Saint Malo Hotels

Golden sandy beaches, award winning restaurants and a typically relaxed Gaelic atmosphere make Saint Malo a popular tourist destination with year round attractions. Saint Malo hotels offer good value for money and make a wonderful place to stay and explore the Brittany region of France.

Best known for its walled city, Saint Malo's old town is actually built on a granite island and the walls are built of the same gray rock. The huge citadel has imposing towers and spires and the thick walls look as if they have stood for many years. In fact, the citadel had taken extensive damage during the wars that were fought in this region and it had to be reconstructed after World War II with the current restoration only being completed in 1971. While it may not be entirely authentic, it is still a fascinating place to visit with the many museums charting the historic battles it has faced against Britain, Germany and even the rest of France. Pretty little alleyways make a lattice through the huge citadel and they are home to a number of restaurants and tourist shops as well as a number of Saint Malo hotels. The large St.Vincents Cathedral is an imposing 12th century church and has a commemorative display dedicated to the famous explorer who left from here to discover Canada. Other points of interest inside the citadel are the statue of Robert Surcouf who was a popular Corsair. During the great wars of France, Corsairs were allowed to take goods from ships that entered the area and came from countries that France was at war with. Corsairs were allowed to keep a percentage of any goods seized and it led them to become quite prosperous. There are a number of mansions inside the old town that belonged to these famous Corsairs. Heading to the south of the old town, there are plenty of ferry companies offering trips to Dinard and further afield. The ferry is a short trip and offers a scenic way to visit other parts of France.

Saint Malo hotels vary immensely from modern, boutique hotels with bright color schemes to romantic and historic buildings decorated in an antique style. Rooms are of a good standard and cater well for guests. Air conditioning and Wi-Fi are common as are televisions and mini bars. Some hotels have restaurants although they are not common as the hotels are so close to the towns with plenty of restaurants and evening entertainment available there.

Beaches in Saint Malo are fascinating places to explore with a wealth of entertainment on the shores. Fresh mussels can be found on the beaches attached to rocks that are revealed at low tide. People with pants rolled up, a sharp knife and a bucket are often paddling in the little rock pools looking for mussels to take home. The fine white and golden sands that surround the town are a lovely place to sunbathe when the weather is warm and children love making sandcastles on the clean beaches. The waters do tend to be cool but are perfect for paddling in the summer and there are always a few more hardy swimmers that go out in any weather. However, by far the most exciting part of beach life for children is exploring 'hidden' islands. When the sea retreats and the sands are exposed, there are many islands and rocky outcrops that become accessible either across the sands or on narrow sandbanks. Children and grown ups love to explore these little hidden gems, some of which are large enough to support their own wildlife and scrubland. Do make sure you check the times of the tides on the day you visit, because when the seas come back, they rise quite quickly and can leave you stranded. It is not uncommon to see people swimming through the water having been caught out by the tide.

Many people choose to visit the Grand Be because it is the place that Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand was buried in 1848. Chateaubriand was a famous French politician and was hailed as the founder of French Romanticism writing. Just a little further out from Grand Be is Petit Be, which is a small ruined fort that is accessible only at low tide. The fort is a museum where you can see the cannons that had been used to defend the area since the reign of Louis XIV.

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