Port guide: Saint-Malo, France

Who goes there

Saint-Malo in Brittany features on itineraries along Western Europe’s seaboard, which often link Southampton or Amsterdam with ports in Portugal, Spain or further into the Mediterranean. Azamara, Oceania, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn and Silversea are among cruise lines that visit. French-flagged Ponant might be the most appropriate match: chefs are likely to load fresh oysters aboard for the evening’s dining.

The French port city of Saint-Malo and its walled old town.

Sail on in

This breeze-blown port is flanked by beaches and wave-booming seas, and wrapped in fortifications that give it the air of a pirate lair; the newer town has agreeable promenades, restaurants and markets. Be sure to stride the decks for the sail-in, which is terrific. So is the town’s setting and the architectural uniformity of its stately grey buildings. Saint-Malo has a long history of privateers, maritime traders and explorers, and retains a raffish nautical charm, kept alive by yacht-filled harbours and rumbling ferries.

Berth rites

Small ships dock in the inner harbour under the walls of the old town, while larger ships moor offshore, with passengers transferred by tender. There’s no cruise terminal, only a quay, and in no time at all you’ll be deep into cobbled streets or atop the city’s fortifications.

Going ashore

A cathedral, castle, small museums, busy cafe life and a great deal of provincial charm invite you to linger in Saint-Malo, which you can easily explore yourself. Dinan Gate provides the nearest old-town access, just a walk along the quay. Travelling with children? Change it up with a visit to Grand Aquarium on the town’s outskirts, a four-kilometre taxi ride away: it showcases 600 species and has a touch pool full of marine creatures and shells.

Big waves crash into the walls around Saint-Malo.Credit: AFP

Don’t miss

Walking the brilliant sea ramparts of Saint-Malo’s enclosed old town, which will take you about an hour at a leisurely, stop-for-photos pace. You’ll be rewarded with a panorama of the whole island-dotted bay, beaches below and, on the other side, the city’s elegant architectural ensemble. Don’t worry about Brittany’s unpredictable weather: stormy skies and seas make this walk even more dramatic.

Get active

Saint-Malo’s beaches are glorious, although the frisky water temperatures are a challenge. Bon Secours Beach under the town’s walls has a saltwater pool and kayak hire. Grande Plage du Sillon has an exhilarating sweep of sand for walking or jogging. At low tide, you can walk out to two fortified islands – Grand Bé and Petit Bé – for great views, but ask at the lifeguard station about what the tides are doing. You’ll also find 400 kilometres of Vélo Promenades (cycle tracks) around town. Rent bikes at Loc’Malouine in the old town.

Best bites

Oysters are locally farmed, so get shucking. Brittany is also known for cider, crepes and galettes. The classic Brittany galette is a buckwheat crepe shaped into a tart with a cheese and runny-egg filling, but you can get them with all sorts of sweet and savoury toppings. Comptoir Breizh Café does excellent galettes presented with contemporary, Japanese-influenced flair. Le Bistro du Rocher creates stylish, reasonably priced versions of classic French dishes.

Further afield

Mont-Saint-Michel is a favourite with tourists.Credit: Alamy

Many visitors take an organised excursion 54 kilometres east to Mont-Saint-Michel, a tidal island where the town is topped by a whopping abbey like a vision from an illuminated manuscript. Walking the sand below at high tide is magical. Other excursion options are to the medieval riverfront town of Dinan, and tastings at oyster and mussel farms at Cancale. Dinan is just across the estuary of the Rance River from Saint-Malo, and easily reached on a 10-minute ferry ride with Compagnie Corsaire if you want to travel there yourself.