Day 9: Saint Malo

It's René's birthday. Unfortunately, my gift for him didn't arrive on time, so there's just one candle. We start the day relaxed. Around 11 o'clock we reach Saint Malo, leaving Normandy behind and entering Brittany.

Saint-Malo impresses with its historic center, a remarkable fortress, and the most important Breton harbor on the north coast. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, Saint-Malo was a flourishing trading city that owed its wealth to sailors and corsairs.

Unfortunately, the city was 88% destroyed in World War II and had to be rebuilt.

We quickly find a parking space and explore the walkable city wall. The high ramparts surround the old town. It's impressive and we overlook the English Channel and the Ranche River. We walk along half of the wall before descending into the old town. We choose a pizzeria and go out to eat to celebrate the day.

Afterwards, we continue to explore the city within the walls. The cathedral has beautiful stained glass windows that are highlighted by the sun. The children want to go to the beach in front of the fortress. It's low tide and we walk along the stretch of sand. In addition to fine sand, there are some rocks with lots of barnacles on them. We climb along the rocks. The sun is shining and the view of the fortress, the city, and the sea is fantastic. We search for seashells. Then we walk back to the car past a large sailing ship. Saint Malo is also known for its privateers, tolerated pirates.

We buy some groceries on the short drive to Dinard. We spend the night at the campsite right by the sea. Just a few meters from our pitch is a beach section. The children splash around in the waves and build their sandcastles. We sit on stones nearby. It quickly becomes apparent that the tide is coming in. It's amazing how the water finds its way. We keep changing our spots as the children try to defend their castles. Unfortunately, without success, the water is relentless. After an hour, everything is underwater and only a small section of the beach remains. Then we enjoy our dinner and watch the sunset. When the children are finally in bed, we sit together and toast to René's birthday.