St Malo Ferry Port Maps >> Portsmouth - St Malo | Weymouth - St Malo | Poole - St Malo | Portsmouth - Caen |
As Brittany Ferries has matured, so has its significance to tourism in Western France and Northern Spain, with its influence reaching far beyond simply Brittany and Normandy. Not only is it a ferry operator, but it acts as a tour operator as well, supplying a vast range of self-drive holidays throughout France, Spain and, to a lesser extent, Portugal.
* The above information is a summary. Published departure and arrival times may vary due to seasonal, tidal or commercial conditions.
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Portsmouth to St Malo Ferry by Brittany Ferries. 1 crossing per day 10 3/4 hours, more...
Weymouth to St Malo Ferry by Condor Ferries . Weymouth to St.Malo - Fast Ferry. This service operates year round. Crossing times from 5 hours 15 minutes. From 22nd May to 30th September 2007 require a simple change of vessel in either Guernsey or Jersey - the perfect opportunity to sample the delights of the Channel Islands. more...
Poole to St Malo Ferry by Condor Ferries . Poole to St.Malo - Fast Ferry. This service operates between 22nd May and 30th September 2007 via either Jersey or Guernsey. Crossing time 4 hours 35 minutes. The fastest route for taking your car to Brittany! more...
Dover - Calais Ferry (cheaper short crossing alternative) by Seafrance and P&O ferries. Frequent sailings available almost every half an hour. Crossing takes from 45 minitues to 1 hour 20 minutes. Get prices
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northern France on the English Channel. It is a sous-préfecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine département.
Saint-Malo has 50,000 inhabitants, but that number can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season. With the suburbs, the population is about 135,000.
Saint-Malo during the Middle Ages was a fortified island at the mouth of the Rance River, controlling not only the estuary but the open sea beyond. The promontory fort of Aleth, south of the modern centre in what is now the Saint-Servan district, commanded approaches to the Rance even before the Romans, but modern Saint-Malo traces its origins to a monastic settlement founded by Saint Aaron and Saint Brendan early in the 6th century. Its name is derived from a man said to have been a follower of Brendan, Saint Malo.
In the later centuries it became notorious as the home of a fierce breed of pirate-mariners, who were never quite under anyone's control but their own; for four years from 1590, Saint-Malo even declared itself to be an independent republic, taking up the motto "not French, not Breton, but Malois". The Corsairs of Saint-Malo not only forced English ships passing up the Channel to pay tribute, but also brought wealth from further afield. Jacques Cartier, who sailed the St Lawrence river and visited the sites of Quebec City and Montréal - and is thus credited as the discoverer of Canada, lived in and sailed from Saint-Malo, as did the first colonists to settle the Falklands – hence the islands' Argentinian name, Islas Malvinas, from the French Îles Malouines.
The commune of Saint-Servan was merged, together with Paramé, and became the commune of Saint-Malo in 1967.
Saint Malo was the site of an Anglo-French summit which lead to a significant agreement regarding European defence policy. British Prime Minister Tony Blair and French President Jacques Chirac stated that "the [European] Union must have the capacity for autonomous action, backed up by credible military forces, the means to decide to use them, and a readiness to do so, in order to respond to international crises".
Now inseparably attached to the mainland, Saint-Malo is the most visited place in Brittany. Sites of interest include:
Saint-Malo is a historic walled port city in Brittany, and one of the most popular destinations in the region. Saint Malo is famed for its old walled city where you will find beautiful old buildings in a maze of small narrow streets, museums, restaurants and cafés. The city also offers some serious retail therapy, with a wide choice of hypermarkets and specialist shopping.
St. Malo sits on the mouth of the river Rance in Brittany. The city is a walled citadel connected to the mainland by a causeway. The main gates to the citadel are the Grande Porte and the Porte St-Vincent. To the right of the Porte St-Vincent is the town's castle, which houses the Musée de la Ville. The city is surrounded by beaches, accessible under the city ramparts at several points. GETTING AROUND
St. Malo is easy to explore on foot, with the city ramparts offering a walkway around sections of the city. Bicycles can also be hired and used to explore the city and the surrounding area.
The surrounding areas are also easily accessible from the city bus station, situated 1.2 miles from the city centre on Place de Hermine. Ferries also sail from the port area, a few hundred metres from the southern wall of the city, to Dinard, a former fishing village situated on a picturesque inlet on the west bank of the Rance estuary.
As you'd expect, St. Malo offers a breadth of good eating to suit all tastes and budgets. Local specialities include fresh lobsters and Cancale oysters, as well as other classic French fare such as crepes and moules. Some of the most popular restaurants and cafés are situated in a long-line inside the city ramparts between Porte St-Vincent and the Grande Porte.
Château de St. Malo
The Château De St. Malo, to the right of city's main gate, Porte St-Vincent, houses the city museum, Musée de la Ville.
The museum offers exhibits covering St. Malo's historic past, with maps, diagrams and dioramas documenting a history incorporating piracy, colonialism, slave trading, and more recently, German occupation during World War II.
Cathedral of St. Vincent
The Cathedral of St. Vincent dates from the 9th century and includes Angevin, Plantagenet, Romanesque and Gothic architecture. It is famous for its 1160 nave vault, as well as its magnificent choir concerts and organ playing. Admission is free and it's open daily from 8am to 7pm.
Ramparts
The city ramparts date from the 12th century and stretch 1.2 miles from Saint-Vincent Gate to the Saint-Thomas Gate. Walking along the ramparts you can admire fantastic views of the old town's houses, the bay and the islets at the mouth of the Rance estuary. The Grand Aquarium
Situated a few miles south of the citadel, St Malo's Grand Aquarium displays fish and sea life from around the world in 8 different aquariums. The aquariums include a circular fish tank, allowing visitors to stand in the middle of swirling fish shoals. Other attractions include underwater rides on a Nautibus, and ship wreck and a lost city exhibits.
Ile du Grand Bé
Low tide offers a 25-minute walk to the island of Grand-Be. As well as spectacular views of the surrounding coastline, the island holds the tomb of the 19th Century writer-politician, Chateaubriand.
Money
France adopted the Euro in 2002. Money exchange facilities are widely available, as are ATM machines (known as distributeur or point argent) accepting credit or debit cards.
Passports
For citizens of EU countries, a current valid identity card is sufficient to enter France. However, if you are a citizen of a non EU country, a passport is obligatory, with a visa required for certain other countries. Minors travelling alone must carry authorization for travelling signed by their parents.
St Malo - The Perfect Short Break Destination: St Malo is a beautiful city with many historical and leisure attractions and is a perfect short break destination.
It’s heart lies in the old walled town, where you can walk round the ramparts of the city’s 20-foot thick walls for one mile to get splendid views of the town and the harbour.
Lower down, the city’s winding streets, reminds one of a medieval maze, where you can stumble upon quaint shops and superb restaurants offering local seafood specialities and plenty of bars to enjoy a drink.
Other top Attractions include the Château de St Malo, St Malo's Cathédrale and The Grand Aquarium.
Our service from Portsmouth will take you direct to St Malo and with our excellent range of hotels, we have short breaks suitable for all budgets and tastes.
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