What to see in Saint Malo must be the question that brought you here. Characterized by being a walled city, facing the sea with an important port, Saint Malo is a real discovery and one of the most visited cities in the Brittany area.
Indice:
How to get to Saint Malo
Saint Malo is located about 420 kilometers from Paris and only 55 kilometers from Mont Saint Michel, so it can be a very good option if you are planning to visit the mountain and have a day to spare.
In addition we are on the Costa Smeralda, you can visit the beautiful beaches, islands and villages of this coast.
The fast train connects Saint Malo with Paris in just over two hours, so it can be a good option for a visit.
If you don’t want to do it by car and at your own pace, there are two-day trips from Paris visiting Mont Saint Michel and also Saint Malo.
But if you chose to do it by car, I tell you that you will find parking lots outside the walls and inside the walls ►Check the location and costs of the parking lots in Saint Malo.
Saint Maló is often referred to as the corsair city and is that since medieval times had an important port through which passed many sailors, but also many pirates who made it a rich and prosperous enclave, shipowners and city prospered in the shelter of its walls. From this citadel of the twelfth century formed on an islet sailed in the sixteenth century Jackes Cartier who would later discover Canada.
But let’s go to what to see in Saint Malo↓↓
Things to see in Saint Malo
After staying in a small and charming intramural accommodation, the Hotel Des Abers to spend the only night we would dedicate to Saint Malo, we quickly set out to start.
Wall of Saint Malo
The tour along the wall already makes us think that it was worth the visit, along its almost two kilometers we find several bastions and defensive towers that accompanied by the beautiful views obtained makes the walk magical and relaxed.
The nice thing about these small places is that you arrive almost without plans, you know that you will discover a lot just by getting lost in its streets. So that was what we did, walk around its walls to see from there the estuary with its port, and the forts.
Then we would have time to go down to its beaches and see the city with more perspective.
The tides
This area has one of the highest tidal variations in the world, as well as on Mont Saint Michel. The tide table will indicate the time of rise and fall of the tide, both to see that spectacle and to know between what times we can cross to the forts.►Saint Malo Tide Table
Forts of Saint Malo
At low tide, you can reach the Petit Bé Fort and the Fort National, which are located in exceptional locations. From these islets, you have a wonderful view of Saint Malo.
We will cross to Saint Be Island if the tide is low, and if we find that it will take time to rise. Remember that you have, as in Saint Michel, a table with the exact time of rise and fall of the tide. At low tide you can also access the National Fort.
The National Fort can be visited, the entrance fee is €5.
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Corsair Frigate
In the port we find the corsair frigate Etoile du Roy which is a reproduction of a corsair frigate and can be visited inside, the price of the visit is € 6.
City within the walls
Saint Malo has several access gates, two of which will catch your attention, the first La Porte de Saint Vicent, an imposing gate that gives access to the port, and the other is the Grand Porte.
Walking through the city walls is another activity that we cannot miss. We find many restaurants to taste seafood or other choices of dishes, both seafood and non-seafood.
We chose the Ostaleri bistro, the service was very good, and they speak some Spanish, that is always appreciated.
Saint Malo Castle and Saint Vincent Cathedral
Inside the walls we also find the Castle of Saint Malo. The Château de Saint Malo was built in 1424 by order of the Dukes of Brittany and the Cathedral of Saint Vincens.
After the Normandy Landings and the Allied advance into Brittany, German troops made a strong foothold in Saint-Malo. American troops heavily shelled the town before the Germans surrendered. Most of the intramurals, as well as the port, were devastated.
The city was, as we said, almost completely destroyed. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the reconstruction of Saint Malo, we find outside the walls an open-air exhibition of photographs of how the city looked after the war.
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If you continue the tour of France, a good option is to visit Mont Saint Michel, or the Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches.
Always remember, when putting together your vacation, to take out travel insurance. We use Iati, from our link they have a 5% discount on hiring it.
NOTE: The information in this article is based on our own experience, being totally objective. This article contains affiliate links
