Latest news with #StMalo
Times
14-07-2025
- Times
The beachy, breezy no-fly French city that's a quick ferry hop away
The massive stone walls of St Malo rise out of the English Channel, standing proudly against a vast seascape studded with rocky islets and one of the highest tidal ranges in Europe. This city on Brittany's beautiful north coast, almost surrounded by water, rose to fame in the 17th and 18th centuries as a corsair's lair, its pirates had a royal mandate to attack enemy shipping. Its diamond-shaped old town comprises a maze of narrow streets just as likely to lead you to a square lined with busy cafés asit is to send you through a gate in the walls to a sandy beach. Beyond the walled old town on one side stretches the breathtaking Grand Plage du Sillon — just one of the city's many beaches — while on the other, beyond the port, lies the quiet suburb of St Servan. And the food is fantastic, from fresh local shellfish to buckwheat galettes, delicious Breton butter and crisp cider. I first visited St Malo 40 years ago — and it has never lost its charm. Whether you're after culture, food or beaches, St Malo makes for an unforgettable and easily accessible city break or family getaway (it's between six to eight hours by ferry from the UK), and is a perfect springboard for exploring the surrounding coastline as well as visiting the Unesco-listed Mont St Michel in neighbouring Normandy. • Morning Explore the old town• Eat at Crêperie La Duchesse Anne• Afternoon Beach time• Drink at Bar de l'Univers• Evening St Servan• Eat at L'Armateur • Morning Mont St Michel• Eat at Le Logis Sainte-Catherine• Afternoon Rothéneuf• Drink at Cave & Bar à vins Le Brise Lames • Evening The villas of Paramé• Eat at Annadata • St Malo's walled old town is every bit as impressive and steeped in atmosphere as you might hope — rambling cobbled streets and squares alive with the buzz of cafés and restaurants. There is no right or wrong way to explore: simply enter at any gate and wander its labyrinthine streets. Not to be missed are the ramparts, which you can follow almost in their entirety, and La Demeure de Corsaire, a former privateer's mansion which paints a vivid portrait of the city's rich maritime past (£7; • Having been surrounded by the sea since you arrived, now is the time to hit the beach. Go through the gate at Port St Pierre and you'll find yourself on Plage de Bon-Secours, with its seawater pool; at low tide you can walk out to the rocky tidal islet of Le Grand Bé. Around the corner of the old town is Grande Plage du Sillon, a huge expanse of sand with views stretching to the horizon. Keep an eye on the tide as the water comes in fast and right up to the walls (check for tide times).• The hilltop Cité d'Alet in St Servan, west of the ferry port, was the original Gallo-Roman settlement of what became St Malo. Its broad footpaths meander above the sea in the shade of lush trees — the views from up here are particularly good — while the neighbourhood is also home to some excellent restaurants. Don't miss the Tour Solidor, a medieval keep guarding the mouth of the Rance estuary. The most fun way to explore the area is on a Segway tour (from £26; It's halfway round Mont St Michel Bay and technically in Normandy, but who's quibbling? You simply cannot come to St Malo without paying a visit to Unesco-listed Mont St Michel, which stands tall amid racing tidal waters like some medieval wedding cake. The abbey, built from the 12th century onwards, with layers of construction standing one on top of the other, seems at times to defy gravity — and the views from the upper terrace are sublime (from £11; There are two reasons to visit the area around Rothéneuf, less than 15 minutes' drive northeast of St Malo. The first is the wild, windswept and beautifully rugged headland of Pointe de la Varde, with its gorgeous sandy beach in a sheltered bay. The second is the excellent Musée Jacques Cartier, in the former home of this 16th-century French seafarer and explorer who 'discovered' Canada (£6; Join a tour of Paramé, the suburb alongside Plage de la Hoguette, with its succession of grand 19th-century villas built by wealthy Parisians. Afterwards take a last stroll back along Grande Plage du Sillon towards the old town, and catch the sunset from the mighty medieval walls. This is the best place in the old town to indulge in delicious Breton crêpes. Try La Duchesse de Touraine, a buckwheat galette with St Maure goat's cheese, local honey, salad and walnuts; or the signature La Duchesse Anne, a wheat crêpe with Breton biscuit ice cream, salted butter caramel and whipped cream (mains from £12; There are fancier places in town for a drink, but this is