Grande Bé, Petit Bé, and Grand Fort, a national fort built in 1689 by Vauban and Garangeau, are must-sees. Each one is a spectacle in itself, with its incredible tides, stunning scenery, and tranquility.
They are all uninhabited islands. And Gran Be has the peculiarity of containing the tomb of the great writer François René de Chateaubriand.
You will get the best photographs of Saint Malo on these islands.
Think that you can only access them at low tide, so plan your visit before going. In ours, in winter we were able to access in the morning and noon, in the evening the tide rose and the islands were not accessible.
Some different visits
2 A walk along the ramparts of Saint Malo: see the beaches and the walled city from the heights of the towers
Something you should not miss if you go to Saint Malo is to go all the way around the walls of Saint Malo.
It's about an hour's walk and you see the best views of the city both inside and outside the walls.
The walk of the Saint Malo wall jumps from bastion to tower to bastion to tower. On the one hand, the bustling streets of the city and, on the other, magnificent fine sandy beaches, port and forts on the islands. From the Saint-Vincent gate, at the entrance of the citadel, the route that we propose begins.
The view is so striking that it even extends to Dinard. Opposite Saint-Malo, across the mouth of the Rance River, lies another of Brittany's typical tourist towns. The town is called Dinard, and one could say it bears a certain resemblance to Cannes, the Mediterranean capital of French cinema. It boasts a distinctive Belle Époque style, with numerous 19th-century houses, and also hosts the British Film Festival every October.
beaches at the foot of the ramparts of Saint Malo, at the foot of the ramparts, there is a beautiful tower called Bidouane. And in front of the castle the great Sillon beach that you cannot miss after a good walk along the ramparts. Right at the foot of Fort National is born what is considered the main beach of the city, beyond the two protected by the walls of the historic part of Saint-Malo. A 3-kilometer beach, ideal for resting after a hard day visiting Intramuros. Hopefully you'll end up getting a little brown if you're lucky with the day.
3. Intramuros, what to see in Saint Malo within the walls
Within its walls, Saint-Malo boasts narrow streets lined with tourist shops , some quite charming, and promenades nestled among elegant, towering buildings. Admiring their architecture, it's hard to believe that most of them were rebuilt after the bombings of 1944. From the moment you enter the city, you're tempted to stop at a terrace overlooking one of its squares.
Some essential things to see in Saint Malo intramuros are:
- El castle with its great keep from 1424, the general tower from 1475, the Quic-en-Groigne tower (1498 - 1501) and the XNUMXth-century tower des Dames and des Moulins
- La Saint-Vincent cathedral
- La Quic-en-Groigne tower
- La Pélicot house built like the rear castle of a ship
- shipowners' houses
- The heights of the Hotel d'Asfeld
- The Sainte-Croix and Saint-Ideuc churches
4 Things to See Outside Saint Malo: The Solidor Tower, the Roy Corsair Ship, and More
Outside the inner city there is much more to see in Saint Malo. Some essentials are:
- La Solidor tower, former prison and museum.
- El privateer ship Roy.
- Cite d'Aleth, bunkers, beach and good walks.
The Solidor tower was built between 1369 and 1382 on a rocky ledge overlooking the mouth of the Rance River, a must-see in Saint-Malo.
It was a dungeon made up of three towers connected by fortified walls. A building built on behalf of the Duke of Brittany who controlled the river and estuary at a time when the city of Saint-Malo was out of his control.
During the Revolution, the tower's initial vocation became obsolete and became a prison.
Today it is listed as a Historical Monument and the Solidor Tower has been the headquarters of the Long Course Museum and Cap Hornier since 1970. It presents collections of objects, models, instruments and marine charts from the late 1840th century to the early XNUMXth century and the history of commercial navigation along the Cape Horn route, mainly from XNUMX to the first. Quarter of the XNUMXth century.
It is worth visiting the museum and seeing the exceptional view of the Saint-Malo bay from one of its three towers. The price is not excessively expensive, 6 euros per adult.
Roy's privateer ship is a bit pricey for what you get. 20 for the four of you and you only see the deck, hold, and the captain's cabin and mess hall. It's not bad, but we found it expensive for what it is.
The Cité d'Aleth is a very complete "neighborhood," as it includes the old church of Saint Malo, which was destroyed and led to the founding of the city on its current site; the museum of German defensive bunkers; a beach; a defensive fort; and several beachfront restaurants with terraces for dining. It's very pleasant to stroll around there, and less crowded than the walled city.
5. A special time to visit Saint Malo. What to see in Saint Malo at Christmas: Christmas markets and ice rink
Saint Malo at Christmas is beautiful. It is a very cool time to visit the city. Everything is decorated, there is a beautiful Village de Noel, with paraditas and an ice skating rink until January 5.
Sleeping in a motorhome or camper in the Salut de Terrades: haven of peace
Extra: Saint-Malo by motorhome
For motorhomes, there's a designated area in a fenced parking lot with all amenities except electricity. However, the restrooms are outside and you can use them free of charge even if you're not inside the designated area.
For 7,5 eur 24 hours it's great. It even includes the bus to the center. Of course, it includes the bus on the same day that puts the ticket, so if you arrive at night, on the bus you do not show the ticket much or it will not be valid. The bus is number 2, you take it in front of the parking lot on the first line marked on the ground and it is the last stop where you must get off: «intramuros».
Photos Saint Malo to see
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It is very interesting what you share. Thank you, we will use it.
We congratulate you
Thanks Eduard. Since this blog was born, that was the idea: to help you on your trips and share experiences together. You will tell us when you go! Regards!