Description:

The town has a fascinating history which can be found in every part of Saint Malo. 

Saint Malo was originally named after Father MacLaw, a Welsh monk, who fled to Brittany from Wales in 538.  During the Middle Ages it was a fortified island, over 44 acres, at the mouth of the River Rance and controlled the River and the sea.

In 1590 the residents of Saint Malo actually declared the town as an independent republic with the motto "Neither French nor Breton, but a Corsair am I".  The independent status lasted just four years.  In the 18th and 19th centuries privateers, or Corsairs, plundered English ships in the English Channel.  The nickname the 'City of Corsairs' is still used today.

Unfortunately during a two week period of bombing in 1944, that forced the German army to surrender, 80% of the city was destroyed.  However, the city has been lovingly and painstakingly rebuilt and restored stone by stone and now looks extraordinarily original.

Saint Malo is France's largest marina and today is still an important port and economic centre.  Saint Malo is a Sub Prefecture (sous-prefet) of Rennes.

Saint Malo is not only listed as a 'Station Clasee' which is awarded to seaside, spa, health, tourist, winter sports resorts which pursue a policy of high quality tourist facilities and activities as well as 'Ville Fleurie category 4' - essentially reserved for towns that demonstrate a good attention to gardens and flowers.

Saint Malo, which covers an area of 36.58 km², is in the north of department of  Ille et Vilaine and is on the border of Normandy.

The town is built on a granite island on the Emerald Coast of Brittany and curves around a natural harbour.  The port is protected by numerous coral reefs and the bay experiences some of the largest tides in Europe.

Saint Malo is an active commercial port and consists of four basins 'le bassin Cartier',  'le bassin Duguay-Trouin', 'le bassin Vauban' and 'le Bassin Bouvet'.

The old town, which is the part which was once an island, is surrounded by walls and is called "Intra Muros".  Other areas within St Malo include St Servan, Parame and Rotheneuf.

Saint Malo has markets throughout the town on every day of the week.  There are fish markets on Tuesdays and Fridays at the Halle au  Ble.  The Boulevard de la Tour d'Auvergne holds markets on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays .  Weekly markets are also held on Wednesday and Saturday mornings at the Quartier de Braden and all day Saturdays at the Place Terre au Duc.  On Tuesdays and Fridays at the Place Bouvet and at the Place de la Poissonnerie whilst on Wednesdays and Saturdays you can buy at the Place Georges Coudray.  The only market on a Sunday is at the Place de l'Hermine.  For all other groceries there are 17 supermarkets in the Saint Brieuc area.

Throughout the town there are also 5 shopping malls with modern chain stores as well as more traditional gift and craft shops.

Saint Malo contains all the facilities and services you would expect from a large town.  There are numerous schools, doctors, dentists, two hospitals, banks and a train station.   

Saint Malo has great transport facilities with great bus and train links as well as a ferry terminal for ferry services to Poole, Portsmouth and Weymouth.

For entertainment there are three theatres, a casino entertainment centre, a cinema complex, a swimming complexes. 

The Saint Malo has some excellent restaurants and bistros and the town actually has one of the highest concentration of sea food restaurants in Europe.

No trip to Saint Malo would be complete without a walk along the old city ramparts (the Intra Muros area).  The walls which have often been at the forefront of defence and attack in French naval campaigns for hundreds of years.  You can walk around the fortress and enjoy the splendid views over the Emerald Coast.  Allow between 1 and 2 hours to complete the walk.

One of the most impressive structure in the town is the 15th century  'Chateau de Saint Malo' which was originally the home of the city governor and is set within the old city walls.  The Chateau now houses the town museum which focuses on the history of the old port city.

Many consider the ' Cathedrale Saint Vincent' to be the centrepiece of the old walled town and it now towers above its walls.  Building started in the 12th century and contains a striking gothic and romanesque name and choir.

There are two fantastic Forts in Saint Malo; Fort National and Fort de la Cite.  The 17th century Fort National is situated just offshore and is one of the iconic symbols of the town.  Throughout history the fort has been used as both a prison and a town defence.  You can walk out to the fort at low tide, however, please ensure you check tide times before leaving.  The Fort de la Cite was built in the 18th century and is considered to be one of the best examples of a military fort still standing in France.

As fitting its coastal location and its long historical connection to the sea there are two aquariums within Saint Malo.  The 'Grand Aquarium of Saint Malo' has one of the few circular aquariums in the world which means visitors can get a real sense of the seascape around them whilst the 'Intra-Muros Aquarium' is actually built into the side of the old city walls.

Saint Malo is home to many boat races and sailing events such as the 'Route du Rhum', a Transatlantic yacht race held every four years as well as an occasional departure from the Tall Ships Race (Formerly Cutty Sark).  During 2010 the town will welcome sailing boats participating in the Quebec to St Malo competition.

Other events include the music festival 'La Route du Rock' in February and August and the 'Quai des Bulles' which celebrates the world of comics in October.

Worth a visit:

• Look into the Rocebay Church which is considered to be one of the most beautiful buildings in Saint Malo
• Walk across to the Grand Be Island which contains the 18th Century fort where the author Chateaubriand lived and worked
• Visit the Cape Horn Museum  housed in a 14th century house and contains exhibits relating to exploration of the sea

Saint Malo, placed right on the English Channel with over 29 km of coastline, is an ideal setting for sports such as Sailing, Kayaking, Kitesurfing and Swimming.  The town is also the scene for many boat and sailing events as described above.  

Popular land based sports include Hiking, Golf and Horseriding.  Cycling is very popular in the region and Saint Malo has been along the route of the Tour de France on several occasions.