When you disembark from Brittany Ferries in the port of Saint-Malo, most of your fellow passengers will drive straight out of town. They are missing a treat, for Saint-Malo and its beautiful surrounds have all the ingredients for a relaxing holiday.
The walled part of the “corsair city” is a magnet for visitors, so save that for later. Instead, head south to Saint-Servan, a historic residential area where narrow streets and grand houses jostle for attention. Don’t miss the Parc des Corbières, an idyllic, wild and natural setting with beautiful views over the Rance river and Dinard.
From Saint-Servan, head west and you’ll arrive at the La Cité d’Alet peninsula. This is the true historic centre of Saint-Malo, where the Romans built the first town in the area on the estuary of the Rance river. Here you’ll find the ruins of Saint-Malo’s oldest church, Cathédrale Saint-Pierre d’Alet, founded in the 9th century – as well as some of the oldest surviving houses in the area, dating back to the 17th century.
Don’t just arrive – linger in the area for some of the most charming villages, best beaches and freshest food in France
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Hit the wall
The walled city and all its treasures welcome you
Book with Brittany Ferries to arrive a stone’s throw away from Saint-Malo
Should run on the image...
When, finally, the time comes to leave Saint-Malo, do it the slow way, and not before shopping for local produce along the Rue de l’Orme. The beach at Port de Solidor, once a shipbuilding site, offers wonderful views over the Rance estuary, especially at sunset. The drive south along the River Rance is picturesque, peppered with fascinating churches and countryside walks, and even offering kayaking at Saint-Suliac.
The drive east, meanwhile, along the rugged coast (rather than the main road) to the bay of Mont Saint-Michel (a Unesco world heritage site) is well worth the extra half hour – more if you stop off at some of the interesting places en route, like the Pointe de la Varde in Rothéneuf, a sheltered, rocky hilltop 32m above sea level, with breathtaking views of the bay of Saint-Malo. Also in Rothéneuf are the Les Rochers Sculptés, where a 19th-century abbot spent 13 years carving the creatures that flooded from his imagination into the cliffs and rocks. Around here is where you’ll find some of Brittany’s quieter beaches.
East from Rothéneuf, the area around Saint-Coulomb is famed for its tidal bays and beaches of fine sand, like the Havre du Lupin, once a smugglers’ landing point, or the arc-shaped bay of Chevrets, where you can enjoy lunch by the water. In the port village of Cancale, visit the oyster market before heading for the salt flats that surround Mont Saint-Michel. From here, by bike, you can take the Vélomaritime route to Le Vivier-sur-Mer, stopping off at key viewing points in Saint-Benoît-des-Ondes, where the town council has converted an old windmill into a viewing platform, or at Chapelle Sainte-Anne-de-la-Grève, on the coast in Saint-Broladre.
‘If you must leave Saint-Malo, the drive south along the River Rance is picturesque’
Les Îles Vagabondes
Stay in the heart of Saint-Malo at this bed and breakfast with five bedrooms.
Le Palais Breton
An impressive house that sleeps up to ten people, 25 minutes’ drive from Saint-Malo.
Les Demeures de Mont-Dol
A picturesque château and outbuildings in Mont Dol, a village halfway between Saint-Malo and Mont Saint-Michel.
La Borderie
Rent your own apartment or house in the village of La Fresnais, 25km outside Saint-Malo.
Alternatively, you can arrange your accommodation through Brittany Ferries when you book your ferry crossing by clicking here.
Holy house
Dol-de-Bretagne is home to this Roman Catholic cathedral
Experience the region’s relaxed, old-world feel
BRITTANY overview
The sea and port are what made Saint-Malo wealthy in the Middle Ages. This was a city of privateers and traders who sailed the seas under licence from the French king - and helped themselves to whatever booty came their way from English, Portuguese and Dutch ships. Having accumulated vast wealth, the privateers promptly moved out of the increasingly cramped city and built themselves mansions in the countryside, an hour by horseback from the port. These houses are known as malouinières and more than 100 survive, some of which are open to the public. The best way to see a selection of them is by bicycle, following a route recommended by the Saint-Malo tourist board. It’s a 15.3km trek, and if you haven’t cycled for a while, consider hiring an e-bike.
The area’s coastal position also made it strategically important in times of warfare, and its 18th-century fort was updated for action during the Second World War. It’s a fascinating place for a stroll, and the Saint-Malo tourist board provides a suggested route.
