St Malo
The lively holiday resort town of St Malo has a
colourful history as a fortified island citadel that was once run
by corsairs who declared it a republic. Today this port on the
English Channel swarms with tourists on holiday, its streets choked
with tour buses in the summer months and its natural harbour acting
as a busy ferry terminal for those crossing between Britain, France
and the Channel Islands.
Because of St Malo's medieval charm, many visitors
opt to spend a night or two here before their ferry crossing, and
are rewarded with a pleasant sojourn behind old city walls in a
quaint collection of hotels, restaurants, bars and shops. Just a
hop and a skip away are some vast, clean, brown sandy beaches,
ideal for family holiday fun. Stroll the ramparts of St Malo's
great city walls as the sun sets and it is easy to realise why this
ancient city is now the most popular holiday destination in
Brittany.
St Malo has many good restaurants, making it a great
place to try Breton cuisine, including specialties like Kouign Aman
cake and Breton Pancakes. Seafood, specifically mussels and
oysters, is another local specialty.
St Malo has a number of popular beaches. Mole is
where sun-worshippers congregate, while Sillon is popular for
windsurfing, and Bon Secours for sailing. There are a few
historical attractions in St Malo as well, including the Ile du
Grand-Bé (site of the tomb of Chateaubriand), the Historical Museum
of St Malo, and St Vincent's Cathedral.