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??o meet you! I'm a page designer and editor living in Gloucestershire with my wife and three ...
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??o meet you! I'm a page designer and editor living in Gloucestershire with my wife and three children. I'm mad on Manchester City (I was born up there 40 years ago), I'm a Mac addict and I sing in a church choir. It's a strange mix, I know, b...
Member since:15.03.2001
Reviews:2
My strongest memory of St Malo is of my last sight of this beautiful city as I waited for the ferry home. Standing on the dockside, I watched the setting sun, very low on the horizon, bathe the ramparts in a wonderful golden light. The sun's reflection glinted from the windows of the hundreds of houses overlooking the sea. St Malo was a sparkling jewel. Sadly, a few short minutes later the sky was dark and my stay was at an end.
There is something magical about St Malo - its imposing ramparts protecting a little world of cobbled streets and grand houses.
Many people pass through the port with barely a second glance as they head for the south. But thousands are ensnared by St Malo's charm - and therein lies a problem!
I visited St Malo for the first time in the mid-1980s at the start of a cycling holiday. My wife and I pedalled off the ferry and into the city early one morning, stopping for coffee and croissants at a small cafe before launching into our great adventure. I distinctly remember how peaceful were the cobbled streets - the air was made French by the whiff of Gitanes and the aroma of coffee. There was a great sense of expectation.
On our latest visit, we had to dodgecars and lorries on a busy road outside the ramparts and squeeze through crowds of tourists once we were inside. Of course, we could not complain - after all, we were tourists, too. But to enjoy St Malo at its best, we thought that a visit out of season might be a better idea in the future.
That's not so easy for people like us with children, trapped by school holidays into taking breaks in high season. However, a little forethought can make even those times enjoyable and less stressful.
For example, you do not have to battle with hundreds of cars to find the last remaining parking space - we used a cheap, spacious park and ride facility about a mile or so from the city. It's amazing how much of a burden it lifts off your shoulders as your bus quickly makes its way to the ramparts.
Then, you can try dragging yourself away from the crowded shopping streets. We escaped to explore the beautiful and majestic cathedral of Saint-Vincent - an oasis of calm amid the bustle. And although we later joined the crowds marching along the ramparts, we were able to slip away on to a quiet, picturesque beach to rest our weary legs.
St Malo is so much more than a gateway to the rest of France. It has an impressive history - it once even declared its independence from the rest of the country - a proud people, fine architecture... even a festival of comic strips in October!
In short, it is a treasure you must not miss, even if you might find that thousands have got there before you!
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Mar 17th, 2001
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