St. Malo, Ferries and Ferry Crossings

Welcome to the St. Malo (France) section of FerryCrossings.org, the site for information about major UK and continental ports and the ferries between them. Our site includes an introduction to a number of ports and feature pages about the various crossing ways, lanes and routes and companies operating between them to help you plan your journey and discover interesting travel destinations along the way. You can even compare prices and save money on your ferry tickets with ads from selected major ferry lines.

Port of St. Malo, France

St Malo Saint or St. Malo was once an island fortress, it's walled city defending the mouth of the River Rance and the open sea beyond. At one time the fierce pirates commanding the island demanded a fee from ships wishing to use the Channel en route to English ports. In the late 1500s the island even declared itself to be an independent republic. The island is now linked to mainland Brittany in France by a causeway and attracts great numbers of tourists each year, in addition to the thousands using the ferry crossings from Portsmouth or Weymouth. St Malo attracts more visitors than any other place in Brittany. With so many places of interest to visit it's not really surprising. Find time to visit the museum housed in the chateau; the Solidor Tower located in Saint Servan, just 2 miles away and now part of St Malo. Constructed in the late 14th century to gain control of access to the River Rance, the Solidor Tower later became a jail and is now a museum with particular reference to the voyages around Cape Horn and Tall Ships of the 19th century. Not to be missed are the islands of Grand Be and Petit Be which can both be reached on foot at low tide. On Grand Be are the ruins of an ancient fort and the burial place of the writer Francois-Rene de Chateaubriand, a French writer. Close by is Petit Be with its 17th century fort built to protect St Malo from the English and Dutch. In 1921 the island was designated a 'Monument historique'. Other 'must-sees' in St Malo have to include the Cathedral of St Vincent and the early 18th century house built for a shipowner and now housing artefacts related to piracy, weapons and model ships. It is known as The Privateer's House or La Demeure de Corsaire.

The city's claims to fame include being the birthplace of numerous famous figures in history, for example the explorers Jacques Cartier, Jaques Gouin de Beauchene and Marc-Joseph Marion du Fresne. Academics and historians include Pierre Louis Moreau de Maupertuis, François-René de Chateaubriand, Hughes Felicité Robert de Lamennais and Louis Duchesne.

St Malo, its buildings constructed from grey granite and with strong encircling walls, can look forbidding but insde these walls it is a gem of a place. It's full of character, with its old streets and alleyways waiting to be explored and its cafes, bars, hotels and shops all welcoming the holidaymaker with enthusiasm. Famous for the local oysters from nearby Cancale, the city has a high percentage of restaurants specialising in seafood. Certainly, a meal taken in one of these restaurants would be a treat you might not want to miss. Add to this the beautiful sandy beaches only a stone's throw from the city walls and you can see the attraction straight away.