a St Malo institution, on Place Chateaubriand, and heaving with locals enjoying coffee, beer and cider. It opened in the 1920s as a yacht club, and the interior has plenty of atmosphere and old wood panelling, although during the day the terrace out front is the place to be (drinks from £3.50; One of the very best restaurants in the old town, L'Armateur is friendly and cosy, with a focus on all things fresh and local. Seasonal dishes might include hake with linguine, beurre blanc and wild garlic; on my visit, I had the best risotto with morels and ceps I've ever tasted. Vegetarians should call ahead: it will prepare something off-menu (mains from £18; If you do a day trip to Mont st Michel, this is hands down the best place to eat. Removed some distance from the busy main street, it has fabulous food, and a fine terrace with wonderful views across the bay. Enjoy dishes such as gratinated clams with wild garlic, artichoke barigoule, and Chausey Islands lobster (mains from £32; Back in St Malo, alongside Grande Plage du Sillon, try this wine shop and bar, it has an excellent selection of wines from across France, the majority from small vineyards, as well as cheese and charcuterie platters if you're feeling peckish (drinks from £3.50; This old town vegetarian and vegan restaurant — very rare in Brittany — is phenomenal. The short daily-changing blackboard menu highlights the very best of local, organic and seasonal produce, dishes are beautifully presented — plusselection of organic wines, local beers and excellent cocktails rounds things off. Expect heritage beets with feta and herbs; buckwheat, nori and dill pavé; and strawberry cake with fennel confit. How it doesn't have a Michelin Green star is beyond me (set menu £37; This article contains affiliate links that can earn us revenue Great stay in the old townStaying in St Malo's vibrant Intra-Muros comes with stacks of atmosphere but some inevitable street noise. At the small and recently refurbished Hotel Cartier, opt for a Chambre Privilège — these are larger, with plenty of windows and a view of the streets below (room-only doubles from £88; Best for ocean views and luxuryThe ultimate place to stay in St Malo, the Oceania is not, as you might expect, within the old town, but facing the huge stretch of golden sand that is Grande Plage du Sillon. Luxurious and modern, the Oceania is decorated in natural, earthy tones, and comes with impeccable service and a particularly swish pool and spa area. It's definitely worth splashing out for a room with an ocean view and a terrace — the Evasion rooms are the ones to go for: spacious, stylish, with mesmerising sea views (room-only doubles from £127; Boutique beach vibesFurther out along Grande Plage du Sillon, this lovely little boutique hotel has great views of the beach. Rooms have plenty of light, with driftwood colours, and there's a very pleasant breakfast room and bar facing the sea (room-only doubles from £130; Brittany Ferries operate overnight and daytime sailings between Portsmouth and St Malo, with comfortable sea-facing cabins from £84. Waking up with a view of the Breton coast through the porthole makes for a seriously impressive arrival. It's a ten-minute walk from the ferry terminal to the old town. St Malo is 2 hours 30 minutes from Paris by train; Rennes airport is 50 miles to the south. The largely pedestrianised old town is easily explored on foot. Local buses run to Rothéneuf and Cancale and there's a direct service to Mont St Michel ( Bike hire is available via Les Vélos Bleus ( There's no such thing as too much time in Brittany. Head to the little seaside town of Cancale for fresh oysters, or beaches such as Plage de l'Anse du Guesclin for sand and surf (both 20 minutes by car). The best way to explore is by bike — Brittany has enough cycle routes to keep you busy half a lifetime. Rudolf Abraham was a guest of St Malo Tourisme ( Brittany Tourism ( and Brittany Ferries (
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
French lessons offered as ferry visitors to Guernsey surge
