We woke up on the 18th January 2025 at the Kyriad Sud Hotel in Rouen had Breakfast and drove the 3 and a half hours in the fog to Dinan in Brittany.
I see there is free parking here on Rue De Quai and we park up as we are far too early to try and get into our apartment yet.
Dinan is a town in Brittany, northwest France. It’s known for its medieval ramparts, cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses. Dinan Castle has a 14th-century keep and the Tour du Coëtquen, a 15th-century artillery tower. The grand, Gothic-style Saint-Malo Church has vibrant stained-glass windows. The Clock Tower offers panoramic views.
Instead of nestling on the valley floor like Morlaix, most urban development has been on the hillside overlooking the river Rance. The area alongside the river is known as the "port of Dinan", and is connected to the town by steep streets: Rue Jerzual and its continuation outside the city walls, the Rue Petit Fort. The Rance has moderate turbidity and its brownish water is somewhat low in velocity due to the very low gradient of the watercourse; pH levels have been measured at a slightly basic 8.13 within the city, and electrical conductivity of the waters has tested at 33 micro-siemens per centimetre. In the centre of Dinan, the Rance's summer flows are typically low, in the range of 500 cubic feet per second (14 m3/s).
For many years, the bridge over the river Rance at Dinan was the most northerly crossing point on the river, but the tidal power station at the mouth of the estuary, constructed in the 1960s downstream from Dinan, incorporates a 750-metre long tidal barrage, which also serves as a crossing point nearer to the sea.
Dinan station has rail connections to Saint-Brieuc, Lamballe and Dol-de-Bretagne.
For generations, Le Vieux Pont stood as the sole bridge in Lanvallay, a testament to its historical significance. This striking stone bridge, meticulously maintained, offers stunning views of the Rance River and its surroundings, although it is now reserved for pedestrian use and light vehicles only. By the early 19th century, the bridge had become too narrow and frail to support the growing traffic demands.
Recognizing the need for a more robust crossing, construction of the Viaduc de Lanvallay began with the laying of its first grey granite stone on September 3, 1846. The viaduct, completed and opened to traffic in 1852, spans 250 meters in length and stands 40 meters high, boasting ten arches. It effectively links Lanvallay, perched on the hillside, with the fortified city of Dinan across the river.
The introduction of the viaduct significantly eased local traffic flows, offering an alternative route that bypasses the Port de Dinan Lanvallay and, in turn, alleviates the burden on Le Vieux Pont. It also provides a detour around the steep climb of Rue du Petit-Fort, which had been the only route for pedestrians and vehicles moving between Lanvallay and Dinan. In recognition of its historical value, Le Vieux Pont was designated a Historical Monument in 1903, preserving its legacy for future generations.
We walk up to the Le Vieux Pont and stop for photos on the bridge.
We look across to Rue du Petit Fort and we decide to walk up there hoping to find a café to get a hot drink.
We begin the climb up from the port up the pretty La Rue De Petit Port that is lined with Medieval houses lining a cobbled street.
The half-timbered houses and houses with pointed gables are a reminder of the town’s wealthy past. From the 14th to 18th centuries, it was busy with weavers and tanners. Today, it’s an essential part of any visit to Dinan. You’ll love strolling around and dreaming in front of the workshop-boutiques of glass-blowers or wood gilders.
We stop in Harmonika café for a drink. I have an café au lait and Mel an Chocolat Chaud.
We leave the café and continue along Rue De Petit Port.
We reach Jerzual Gate that we walk through and cross Le Bignon Guy and continue onto Rue Dev Jerzual.
Constructed during the 13th century under the reign of Duke Jean II of Brittany, the imposing Porte du Jerzual stands as a testament to the city's fortified history.
Rue du Jerzual is a beautiful cobblestone street leading steeply down from the centre of town to the old port on the river.. Flanked on both sides with ancient stone and timber houses, this pedestrian way gently winds down the slope, leading you pass the delights of a pasty or a drink on the stone-lined quays along the River Rance. Along the way, there are many opportunities to stop into several art galleries, restaurants and cafés, all of which are housed in the charming buildings lining the way. At mid-point, the rue passes through the midst of a 14th century gate tower, Porte du Jerzual. It’s a beautiful example of a single-tower gate and it’s in such a picturesque setting you won’t believe you’re not in a fairy-tale. Walking down the street is also a great opportunity to see several former medieval merchant houses, many of which served simultaneously as warehouses and workshops.
We turn left onto Rue De Poissonerie and walk along this shop filled street.
Up ahead through the mist we can see the Tour De L'Horloge.
There are some really marvellous and pretty Medieval Buildings here. I've looked so long online at this place and I'm finally here. It really is as good kif not better than I thought!
The photo above is a must have shot, I've seen it so many times online and just captures the town beautifully.
We reach the the belfry known as the Clock Tower of Dinan (Tour De L'Horloge), its a tower built at the end of the 15th century ,located on Rue de l'Horloge in Dinan in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany.
The first governor of the city was appointed by Duke John III of Brittany in 1340 , a period of development of the city and the construction of fortifications.
