Emerald Coast

Saint-Malo Emerald blue water

The Emerald Coast is situated in the northeast of Brittany, west of the mont Saint-Michel, around Dinard and Saint-Malo. I guess the name comes from the colour of the water there…

Aerial photos

Here are a few aerial photos I took thanks to a friend (hello Manu…), at low tide:

Saint-MaloSaint-Malo The first shows that the walled city used to be an island linked to the shore by a long sand dune, the Sillon (the beach in the foreground, which you can see at night below). The water behind the dune has been used to create a harbour.

The second features the two "Bés", islands just off the walls, which you can reach on foot at low tide.

RanceSaint-Malo The last photo of Saint-Malo, shot on the opposite site compared to the first, shows the Solidor tower standing watch.

Up the Rance towards Dinan, the tide draws weird figures, around the foundations of a viking camp.

Saint-Malo Saint-Malo by day

The walled city seen from the Grand Bé at low tide.

Fort NationalBés Seen from the city walls, the two Bés at high tide, under a cloudy or blue sky.
The Fort National is another island off the walls on which a defence fort was built.

Harbour beaconHarbour In the harbour, old wooden ships meet freighters. Behind the harbour beacon, across the Rance, lies the city of Dinard.

Rochebonne beachRochebonne beachRochebonne beach On a Christmas day, Rochebonne beach welcomes passers-by in the rain, with the walled city of Saint-Malo in the background and a wrought iron railing in the foreground. A clearing in the clouds lights the sand up.

Saint-Malo skyline Saint-Malo by night

Seen from the Rochebonne beach, the skyline of Saint-Malo is all lit, and the Sillon beach is a line of streetlights leading towards the walled city.

Saint-Malo harbourSaint-Malo harbour At night, the harbour retains some of its activity, unloading trade ships, sheltering ferries and old sailboats under the walls.

Le Renard Renard

Since 1990, the coasts of France have turned to their past to save or recreate their old ships. Saint-Malo, proud of its corsair past, has rebuilt "Le Renard", one of Robert Surcouf’s ships.

Here are photos of its sails against a blue sky, showing the complexity of its masts and ropes.

Cutty Sark Cutty Sark race

In 1999, the Cutty Sark race gathered very beautiful ships in Saint-Malo, I took a night shot of the harbour with all the big ships lit.

La Recouvrance figureheadCutty SarkCutty Sark Here’s the bow of one of the biggest ships, and a sunset with the city as background.

Most of the ships are made of wood, the decks are perfect and gleaming, and all the ropes and pulleys are neatly arranged.

The wooden figureheads are very beautiful too.

Dinard Dinard

Across the Rance, Dinard is a beach resort with casinos and beautiful villas.

Fort La LatteFort La Latte Cape Fréhel

West of Saint-Malo is Cape Fréhel, and very close by, Fort La Latte, a fourteenth century castle. From its keep, you get a view on the courts, and on Cape Fréhel. Its walls are towering above the blue-green water.