France: the Breton coast from Cherrueix to Saint-Brieuc by the Cap Fréhel

Welcome to the north-east coast of Brittany! After a first stay in 2017, we have since come back to Brittany many times. Over the years we have been back several times in the region and we propose you today an article gathering all our favorites along the coast between Saint-Brieuc in Côtes-d’Armor and Cherrueix in Ille-et-Vilaine passing by the famous small towns of Saint-Malo and Dinan and the famous Cap Fréhel.

The region is best known for its beautiful towns and coastal landscapes that change dramatically with the tides. This coastline faces the English Channel and since it is narrower than the open sea, the influences of the moon on the sea level are even more pronounced. During high tides, the difference in sea level can reach more than 12 meters here! Today we take you on a little tour along the northern coast and we present you the places we particularly like in the area.

For ease of reading, we have decided to present you the places in their geographical order (from east to west) and not in a chronological way. We visited some places in 2017, 2018 and others in 2021 (even if some places like Cap Fréhel, Dinan or the fort La Latte have been so nice that in the end we will have visited them each time 😉 )

Cherrueix: walk towards the Mont Saint-Michel

The Mont Saint-Michel at dawn and dusk

Let’s start this Breton escapade by one of the first locality arriving from the Normandy coast: Cherrueix. We came here in 2021 and took the opportunity to get a little closer to the famous Mont Saint-Michel (while staying in Brittany of course) 😉 The small town of Cherrueix is cute, but clearly if you come here what is most worthwhile is to get up early (or leave at the end of the day) and enjoy the beautiful lights for a walk along the coast.

Afterwards, if you are hungry, we warmly recommend you the crêperie “L’abri des grèves” which is on the beach! It is always difficult for us to be objective about the quality of a Breton crêpe as we love this dish so much, but the ones we ate there clearly stood out! 😉

Coastal walk from Cherrueix to the Saint-Anne chapel

From the beach of Cherrueix you can already see (in the distance) the Mont Saint-Michel. Our hiking advice would be clearly to get a little closer! We stayed here 2 days and did this walk several times with Winchy. Clearly, the morning or late day times are the most fun, but even in the middle of the day it’s worth it. There is no limit as far as distance is concerned, even if going until the Mont Saint-Michel and coming back seems a bit extreme. (there is 22km of distance one way) 😉

Our advice? Follow the beach until you reach the chapel of Saint-Anne, which is about 5 km further on. From the chapel it is possible to continue further, but we strongly advise you to go back up to the dike and leave the beach. From this point on you arrive in the area of the salt meadows where the sheep graze. The terrain becomes a bit more chaotic and you may find yourself blocked by fences. Does this sound like a personal experience? surely yes… 😉 In short, up to the chapel, following the beach on the way out is superb, but from this point on, it is better to go back up on the dike. For the return, the dike offers a more plunging view and it is a good alternative if you don’t want to redo exactly the same itinerary as on the way out.

St-Malo and its tides: a small tour of the corsair city

A little less than 20 miles west of Cherrueix is the famous little town of Saint-Malo. We first came here in 2017 for a conference and then came back in 2018 when we were writing our “Randos Bière en France” guide. And it’s undeniable, this little city is really nice! The city of Saint-Malo looks quite “old” when you look at it from afar, but in reality it is not! Unfortunately the city was the target of important bombings during the Second World War and it is estimated that nearly 80% of the city was destroyed in 1944.

Fortunately, Saint-Malo quickly decided on a reconstruction plan that made it a point of honor to restore its former charm. Other cities in Brittany were not so lucky (Brest was also largely destroyed, but when it came time to rebuild, it was decided to opt for a new, more “modern” or rather concrete-intensive architecture). In fact, during the bombings the city walls were not destroyed and it was decided to resume construction within the walls while respecting the original spirit of the facades.

Saint-Malo is a city where it is simply nice to stroll in the paved streets and stop for a good crêpe from time to time. 😉 A must-see in the city would probably be the tour of the ramparts. It’s from there that you have the best view on the coming and going of the sea with the tides. Afterwards, if you are there to observe the tides, the most impressive place remains in my eyes the walk along the Rochebonne dyke where the waves come crashing. Be careful though, in case of very high tide it is better to stay at a good distance!

