Saint-Malo

The focus of intramuros, this was built in the 1150s / 60s in a mix of Romanesque and Gothic, replacing the cathedral at Aleth.

Ship-owner's mansion of 1725. The guided tour is only in French, and you only see 3 of the 56 rooms.

Fortress on a tidal island, built by Garangeau in the 1690s to a design by Vauban. It's accessible only when the tide is out and the French tricolor is flying.

Large walk-through aquarium with a dozen habitats.

The world's first large-scale tidal power station, completed in 1966. The Rance estuary has a large tidal range, driving turbines generating 240 MW. A canal lock in the west end of the dam permits the passage of vessels from the English Channel. Guided tours available, must be pre-booked.

Jacques Cartier or Jakez Karter (1491 – 1557) was born and lived in Saint-Malo. He made three expeditions to Canada (mistaking the Iroquois word kanata, "the village"), mapping the lower St Lawrence river and claiming the area for France. Initially convinced that he'd almost reached China (since his sponsor the king also needed convincing), by his last voyage he realised Canada was on a separate continent. He brought back a fabulous treasure of diamonds that turned out to be worthless pyrites, and the trading colonies he established all withered away. The museum exhibits his life and travels.