Saint Malo is a unique, walled port city in Brittany, France. Within the town's towering ramparts stand gorgeous granite buildings, beautiful hotels, and delicious restaurants. Adorable cobble streets, strolled on by a sea of tourists, wind along interesting museums and an ongoing stream of shops. A little white and gold train also meanders along these roads to give tourists a quaint tour of the town.
A long, raised walkway can be followed along the inside of the city's walls. This allows for an alternative, calmer perspective of this charming town above the bustle of enthusiastic visitors. From within the citadel, I adored peering through small cutouts in the wall to enjoy beautiful views.
Amazing seafood is found here in abundance! However, for those who may not enjoy seafood the most (myself included), there are countless other dining opportunities. There are so many fantastic places to eat within the walls of Saint Malo, from restaurants to cafés and crêperies.
The construction of this town's strong fortifications began in the 12th century. In the 17th and 18th centuries, St-Malo was a key port and a base for merchant ships. The location of the town allowed control of the sea and any trade heading toward the interior of Brittany.
Saint-Malo was also a base for government-sanctioned pirates against the threat of the English a few hundred years ago. Today, "pirates" walk the streets of the walled city, performing and lounging on ropes of chain, which looks pretty uncomfortable!
The beaches just outside of the walled portion of the city are absolutely stunning. Surrounded by clear ocean water and consumed by rocks in the distance rests the Fort National. This fort was designed by Vauban and built in 1689. It was a royal fortress that became part of the town's circular defensive fortifications. Nowadays, the fort is a great place to visit and contains a museum explaining its intriguing history. This fort and the granite tidal island it sits on are not always accessible, however, as Saint-Malo has one of the world's greatest tidal ranges. Visit during low tide and make sure not to get stranded!
Saint-Malo is breathtaking, has a captivating history, and is really fun to visit! I definitely recommend exploring this beautiful, unique town.
July 2016