French taster sessions have been put on for businesses by the States as the number of people arriving from St Malo was a 121% increase in passengers arriving into the island from the French port last month compared to June 2024 – an uplift of around 2,900 and May also saw strong improvements on 2024 levels, up 60% and 73% Ferries said its new schedule for France, along with efforts to improve the promotion of the island, have led to the "very positive" figures. 'Really thrilled' "What is particularly positive is that many of these visitors are choosing to stay overnight, providing a real boost to our hospitality and tourism sectors," it States of Guernsey and The Guernsey Institute had been providing free French language lessons for hospitality and tourism businesses in Le Prevost, a French teacher from the Institute said the courses started last week and had been well received by attendees."We did a course specialized for the industry, so that means for retail, hospitality and transport, and it has been very successful so far," she said."What we did is to start with the greetings of course, understanding how to be formal, informal, and also being familiar with numbers, which is really important for the hospitality or retail businesses."And directions, because the French tourists would like to go to the Victor Hugo House or know how to get to the bus station."They were actually really thrilled to be able at least to say a few words French and to be able to give a good service." Debraj Chakrabarti, Reception Manager at the Pandora Hotel who attended one of the sessions, said it was useful to make the growing number of French tourists feel said: "Lots of French people who doesn't understand or speak English, they're going to be more comfortable with the journey and the memory of our island."Not only French people are coming, now we are getting tourists from the US, Germany, Netherlands, Dutch and Australia as well and they are very much interested in Victor Hugo and also the history of the island." Christine Bonhomme, Director of Maison de la Normandie et de la Manche which promoted the Channel Islands in those regions, said the courses would make the island more attractive to visitors."Visit Guernsey has taken a great initiative by offering French lessons to hospitality staff and we are certain this will be most welcomed by French visitors," she said.
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Condor sells former Jersey and Guernsey passenger ferry to DFDS
A ferry which served the Channel Islands for nearly 30 years is to be repurposed to transport DFDS said the purchase of Condor's Commodore Goodwill would "enhance lifeline freight services connecting Jersey with Portsmouth and St Malo".Under the plans, Commodore Goodwill will be reflagged under the UK flag, and renamed Caesarea Trader in homage to Jersey's Latin name, vessel is 126 meters (43ft) long, has a cargo capacity of 1250 cubic metres, the equivalent of about 80 trailers. It will be renovated ahead of its launch later this year, replacing the MV Arrow, the leased vessel currently transporting Jersey's freight, said DFDS."We are delighted to be able to announce the acquisition of Goodwill, " said Chris Parker, the company's Jersey route director."We are working hard to get it ready for service and in the meantime MV Arrow and her crew will continue to provide an excellent service for the island."
CTV News
18-06-2025
- CTV News
Teenager arrested at St. Malo Provincial Park for assaulting officers: RCMP
A Winnipeg teenager has been arrested at St. Malo Provincial Park after allegedly assaulting two RCMP officers and uttering threats. On June 13 at approximately 11 p.m., St. Pierre-Jolys RCMP went to the park, which is about 65 kilometres south of Winnipeg, after receiving a request from patrol officers. A male was seen dangerously driving around the park while intoxicated, according to police. The 17-year-old was detained by patrol officers and failed the approved screening device. He was served with an immediate roadside suspension and released on scene. Nearly two hours later, at 12:55 a.m., patrol officers again requested assistance from the RCMP over the same teenager. It was reported that he had assaulted two officers. The teenager was arrested for assaulting a public officer and uttering threats. He was taken into custody and released for a future court date. St. Pierre-Jolys RCMP continue to investigate.
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Free meeting space in St Malo to boost Brittany links
Channel Islands organisations aiming to strengthen ties with Brittany can now access meeting rooms in St Malo for free, thanks the Bureau des Iles Anglo-Normandes (BIAN).The BIAN, which represents the governments of Jersey and Guernsey in France, has secured the space called Hot Desk St is intended to support the development of partnerships with French Perrin-Sarzier, vice-president of the Brittany region responsible for international development, said: "This provision fully embodies our commitment to strengthening economic, cultural, and institutional co-operation between our territories." Hotdesk St Malo is intended for use by businesses and groups rom Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney and Sark, and includes two rooms that can host up to 12 or 30 people.
