Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [44]
Visitor Information
St-Malo Tourist Office.
| Esplanade St-Vincent | 35400 | 02–99–56–64–48 | www.saint-malo-tourisme.com.
EXPLORING ST-MALO
Facing Dinard across the Rance Estuary, the stone ramparts of St-Malo have withstood the pounding of the Atlantic since the 12th century, the founding date of the town’s main church, the Cathédrale St-Vincent (on Rue St-Benoît). The ramparts were considerably enlarged and modified in the 18th century, and now extend from the castle for more than 1½ km (1 mi) around the Vieille Ville—known as intra-muros. The views are stupendous, especially at high tide. The town itself has proved less resistant: a weeklong fire in 1944, kindled by retreating Nazis, wiped out nearly all the old buildings. Restoration work was more painstaking than brilliant, but the narrow streets and granite houses of the Vieille Ville were satisfactorily re-created, enabling St-Malo to regain its role as a busy fishing port, seaside resort, and tourist destination. The ramparts themselves are authentic and the flames also spared houses along Rue de Pelicot in the Vieille Ville. Battalions of tourists invade this quaint part of town in summer, so if you want to avoid crowds, don’t come then.
At the edge of the ramparts is the 15th-century château (Town History Museum), whose great keep and watchtowers command an impressive view of the harbor and coastline. It houses the Musée d’Histoire de la Ville, devoted to the great figures—from Jacques Cartier to Châteaubriand, “Father of Romanticism”—who have touched local history, and the Galerie Quic-en-Grogne, a museum in a tower, where various episodes and celebrities from St-Malo’s past are recalled by way of waxworks. | Hôtel de Ville | 35400 | 02–99–40–71–57 | www.st-malo.fr/decouvrir/musee-histoire.xhtmll | €5.40 | Apr.–Sept., daily 10–12:30 and 2–6; Oct.–Mar., Tues.–Sun. 10–noon and 2–6.
Five hundred yards offshore is the Ile du Grand Bé, a small island housing the somber military tomb of the great Romantic writer Viscount René de Chateaubriand, who was born in St-Malo. The islet can be reached by a causeway at low tide only.
The “Bastille of Brittany,” the Fort National, also offshore and accessible by causeway at low tide only, is a massive fortress with a dungeon constructed in 1689 by that military-engineering genius Sébastien de Vauban. | 02–99–85–34–33 | www.fortnational.com | €4 | June–Sept., daily 10:30–6 depending on tides (see Web site).
You can pay homage to Jacques Cartier, who set sail from St-Malo in 1535 on a voyage in which he would discover the St. Lawrence River and found Québec, at his tomb in the church of St-Vincent (Grand-Rue | 35400). His statue looks out over the town ramparts, four blocks away, along with that of swashbuckling corsair Robert Surcouf (hero of many daring 18th-century raids on the British navy), eternally wagging an angry finger over the waves at England.
WHERE TO EAT AND STAY IN ST-MALO
Chalut.
$$$ | FRENCH | The reputation of this small restaurant with nautical decor has grown since chef Jean-Philippe Foucat decided to emphasize fresh seafood. The succinct menus change as frequently as the catch of the day. Try the sautéed John Dory with fresh coriander or the fresh lobster in lime. | 8 rue de la Corne-de-Cerf | 35400 | 02–99–56–71–58 | MC, V | Closed Mon. and Tues.
Le Saint-Placide.
$$$$ | FRENCH | This sleek, modern dining room is garnering serious accolades in a town where talent is in no short supply. Chef Luc Mobihan’s impeccable cuisine, with a soft spot for local seafood, brilliantly harmonizes flavors to draw out the intrinsic qualities of the fish or meat without overpowering. Lobster risotto is both rich and light, and tender lamb rolled in a buttery phylo literally melts in the mouth. With four prix-fixe menus to choose from, including the “Mélanosporum” all-truffle formule, diners have the