A little later, the city was administered by a council of notables headed by a bourgeois attorney representing the community and guarantor of privileges. This assembly voted on taxes and organized major works. During the reign of Duke Francis II of Brittany (1458-1488), the council of notables decided to build a building to serve as a meeting room, except for the Great Meetings which were held in the chapter house of the Jacobin convent , and to store archives, as well as a watchtower to prevent the too frequent fires in the city. It was Jehan II de Rosnyvinen , Lord of Vaucouleurs, then governor of the city (1471-1481) who laid the first stone in the rue de la Corduennerye . Twenty years later, in 1500 , Duchess Anne of Brittany ordered her representative, governor of the city: the Viscount of Rohan, to install a presidial and granted by letters patent in 1507 permission to install a clock in the municipal tower, raising it to the rank of belfry, with the installation of a bell of which she was the godmother and Monsieur de Rohan the godfather. The 2.452 kg bell was given the first name Anne . It would ring from that day until the year 1906 , when it would be melted down and remade identically with a new name: Duchess Anne . The Noguette would ring to bring together the municipal council until 1880 and in 1907 for the last major fire that the city experienced. Dinan became, after Rennes and Fougères , the third city in Brittany to have a belfry. The clock, made in 1498 by Hamzer , a Nantes clockmaker of German origin, was commissioned by the municipality in 1505 and installed at the same time as the bell. It was changed in 1657 and stopped in 1847. Aware of its historical value, Luigi Odorici, curator of the Dinan Museum and librarian, then integrated it into the collections of the municipal museum.
It remained the seat of the Municipality until the Revolution , which subsequently moved according to local events, settling in 1817 in place of the Hospice Hospital.
The belfry, at the top of which one discovers from its circular platform, a panoramic point of view on the city of Dinan, was opened to the public in 1932 , by its mayor Michel Geistdoerfer . The passage which links the rue de l'horloge to the Place du Guesclin was opened in 1984. It is no longer the tallest building in the city, since it is supplanted in this role by the bell tower of the Saint-Sauveur church, which culminates at 60 meters. The clock still rings every quarter hour, half hour, and hour.
The clock tower has been listed as a historic monument since December 28, 1910..
The clock mechanism can be admired on the ground floor, as well as the Duchess Anne bell.
Sadly the Tour De L'Horloge wasn't open as its Winter I assume and weren't able to climb up to see the view of Dinan from above.
We walked on and onto Rue De Lehon turned left onto Rue Du Guichet and over to Château De Dinan.
Sadly this is also closed for the Winter, but we decide to have a look around the outside anyway.
The first building known as the Château de Dinan was present by 1064, making it one of the earliest known castles as evidenced by the fact that it appeared in the Bayeux Tapestry. The Battle of Dinan was fought at the Château de Dinan in 1065, when Conan II, Duke of Brittany surrendered to the army of Harold Godwinson. Its defences were fortified in 1283 and underwent upgrades until the end of the War of the Breton Succession in 1365.
In 1382, John V, Duke of Brittany seized the previous castle from the Dinan family, and Etienne le Tur built the current keep in 1382–3; it was in use by 1384.
The castle was then enlarged between 1595–98 by Philippe Emmanuel, Duke of Mercœur after annexing the Porte du Guichet and the Tour de Coëtquen, and the castle was subsequently altered by Garanjeau, a military engineer, between 1693–1711.
The castle was listed for protection as a monument historique in 1886.It is owned by the commune and houses the local museum.
It is called Donjon de la duchesse Anne (Keep of the Duchess Anne), and stands 111 feet (34m) high near the Saint Louis gate.
The keep is formed by a union of two tall circular towers; a moat and drawbridge divides the keep from the outside of the ramparts as well as from the inside of the city, providing a stronghold both against outsiders and from the townspeople themselves. Extensive machicolations overhang the wall head providing defensive coverage of the base of the tower.
The keep and the gate are part of the 2,600 metres (8,500 ft) of medieval ramparts which still surround the old town.
We pop into the Tourist Information and after a bit of confusion with language barriers we find out they are closing for lunch so we leave.
We make our way through town, to our apartment we had booked through Booking.com.
We retrieve the free parking permit and then we make our way back to the car to park up near the apartment.
This place is very nice but had a strange set-up. The Shower Cubicle is in the bedroom and had a glass floor. So if you are in the living room below you can see into the bedroom and shower. Okay for couples, but definitely no privacy otherwise!
We make our way back the way we came and down Rue De Petit Port.
Back at the car we drive to the apartment and after a lot of confusion we work out the free car park isn’t that close to where we are staying and find it beneath Hotel De Ville.
After parking we walk back up with our cases to our apartment Le Petite Maisonat 8 Place Du Champ Clos 22100.
We make our way out into town and grab a hotdog from a place nearby. Not a hotdog as we are used to. They use half a baguette, make a hole in the middle and heat it, fill this with ketchup and insert the sausage into the hole. Anyway we walk back to the apartment and eat it, very nice it was too.
After a nap we wake up and walk back out into town to see it lit at night and to find some dinner.
The Old Town was pretty much deserted at night and had a completely different feel to it.
After much walking about looking at various restaurants we find Le Café Noir.
We sit and Mel chooses a Burger and fries and I plump for the steak and fries. We order a beer each and wait for the food. Mel had to walk outside because a man next to us was making so much noise eating, He was licking his lips loudly at every mouthful. Anyway our food arrives, Mel gets her burger and I am served salmon! Well I’m not eating that! The waitress tries to tell me she thought I ordered the dish below, but will take it back and get my steak. Afterwards I thought well she did ask me how I wanted it eg rare, medium etc. I eventually get my steak and she apologises a few times.
After dinner we make our way back to the apartment for the night, colder now and the fog has settled back in. Tomorrow we drive onto Mont St Michel.
