7 Best Things to Do in Saint-Malo

Chateaubriand Square is a great place to start your stay in Saint-Malo. This paved square, right next to the entrance of the Old Town through Saint-Thomas Gate, teems with the welcoming outdoor terraces of bars, restaurants and hotels including Hôtel de l’Univers, Café des Voyageurs and Brasserie Le Chateaubriand. A few stalls sell souvenirs and paintings on the other side of the square, just in front of the Saint-Malo Castle, which hosts the History Museum of the city and the country of Malo.

Dated back the 6th century, Saint-Malo Old Town was almost entirely rebuilt after WWII. Today, its cobblestoned narrow streets and its splendid houses made of grey granite give you a very pleasant journey back in time. From the 13th-century Saint-Vincent Cathedral to the 18th-century corsair mansions, the Old Town is filled with historical sites to visit, but also lined with arts and crafts boutiques and quaint bars and restaurants. Pick up a guide map at the Tourist Office on Esplanade Saint-Vincent and go explore Saint-Malo Intra Muros (within the walls).

A walk on the Saint-Malo Ramparts gives you the opportunity to see Saint-Malo and its surroundings from a different angle. Just south to the castle, Saint-Vincent Gate is the place to start a tour of the Ramparts. Along the 2 km walkway that overlooks the city, you’ll see the houses and statues of famous Saint-Malo shipowners and privateers, 3 of the beaches of Saint-Malo (the Môle, Bon-Secours and l'Éventail), Petit and Grand Bé islands, and many more interesting sights.

Just west of the Old Town and reachable through Saint-Pierre Gate, Bon-Secours Beach offers a great range of fun activities. The simplest of these is simply enjoying the warm summer sun. The beach has a seawater swimming pool which allows you to bath even at low tide. There’s also a 3- and 5-metre diving board. A friendly sailing club rents out sea kayaks, Hobie Cats and sailing dinghies. Bon-Secours is the beach from which you can reach Petit and Grand Bé islands on foot, at low tide.

A visit of the Great Aquarium in Saint-Malo is highly recommended. From the abyss to the mangrove, 9 rooms introduce you to over 600 sea species in a fun and informative way. From the large circular tank that hosts sharks and turtles to the ‘Nautibus’ – a yellow submarine that takes you for an exciting underwater tour – The Great Aquarium is aptly named. A restaurant/crêperie as well as a souvenirs shop are at hand in the aquarium’s compound which covers no less than 4,000 sq m.

Paramé is the seaside resort of Saint-Malo. Located about 3 km northeast of the Old Town, it’s famous for its long sandy beaches (Plage du Sillon and de la Hoguette), for its sea spa (Les Thermes Marins de Saint-Malo), and for the 19th-century hotel and villas. You’ll see these decorative buildings on the beachfront, as well as on Boulevard Hébert and boulevard Chateaubriand, helping to make Paramé a pleasant place for a late-afternoon stroll. You’ll also find a few seaside restaurants, such as Les Chaumette and Les Terrasses des Thermes, for a restoring pause.

Built at the end of the 17th century by Vauban, one of the most celebrated French military engineers, Fort National is a stronghold that sits on the tiny Rock Islet, 300 metres north off Saint-Malo Old Town. Only opened for visitors from June to September, Fort National is worth the trip for the beautiful views it offers of the coast and of Saint-Malo Old Town. Ask for the guide booklet (available in English) at the entrance as it relates the whole history of the fort.