C’est les vacances scolaires, it’s school holidays right now in France and the Uber-Mensch, Lucky-one-and-only (Loo) and I just returned from a delightful sojourn to the ancient walled port town of Saint-Malo, in France’s northwestern department of Brittany just across the Channel from England.
We hopped on a high-speed train, TGV, at Paris’ Gare Montparnasse and in 3 ½ hours we were worlds away, surrounded by boats rocking on emerald-blue seas and lulled by the calming flight of gulls. Other than expecting to sample plenty of crêpes, a traditional Breton delicacy, and as much fresh catch and seafood as we could devour, we had little idea what was in store for us in Saint-Malo. What we learned was this:
Saint-Malo is an excellent get-away destination when the weather is certain to cooperate. It’s an easy weekend trip from Paris and a perfect spot for history-, nature- and marine-lovers alike.
Donc voici, a list of what we now know about Saint-Malo:
- La vielle ville, the old city, is a gem. Once an island, it is fully enclosed by 12th century ramparts rebuilt in the 17th century by Louis XIV’s military engineer, Vauban.
The history of Saint-Malo dates back at least as far as the Romans, probably farther. Its position at the mouth of the river Rance accounts for its strategic importance throughout the millenium. (Pictured here: the sole remaining remnant of the old Roman wall, located on the walking trail from Saint-Malo toward Aleth and Saint-Servan.)
- Saint-Malo was, autrefois (once-upon-a-time), home to the infamous French Corsairs, self-styled privateers (otherwise known as pirates) who forced English ships passing through the Channel to pay tribute to them…or else. The situation reached a fever pitch in 1758 when a British expeditionary force raided the area, not to take Saint-Malo as the residents feared, but to round up and kill as many Corsairs as they could find. They succeeded in dispatching 30 or so before beating a hasty retreat back across the Channel.
- Little wonder then that Les Malouins, the inhabitants of Saint-Malo, boast a proud tradition of asserting their autonomy with both Breton and French authorities. Case in point: from 1490–1493, Saint-Malo declared itself independent, marching under the motto: "not French, not Breton, but Malouins."
- François-René de Chateaubriand, an 18th century French writer, soldier, politician, diplomat and adventurer, considered the founder of the Romantic Movement in French literature, hailed from Saint-Malo.
- Saint-Malo was the site of a devastating August 1944 post-D-Day skirmish, one of several that comprise the Battle for Brittany. After Allied success in the beaches of Normandy, Hitler commanded all German soldiers to retreat to France’s strategic port cities and defend them “to the last man, to the last cartridge”. American troops found Saint-Malo guarded by 12,000 Germans intent on putting up a fierce resistance under cover of the former medieval citadel’s 20-foot thick ramparts. For two weeks, the Allies slowly fought them back. Bombs were of little use, and just when the Americans were preparing to drop napalm on the German headquarters, the Nazi commander, General Andreas von Aulock, finally surrendered with only 400 men still standing.
- Saint-Malo has been the jumping off point for many great seafaring adventures over the centuries. The first colonists to settle the Falkland Islands – once called Les Îles Malouines (explaining the name Islas Malvinas) – sailed from Saint-Malo. As did Jacques Cartier; he sailed east, found the gulf of the Saint Lawrence River, which led him to the sites now known as Quebec City and Montreal, and thus he is credited for having “discovered” Canada.
- Today, Saint-Malo is a seaward gateway to the United Kingdom as well as the Channel Islands, Jersey and Guernsey. Visiting the islands would have made a great day trip for Loo, the U-M and I, but we forgot our passports back in Paris. You can even travel overnight to Spain from Saint-Malo, putting in at Bilbao.
I would be remiss, however, if I failed to mention the Saint-Malo fog. Be warned, when it rolls in, it does so with a vengeance. No doubt a grand friend to the Corsairs, the chilly damp shrouded our sun and view for an entire day.
So, my recommendation:
Do visit Saint-Malo, but don’t forget your foul-weather gear!
Images: Sarah B. Towle, 2011.