Today’s Video: Dinan, the medieval village that has it all. I call it the “trifecta.” Think of Saint-Malo and its neighbor Dinard as the two points of the bottom triangle. And the 🔝 ? Dinan.
With its remarkable history and gorgeous intramuros, perched right on the ocean, Saint-Malo attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. A train from Paris delivers visitors into the heart of the Brittany coastline. From there, many bounce off to the infamous Mont-Saint-Michel.
A simple foot ferry across the bay takes you Dinard. I am in love with this idyllic town, its movie-set villas, and 1920’s cinema vibes. They call it the “Cannes of the North,” and Dinard hosts an annual film festival. There’s even a statue of Alfred Hitchcock, surrounded by seagulls, right on the beach promenade. The blue and white striped cabanas sit merrily on the sand in the summer. Just about two blocks away is the Les Halles, with over 300 vendors on Saturday morning.
But today, we talk about Dinan. While the region has been inhabited since Neolithic times, this medieval village was first established as a Benedictine convent. In 1064, the Normans of Duke William the Bastard besieged the castle on a motte. This assault appears on the Bayeux Tapestry. But why do I claim that Dinan is the medieval village that has it all?
Here are just a few of my top reasons: Proximity to the beach (30 minutes), picture-perfect half-timbered homes, it has remparts, a chateau, gorgeous churches, medieval events, a clock tower with an XV century belfry, an English garden, an annual medieval festival, an international Celtic harp event, art festivals – PLUS, the village sits on a port!
But let me not hold you up any longer! Head on up to my Instagram story to see it all in person. I spent an entire day walking 95% of the village to show it to you. The video is also saved permanently in my Instagram highlights and on my YouTube channel. Enjoy!
Bisous and big hugs from France,
Shannon
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