Hotel Saint Malo : pictures of the city
The history of Saint Malo dates back the antiquity where this region corresponded to the former maritime center of Welsh people of Coriosolites, settled in the Cité d’Alet (nowadays district of Saint Servan).
It’s by discovering America and extending trade exchanges with India that Saint Malo develops and grows considerably rich. The city will even declare its independence during four years. Ship owners become numerous and some personalities of this time make the city famous. Jacques Cartier discovers and explores Canada, the corsairs harass merchant and military enemy navies, among them Duguay Trouin, and later Surcouf. Other famous figures of Saint Malo appear in the sciences, for example Maupertius, or also in literature and politics, like the well-known Chateaubriand. Developing their activities the ship owners start building their manors, called Malouinières (houses of Saint Malo). Within 218 slave expeditions during XVII and XVIII centuries, Saint Malo figures on the 5th place among French ports.
The apogee of Saint Malo comes to its end with the French Revolution that doesn’t spare it. Saint Malo will continue to develop fishing industry, mostly for the Newfoundland. At the end of the XIX and during the XX centuries Saint Malo develops tourism, mostly thanks to its beaches. During the Second World War Saint Malo is particularly concerned: bombarded by Americans in 1944, it is destroyed up to 80 percent. Reconstructed almost wholly in the original after the War, Saint Malo remains nowadays an important summer tourism centre, a fishing port and a marina.
Upon your arrival in our hotel, we will suggest you walking tours to do on foot or by bike to keep you happy !
This walking tour offers you a spectacular view over surroundings of Saint Malo and its coast. From the gate Saint Thomas, go to conquer Saint Malo and its ramparts. Go ahead at your own pace and discover the Bidouane Tower, a former powder magazine, the Holland bastion, the Grand’Porte and its two towers à mâchicoulis and finally the Saint Vincent Gate. This is the main gate of the city and it dates back the beginning of the XVIII century.
- Grand Hôtel de Courtoisville - 9 rue Michelet et 69 boulevard Hébert - 35400 Saint Malo - Tel. 33 (0)2 99 40 83 83 - Fax 33 (0)2 99 40 57 83 -