Saint-Malo

Understand

thumb | 300px | City gates Saint Malo (520-621) was a hermit and preacher from Wales who became the town's first bishop. That settlement was at Aleth 3 km south of the present town, which grew up on an island in the Middle Ages. It was a port on a rocky coastline, made extra hazardous by its tidal range of up to 14 m. It grew with the Atlantic trade - Cartier sailed from here to explore Canada, and Bougainville conferred the town's name on the Malvinas or Falkland Islands. But piracy paid better than legitimate trade or exploration and Saint-Malo was a notorious nest of corsairs through the 16th to 18th centuries, when they became outgunned by national navies.

The town was ringed by stout ramparts, the historic intramuros district, and became fused to the mainland, where the districts of Rocabey, Marville, Courtoisville, Découverte and the railway station grew up. It was heavily bombed in the Second World War but the old town was carefully restored. In 1967 the towns of Paramé to the east and Saint-Servan to the south were incorporated into Saint-Malo city.

is on Esplanade Saint-Vincent next to the castle, open daily 09:30-13:00, 14:00-18:30.

Get around

Walking is the best way to explore the old town. A dinky "Tourist Train" also chunters around.

MAT bus lines run to outlying districts and neighbouring towns.

Taxis wait at the railway station and entrance to old town.

See

Ramparts form a "D" around the old town, studded with defensive towers. You can walk free along them 24 hours. Château de Saint-Malo is at the north end of intramuros, near the start of the causeway to Fort National. The oldest part, the Keep or Grand Donjon, was completed in 1424, and other towers were added during that century. The museum within closed in 2019 so you can only see the exterior. thumb | 300px | Fort National is a tidal islet reached from Bon-Secours beach. It has the remains of an old fort, and at its north end is the grave of François-René de Chateaubriand (1768-1848). This gloomy writer, diplomat and politician was one of the leading figures of the early 19th century Romantic movement and Roman Catholic revival, but he's now best commemorated in Chateaubriand steak. Petit Bé is reached by a continuation of the tidal causeway beyond Grand Bé. Its fort was built from 1689 and has been partly restored. on an islet further out was built in the 1690s and abandoned in 1901. It's seldom open. is a neo-classical church of 1715-43, with the tower added in the 1830s. It's at 2 Rue Jeanne Jugan near the foot of Aleth peninsula (Bus 8), open Sunday afternoons. thumb | 300px | Chateaubriand lies on Grand Bé Ar Zenith is a historic restored boat on the waterfront near Sainte-Croix. It was built in 1939 as a yawl or "dundee", a small vessel for long-line fishing. On 18 June 1940 when France was occupied by Germany, General Charles de Gaulle broadcast an appeal fr…

Do

thumb | 300px | Rance Tidal Power Station Beaches: the main beach stretches 12 km along the north coast. Plage de Bon-Secours is west side of old town. Théâtre Chateaubriand is 100 m west of the cathedral. Cinema: Le Vauban 2-La Grande Passerelle is on Rue Théodore Monod facing the railway station. Football: US Saint-Malo play soccer in Championnat National 2, the fourth tier. Their Stade Marville is 300 m south of the railway station. Horse racing and trotting races are at the Hippodrome 500 m south of the railway station. Saint-Malo Golf is 26 km south at Le Tronchet, with several nearby hotels. Festival des Folklores du Monde is a week of folk-dance and music in early July. Festival de Musique Sacrée is in the cathedral and other churches in July / August. La Route du Rock is a music festival in August. Route du Rhum is a single-handed yacht race from Saint-Malo to Pointe-à-Pitre in Guadeloupe. It's every four years, with the next in Nov 2026.

Buy

Carrefour City supermarket is northeast of the cathedral at 10 Bis Rue Sainte-Barbe, open M-Sa 07:00-21:00, Su 09:00-13:00.

Eat

thumb | 300px | Cancale oysters

Breton specialties include: - Pancakes, either as sweet crêpes or savoury galettes. - Kouing Aman a cake made with butter and sugar. Best eaten piping hot, especially those with apple. - Mussels (moules) are locally harvested. - Oysters (huitres): the best are from nearby Cancale.

Cafe de Saint-Malo is at 4 Place Guy la Chambre, just inside Grande Porte. It's open daily 09:00-22:30 and also sells fresh seafood to go. Ty'papo (formerly Captain Ice) is at 2 Rue Jacques Cartier, a gelateria open Tu-Su 13:30-19:00. Pizzerias: half a dozen in intramuros.

Drink

Local drinks include Breton beer, cider, Calvados and Chouchen mead. Brittany is not a wine-growing region, but there's plenty from the Loire region to the south.

There's 20 pubs in intramuros, serving food.

Sleep

thumb | 300px | De Gaulle called, Zenith answered

Connect

thumb | 300px | Cartier: "China must be close?" As of Sep 2025, Saint-Malo and its approach roads have 5G from all French carriers.

Go next

Mont Saint Michel is a monastery and village on a tidal islet - the permanent causeway has been removed to restore its island character. It's mobbed in summer. Dinard has sandy beaches, high cliffs and 19th century "witches hat" houses. In October it hosts the English Film Festival. Côte d'Emeraude (Emerald Coast) further west has even better beaches, little towns such as St-Lunaire and St-Cast, and the lonely, craggy Cap Fréhel.