Another great way to spend a sunny day is to take to the sea and discover the bay of Saint-Malo from a traditional sailboat. Admire the views on a three-hour cruise that zig-zags among the offshore fortresses and islets that once protected this fascinating city.
more than just a pretty port
Saint-Malo
‘If all this cycling sounds like hard work, driving along the coast is just as pleasant’
Butter fingers
Pick up artisanal butter from this institution
Eats and treats
Try the delicacies at the oyster market in Cancale
To the manor born
One of the malouinières in Saint-Coulomb
Full sail
Take in the coast around Saint-Malo on a boat trip
Power tower
Solidor Tower was built to control access to the
River Rance
Aw shucks
Don’t be shy – you’ll have plenty of chances to sample oysters
Wood for the trees
Roz-sur-Couesnon, near Mont Saint-Michel, is worth seeing
Medieval fortress
Château de Combourg stands on a small hill next to Lac Tranquille
Saddle up
One of the best Vélomaritime routes hugs the north coast
From Le Vivier-sur-Mer, another cycle route takes you inland as far as
Dol-de-Bretagne, a petite cité de caractère with a historic centre, ramparts and the Saint-Samson cathedral named after a Cornish saint who died here. Walking around this small town is like stepping back in time, with many half-timbered houses, and buildings dating from the 12th to the 17th centuries. The main shopping street, the Grande Rue des Stuarts, is home to an impressive number of restaurants and cafés, should you feel the need for a nibble.
Just outside the town’s walls lies the Promenade des Remparts Jules Revert, a garden walkway that comes into full bloom during the summer months. Further afield is Mont-Dol – halfway between Dol-de-Bretagne and the coast – which is famous for its church frescoes.
If all this cycling sounds a bit too much like hard work, driving along the coast is just as pleasant. Staying in the car will also allow for a quick trip further inland from Dol-de-Bretagne to Combourg, another highly photogenic petite cité de caractère, with streets and alleys ideal for strolling. Combourg sits on the bank of Lake Tranquil and is dominated by its castle, where the writer and statesman François-René de Chateaubriand spent much of his adolescence.
The castle, parts of which date back to the 12th century, is still owned by Chateaubriand’s descendants, and it’s open to the public for guided tours. There’s also a literary walk around the lake, with panels that explain Chateaubriand’s significance, both to the area and to French literature. “It was in the woods of Combourg that I became what I am,” he wrote. This is a chance to follow in his footsteps.
Prolong your journey through the bucolic, romantic Brittany countryside along the banks of the Ille-et-Rance canal – an inland waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean and the English Channel.
Great for beach holidays and enjoying nature
CARNAC
Explore the rich culture, architecture and heritage
Quimper
WHERE TO STAY
Let the holiday begin as soon as you board Brittany Ferries. With overnight sailing options available from Portsmouth, you can enjoy a fine meal and a good night's sleep – and wake up in the morning in Saint-Malo! Once you have arrived at the ferry port, the beaches are only a short breath away.
Getting to saint-malo
House smarty
The picturesque village of
Saint-Suliac
Beam me up
Some buildings in Dol-de-Bretagne date back hundreds of years
Sea through
A glimpse of the water on the walk to Cité d’Alet
Laying l'eau
Lac Tranquille is next to Château de Combourg
Take on Saint-Malo, the Corsair city
Photos ©Thibault Poriel, ©SMBMSM, ©Noé C, ©Alexandre Lamoureux, ©Remedios Valls, ©Emmanuel Berthier
When you disembark from Brittany Ferries in the port of Saint-Malo, most of your fellow passengers will drive straight out of town. They are missing a treat, for Saint-Malo and its beautiful surrounds have all the ingredients for a relaxing holiday.
The walled part of the “corsair city” is a magnet for visitors, so save that for later. Instead, head south to Saint-Servan, a historic residential area where narrow streets and grand houses jostle for attention. Don’t miss the Parc des Corbières, an idyllic, wild and natural setting with beautiful views over the Rance river and Dinard.
From Saint-Servan, head west and you’ll arrive at the La Cité d’Alet peninsula. This is the true historic centre of Saint-Malo, where the Romans built the first town in the area on the estuary of the Rance river. Here you’ll find the ruins of Saint-Malo’s oldest church, Cathédrale Saint-Pierre d’Alet, founded in the 9th century – as well as some of the oldest surviving houses in the area, dating back to the 17th century.
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Don’t just arrive – linger in the area for some of the most charming villages, best beaches and freshest food in France
SPONSORED CONTENT