Dinan: superb fortified city not far from Saint-Malo

Only a few kilometers away from Saint-Malo is another fortified city that you should not miss: Dinan! We visited it for the first time in 2017 and since then, we come back every time we visit Brittany. The historical center of the city is located on the top of the hill and the rue du Jerzual allows to reach the harbor area.

In the main streets there are a lot of people, but as soon as you go away a little you can suddenly find yourself in a deserted street away from the hustle!

Dinan is relatively touristy but frankly we understand why! The old stone facades are beautifully decorated with flowers and there is a certain je ne sais quoi in the air (perhaps the sound of the harp) that makes you feel good…

To have the most beautiful view we recommend you take the “tour de ronde”! A tour of the city on the old ramparts of almost 3km to have a plunging view on the roofs of the city but also the port. (This makes it the longest tour on the ramparts in Brittany!)

I particularly like the view of the Rance river and the port from the English gardens located on the Remparts tower.

Visit Léhon by following the Rance

If you are in Dinan and in the mood for a walk, we strongly recommend you to go for a walk along the Rance river. One (very famous) tour that we have already done many times is to walk to the village of Léhon and its beautiful abbey.

Between the port of Dinan and Léhon there are about 2 km along the Rance. The loop (4,2 km) takes about 1h30-2h (including a small visit of the abbey) and it is possible to walk on both banks. We advise you to go on one side and come back on the other.

In Lehon itself, don’t hesitate to take a look inside the abbey’s courtyard and garden and to push the door of the abbey church!

Saint Jacut de la mer

Located only 30 minutes from Saint Malo this small town of less than 1000 inhabitants is really beautiful and a great little stop for a walk! We had the pleasure of staying there for a few days with friends in 2018 and enjoyed watching the tidal phenomenon. It’s crazy, because the house where we were was “at the water’s edge” but at low tide the sea seemed to be miles away (which it was, let’s face it)

I won’t tell you too much about the little bar of La Goelette (the only bar in the village) where we ended most of our evenings… But on the other hand, an activity that is worthwhile in the area is the walk along the coast from the village to the Pointe du Chevet.

And if you are in the area at the end of the day, this is a great spot for sunset!

The Fort La Latte – viewpoint on the Cap Fréhel

If you continue along the coast for a few more kilometers you will arrive near the magnificent Cap Fréhel. But if there is a stop “en route” that we strongly advise you not to miss it is the fort La Latte.

Historically, this fort was called the castle of La Roche Goyon. Founded in the 14th century, this giant of pink sandstone and granite has survived the centuries perched on its rocky spur. The castle is magnificent but I think that what makes it even more exceptional is its unique location at the end of the rocky cape. From the dungeon you have a breathtaking view of the Emerald Coast, the bay of Saint-Malo and the Cap Fréhel.

If you come here we highly recommend visiting the castle and climbing to the top of the dunjeon to enjoy the view! In 2018, during our first visit, we were unfortunately out of the opening hours and so we came back here in 2021 to see it this time “from the inside”. Needless to say, we don’t regret it 😉

Little tip: From the fort La Latte, most of the people go in the direction of the Cap Fréhel (a walk that we also recommend later in the article). But if you have time, we also recommend you to follow a part of the GR34 in direction of the east! Less frequented, this part of the path offers some magnificent views on the Fort la Latte:

Cap Fréhel

The Cap Fréhel is a pink sandstone point which overhangs the sea at more than 70 meters and a lighthouse of 103 meters. It is one of the most visited destination of the Côtes-d’Armor and we confess, we understand easily why! The site is really grandiose. Prized by the ornithology amateurs for the observation of the numerous nesting birds, but let it be said, the site is worth it even if the birds it is not especially your favorite. 😉

The entrance to the cape is free, but if you come by car you will have to pay 3€ per car for parking. It is also possible to visit the lighthouse (also 3€). Note that in summer this parking lot can be quickly full… An alternative is to park at the Fort la Latte parking lot and walk to Cap Fréhel and back (see below)

Hike between Fort La Latte and Cap Fréhel

If you come in the area and you are in the mood for a walk, it is without the slightest hesitation that we advise you to walk the 5km that separate the Cap Fréhel from the Fort La Latte by following the GR34. All in all, the walk is about ten kilometers long and can easily be done in half a day (if you combine it with the visits of the fort and the lighthouse of Cap Fréhel).

