Côtes D'armor

C Ô T E S D ’A R M O R

3 PERFECT DAYS

 DAY 1 // A MEDIEVAL MARVEL Begin with a morning exploring Dinan’s old town (opposite ), followed by lunch at Les Trois Lunes (p66 ) or L’Atelier Gourmand (p66 ) and a leisurely afternoon cruise along the Ille-et-Rance (p64 ). Practically everywhere is within easy driving distance, so base yourself either in a self-catering chalet at Malik (p291 ) or up the luxury ante at the Hôtel-Manoir de Rigourdaine (p291 ) or La Demeure in Guingamp ( p291 ).

 DAY 2 // COASTAL EXPLORATIONS On day two, head west along the coast, making detours to the beaches of St-Cast- le-Guildo (p66 ), the wild and windy promontory of Cap Fréhel (p67 ) and the coastal castle at Fort la Latte (p67 ). Have a long lazy lunch of scallops and seafood in Erquy (p67 ), and work oﬀ some of the calories with a stroll around Pléneuf-Val- André (p68 ) before piling them on again at the fantastic Voile d’Or (p67 ) in Sables d’Or les Pins.

 DAY 3 // AND AGAIN! On day three, you could either opt for a day-trip over to the Île de Bréhat (p71 ), or continue your coastal explorations with a visit to Paimpol’s street market and sea museum (p70 ), Tréguier’s cathedral (p73 ) and the seaside resorts of the Côte de Granit Rose (p73 ) and the Côte des Ajoncs (p73 ). CÔTES D’ARMOR 59

a 10am- ﬀ , lead- rue du rue du Porte h DINAN Tour Ste- (English The access and , whose tinny Tour de Couvent des is still very much much is still very (Continued on page 64) . Porte de Jerzual rue Jerzual 9am-6pm) BasiliqueSt-Sauveur Jardin Anglais Jardin rue de la Lainerie, but the viaduct h ﬀ Maison du Gouverneur Maison which provides a postcard provides which the town’s c buzzing over

, o (adult/under 18yr €2.95/1.90; (adult/under 18yr , ﬃ , two of the best-preserved , two of , where colourful multistoreyed multistoreyed colourful , where and the Tour de Gouverneur. Tour de Gouverneur. Though Dinan’s ramparts have taken taken Though Dinan’s ramparts have Be sure to head downhill along the Be to head downhill along the sure The Gothic cloisters are all that remain all that remain are The Gothic cloisters 6.30pm Jun-Sep, 2-6pm Apr-May) (place St-Sauveur; looms over basilica in situ; its buttressed of blending elements place St-Sauveur, – architecture Romanesque and Byzantine carvedlook out for the fabulous arch the the main doorway. Just east of above is little church Merciers town’s striking medieval streets in Brittany. The oldest medieval in Brittany. The oldest streets house is the houses teeter precariously above the cob- above houses precariously teeter Nearby on colonnades. bles and covered the town’s 15th- is rue de l’Horloge tower, the century clock – just try to zone the river panorama over out the tra 19th-century down the centuries – most a battering famously in 1357, when the heroic knight Bertrand du Guesclin saw o determined English siege – many of the – many of siege English determined been carefully have old watchtowers You can walk along one sec- restored. of tion between the old city gates St-Malo ing past the 15th-century artillery tower the of and rue de on rue Haute-Voie gates open from 8am to 9pm. l’Ecole are steep cobbles of Fort Petit Cordeliers Garden) and the 13th-century Cathérine l’Horloge chimes ping every quarter of an hour. an hour. of every ping quarter chimes lead to a bird’s-eye view Winding stairs jumbled rooftops. Dinan’s over Dinan’s 15th-century of // 10am- h 02 96 39 45 02 96 87 was begun % % ( (

place des // STEP BACK // STEP BACK and castle Dinan and a towers ed with two DINAN DINAN ﬁ

DISCOVER DINAN’S MARTIAL DINAN’S MARTIAL DISCOVER PAST 9am-7pm Mon-Sat, 10am-12.30pm & 2.30-6pm Sun THE OLD TOWN THE OLD TOWN CHÂTEAU & MUSÉE DE DINAN DE DINAN & MUSÉE CHÂTEAU

TO THE MIDDLE AGES textile-industry and religious centre. and religious textile-industry artefacts detailingartefacts the town’s history as a now home to the town museum, with later reforti later a prison, it’s and later a ducal residence, in 1380 by Jean IV, Duke of Brittany, and of IV, Duke in 1380 by Jean between 1585 and 1598. First drawbridge 6.30pm Jun-Sep, 1.30-5.30pm Oct-May) 69 76; www.dinan-tourisme.com; 9 rue du Château; place des Cordeliers Dinan’s medieval centre radiates around radiates Dinan’s medieval centre  Dinan’s part-ruined

 EXPLORING DINAN along beside the quays. old town h barges and river boats still putter bling down to the old port, where INFORMATION TOURIST OFFICES // cottages and snaking ramparts tum- ESSENTIAL dle of cobbled squares, half-timbered old towns in northern France, a mud- Rance, it boasts one of the loveliest turesquely the perched above River that can measure up to Dinan. Pic- Dinan. that can measure up to there Breton towns aren’t many When it comes to medieval mood, pop 11,000 pop 11,000 LONELYPLANET.COM 20; rue du Château; adult/12-18yr €4.40/1.75; for adults/5-18yr child. Hour-long guided tours of the old town cost €5.50/3.50 Jul & Aug, 9am-12.30pm & 2-6pm Mon-Sat Sep-Jun) Jul & Aug, 9am-12.30pm & 2-6pm Mon-Sat Sep-Jun)