Brittany – France's pirate coast and Mont-Saint-Michel

A little-known chapter of French history is the privateering along its northern coast. During the wars between France and England in the 17th–18th centuries, “gentlemen of fortune”, with the king’s tacit blessing, collected a “tax” from foreign ships in the Channel. The capital of this trade was Saint-Malo, and the corsairs later became the core of the French navy. Today Brittany is a land of rocky coasts, huge tides, stone villages, crêpes and cider. On the border with Normandy rises one of France’s wonders – Mont-Saint-Michel.

Saint-Malo

The corsairs’ city is ringed by massive granite ramparts you can walk all the way around. At low tide you can walk to the islet of Grand Bé, with the grave of the writer Chateaubriand – but watch the tide, which comes back fast. Visit the castle and the house of the famous corsair Surcouf.

Mont-Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel abbey rises on a rocky island about a kilometre offshore. The first buildings date from the 6th–8th centuries. Over time the monastery grew into a fortified stronghold that withstood sieges in the Hundred Years’ War, and during the Revolution it became a prison. Today it’s a UNESCO site and one of France’s most visited landmarks. The bay’s tides are among the largest in Europe, with up to 14 m between high and low water. A guided walk across the sands at low tide is unforgettable – never go alone.

More along the coast

• Cancale – a fishing town and the “oyster capital”. Eat them fresh at the harbour.
• Dinan – a medieval town of half-timbered houses and walls above the River Rance.
• Dinard – an elegant Belle Époque resort facing Saint-Malo.
• The GR34 (“Customs Officers’ Path”) – a footpath along the cliffs of the entire Breton coast.

Five-day itinerary

1. Arrive in Saint-Malo and walk the ramparts.
2. Walk from Saint-Malo to Cancale on the GR34 (about 20 km), with oysters for dinner.
3. Mont-Saint-Michel – the abbey and a guided walk across the sands.
4. Dinan and Dinard.
5. Head home.

What to try

Galettes (savoury buckwheat pancakes), crêpes, cider, kouign-amann (a buttery pastry), salted caramel and seafood.

Practical tips

• Check the tide tables – they decide when you can walk out to the islands.
• The weather changes fast. Bring a wind- and rainproof jacket.
• A shuttle runs to Mont-Saint-Michel from the car park on the mainland.