A trip to St Malo is a must for any visitor to Brittany. This
settlement whose modern name is taken from a British Monk
"Malo" who came to convert the region to Christianity in
the 6th century A.D. is today a thriving channel port town. There are
several docks in St Malo covering commercial, pleasure and ferry traffic.
The town has a somewhat dubious history having been an
important base for pirates and also for the slave trade.
A walk around the ramparts which encircle the old town give excellent
views of the town itself and the surrounding sea and countryside. St
Malo offers many attractions such as the museum the castle and the
aquarium.. There are also many boat trips from St Malo to the Channel
Islands which although under British jurisdiction are much closer to
France than England.
Dinan
Dinan
is the ancient seat of the Dukes of Brittany and is represented on
the Bayer Tapestry as a fortress town. The town is protected by the
highest wall in this area and stands 75 metres above the River Rance.
A walk through Dinan is a voyage of architectural and
historical discovery. Both the 12th century Basilica of Sauver and
the 15th century Church of St Malo have been updated and restored
continuously since their construction and therefore have a mix of
architectural features reflecting the styles of architecture at the
time of each restoration. Similarly the castle is in various
architectural styles, the construction being started in the 13th
century and continuing until the end of the 15th century. The castle
houses a museum of the history of Dinan from its earliest existence
to modern times.
The port of Dinan is situated at the foot of the viaduct
spanning the Rance Valley and boat trips are available along the
River Rance. The local tourist office proposes a number of themed
tours and the Mayor's Office have lists of exhibitions and festivals.
Mont St Michel
Mont
St Michel is situated on an island connected to the mainland by a
dyke. The island is a granite rock about 300 meters in diameter.
Technically Mont St Michel is in Normandie not Brittany as the River
Cousenon was diverted and now enters the sea to the west of the
island and as the river marks the boundary between Brittany and
Normandy this now places the island in Normandie. The bay in which
the island is situated is heavily silted and at low tide the island
is surrounded by sand banks which are continually changing. The tide
in this area can vary as much as 12 meters between high and low and
comes over the flat sea bed at the speed of a brisk walk. Visitors
are warned of the risk of being overtaken by the tide if walking on
the sand flats when the tide is coming in. The town is well preserved
and the narrow winding streets have changed little over the centuries.
The dominant structure on the island is the Abbey constructed between
the 11th and 16th centuries. Well organised tours in different
languages are available in order to guide you through the maze of
corridors and rooms which make up the Abbey.