The path is perfectly marked and does not present any particular difficulty! We have followed it several times and each time with the same amazement! By the way, don’t hesitate to keep your eyes wide open… During our last visit in October 2021, we had the wonderful surprise of being able to observe dolphins directly from the trail!

Les Plages des Sables d’Or and its panorama on the Cap Fréhel

After the visit of the Cap Fréhel we were feeling hungry and we decided to make a few more kilometers in direction of the quite touristy seaside resort of Les Sables d’Or. So we admit it, the seaside resort itself is nothing special our humble opinion, but on the other hand it’s a nice stop to eat something and enjoy the nice viewpoints and especially the beaches!

Around Saint-Brieuc

We are going to finish our walk along the Côtes-d’Armor by a stop around the city of Saint-Brieuc. Further on the coast we arrive on the Pink Granite Coast, but for this region we invite you to discover our blog post which is 100% about the pink granite coast. 😉

Stroll in the port of Le Légué

For many years, the port of Le Légué was considered as the “bad place” of Saint-Brieuc… But since a few years things have changed radically and there are more and more small shops, cafés and restaurants surrounding this cute marina. We really enjoyed the terraces at the end of the day to have a drink. But let’s face it, the port of Le Légué is also a very nice place to go towards the coast and follow the GR34.

La pointe des Roseliers

A few kilometers away from the port is another viewpoint that is worth the effort: the Pointe de Roseliers! We have created a very nice beer hike that goes through there, but we’ll tell you more about it in spring 2022 😉

Note that it is also possible to come to the Pointe du Roselier by going to the small parking lot at the end of the D36 or to leave the car at the Martin beach and then follow the coastal path a few hundred meters.

Discovering North Brittany: Practical information

Getting around Brittany

In Brittany, it is relatively easy to move between the big cities (a TGV connects Paris to Rennes in 1h15). But where it becomes difficult is if you want to explore the wildest and most remote places. In short, it’s the most convenient to discover Brittany if you have a car! (Moreover Brittany is to our knowledge the only area of France where the highways are free) 🙂

In 2017 and 2018 we were by car, while in 2021 we came with our converted van. We’ll tell you more in a future article, but the van is really great to discover Brittany (especially out of the main season if you want our opinion).

If you don’t have a car, we recommend that you focus on one region (for example, if you come to Saint-Malo or Dinan, you can easily reach the other cities by bus or train). To know the lines and schedules, go to the public transport website Breizhgo.

If you want to rent a car on the spot it is also possible. From Saint-Malo you can find for example cars from 25€ per day (depending on the season) on the Rentalcars website. This can be an option if you want to group your visits over 2-3 days.

To rent a van you also have several options. The Yescapa website offers van rental between individuals (with all the insurance) or if you prefer to rent from an offical renting company check out Blacksheep van.

Where to stay to visit St-Malo, Cap Fréhel and Cherrueix?

There is no shortage of accommodation options in this tourist region! 🙂 In 2021 we were with our converted van and so mainly used municipal camping, parking lots and a few natural spots. In 2017 and 2018 we were travelling by car and thus did a mix of B&B rentals and hotels.

Saint-Malo or Dinan are excellent bases to stay in the area! As we said above, these 2 cities are really beautiful and if you have a car it’s extremely easy to explore the surroundings in a day. The Mont Saint-Michel, the Cap Fréhel or the Fort la Latte are all less than an hour away.

Hotel Les Charmettes

In 2018 we were in Saint-Malo to attend a conference and had the pleasure of being welcomed in the beautiful little hotel des Charmettes. An excellent address located on the great beach of the Sillon. The price of the rooms goes from 69€ to about 110€ depending on the season and the room (The rooms with sea view being obviously the most expensive) 😉

Cheaper accommodation

If you are looking for a slightly cheaper accommodation, we advise you not to hesitate to go a little inland. You can easily find gites and single rooms for less than 50€ (after all it depends on the season). We leave you below a map where you can compare prices by adjusting your criteria in the filters.

So, I think this time we have told you everything (or almost) about our escapades in the region. We hope that our article will give you some ideas for your future stay. 🙂 And of course, if you have some favorites in the area that would not be in the article, do not hesitate to leave us a little comment. How this is going, Brittany and us it is clearly a story made to last and no doubt that we shall return in the region soon.

Note: This article contains affiliate links. By using our links to book your car or accommodation you pay nothing extra but we will get a small commission. These sites are the ones we also use every time we make a reservation.

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