Dinan – my favorite town in all of Brittany

I first visited the town of Dinan in 2017 and fell in love with it immediately. The tiny streets with charming wooden buildings, the history that is visible everywhere and of course the small boutiques on rue de Jerouzal and rue de l'Horloge, all of these made me feel “wow” (and anyone who knows me knows how hard it is to get me excited). And it’s not surprising, after all, Dinan was voted second among the 50 most photographed towns in France…

That's why no one fell off their chair when I insisted that Dinan would star in my boutique trip to Brittany sometime in the future. However, even if you don't get to travel with Danny and me there, I highly recommend the place. That's why I created this article especially for you that will allow you to discover Dinan at your own pace.

The history of Dinan

Dinan is like a swallow's nest above the abyss – Victor Hugo

Before we start with the “in short,” it’s worth saying a few words about the history of Dinan so that you understand where you are traveling and why Dinan is so beautiful.

Dinan was founded on the banks of the Rance River around 1000 AD by the Counts of Dinan, who ruled it until 1283. From that year onwards, the city was ruled by the Dukes of Brittany, and over the following years Dinan became one of the most important cities in the duchy thanks to its trade in cloth and leather. Unlike other port cities which developed in the valley near the port, Dinan developed largely on the hill overlooking the port and, thanks to its walls, became a fortress that was very difficult to conquer.

These walls came in handy during the 14th century, during the War of the Breton Succession, when Dinan supported the French candidate, the Count of Blois, and managed to repel two English attacks. The Count of Blois He was killed in battle with the English in 1364 and the English won, but despite all this, Dinan managed to recover and during the 16th century it became a rich city again. Dinan's golden age lasted until the end of the 18th century and its results can still be seen in its streets today. First, you will see here quite a few colorful and beautiful wooden houses that belonged to the city's merchant families. Second, you will find here quite a few churches and monasteries that belonged to the religious orders (Capuchins, Dominicans and others), who were attracted to the city probably because of its wealth.

During the 19th century, the port of Dinan lost its commercial importance due to the invention of the railway and during the 20th century the city was bombed. Despite all this, most of the houses remained as they were and the charm of the city was not only preserved but also increased by the fact that it did not become a large industrial city like other cities in Brittany.

So now that you know even a little about the history of Dinan, it's time to get to the bottom of it...

Recommended hotels in Dinan

If you are only interested in coming to Dinan for a few hours and have rented a car, I highly recommend staying at Manoir de la Chausee or in one ofRecommended hotels in Saint Malo. If you have decided to make Dinan your travel base, then here are some excellent options.

Le 27- Boutique B&B

An excellent and well-designed bed and breakfast located in the heart of Dinan's old town. The breakfast here is excellent and the rooms are luxurious. Also, if you feel like playing billiards at the end of a busy day of sightseeing, you can do so here.

The Pavia House

A very cute hotel located in an ancient building from the 15th century. Despite the history of the building, the rooms are very modern and luxurious (including a simply wonderful shower room). The breakfast is also not bad at all and can be eaten in the hotel's garden.

La Villa Côté Cour & Côté Spa

This is a cute and luxurious villa that is within walking distance of all the main attractions of Dinan. In addition to the excellent location, the villa also provides its guests with a jacuzzi and sauna, a great option after a long day of exploring Brittany. There is also free parking on the street next to the villa, so the place can easily become an excellent base for a trip to Brittany.

Hotel Arvor – O'Lodges by Arvor

Want to live in the center of Dinan within the walls of an 18th-century monastery? This is the hotel for you. Each room is decorated in a different style and although it is an ancient house, you will find everything a modern hotel offers here, such as fast WIFI.

Mercure Dinan Port Le Jerzual

An excellent 4-star hotel located in the old port area of ​​Dinan. The rooms here are very modern and luxurious, so it's no surprise that it received a high rating on Booking.com.

Are all the recommended hotels in Dinan booked?

You are welcome to enterLink this And discover another series of excellent hotels and luxurious vacation apartments.

Dinan itinerary

Historic Dinan is a small city and in one day you can see most of the interesting places. The route I will suggest is a route that goes through the city itself and starts down at the port. However, it can be done in reverse, that is, start up in the area of ​​Dinan's castle and end at the port. You can also discover Dinan by climbing its walls. If you decide to walk on the city walls (which are, by the way, the longest walls in Brittany) I will write to you later where you can climb them.

But as mentioned, we will start down at the port of Dinan…

You are in the port that was responsible for the wealth that Dinan gained between the 14th and 18th centuries. Today you will find small boats and restaurants located on the banks of the river. I ate at the restaurant there l'Atelier Gorumande The seafood platter is not bad at all, so I definitely recommend the place.

Petit Fort and Jerouzal streets

After strolling along the river and perhaps even eating an oyster or two, it's time to get some exercise and start climbing up Dinan's most charming streets. Start at number 82 where you'll find an excellent Breton patisserie that sells Kouign-Amann. What is Kouign-Amann, you ask? Take a look at this video and you'll find out (it wasn't filmed at this patisserie, but at the restaurant I recommended earlier).

Whether you bought Queen Aman or not, start walking up Petit Fort Street and at number 24 you will find a charming 15th century house called the “Governor’s House.” Continue climbing and you will reach the Porte du Jeruzal, which is part of the 14th century walls that surround the city and which, as mentioned, can be climbed for a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding area.

There are two “promenades” that allow you to see all of Dinan from the city walls: the first is the Promenade de la Duchesse Anne and the second is the Promenade de Grands Faussés. If you decide to do this, don’t miss the impressive Beaumanoir Tower.

If you decide to forgo the walls at this time, continue on Jeruzal Street and you will see colorful and charming wooden houses on all sides. Today, some of them house craftsmen and others house small boutiques. Simply an aesthetic pleasure.

Merciers Square

Not far from the end of Rue Jérôme is Place des Merciers (Square of the Hedge Merchants). As mentioned, the hedge and cloth merchants made a huge fortune during the 15th-18th centuries, resulting in magnificent wooden houses and a simply charming square. If you want to eat there, you are welcome to try the old restaurant At Mother Pourcel's Which serves good local food at very reasonable prices (18 euros at lunch for a 3-course meal).

 

 

 

Clock Tower (Tour de l'Horloge)

Leave Place des Merciers and walk to rue de l'Horloge. This is Dinan's main shopping street and you will find all kinds of shops here. However, what is most interesting about the street, in my opinion at least, is the clock tower that gives the street its name.

The tower was built by the wealthy bourgeoisie of Dinan during the 16th century and the clock is a gift from Duchess Anne of Brittany, making it one of the oldest clocks in Europe. You can climb the tower and then discover a magnificent panoramic view of Dinan and the surrounding area (a great way to get rid of the caloric damage of Queen Aman, which I recommended earlier, or at least clear your conscience a little).

Dinan Castle and the statue of Du Gueclain

Continue on rue de l'Horloge, which eventually becomes rue de Leon, and at the end of the street turn right. You will soon reach the castle of Dinan. It is a very impressive castle built in the Middle Ages by Duke Jean V, and for a fee, you can visit the place and learn about the history of the castle. I didn't have time to take a proper photo of the castle this time, so here is a short video of the place 🙂

In the square not far away you will find the statue of Bertrand de Guequin (Bertrand du Guesclin) A French war hero, who managed to defeat the English time and again during the 14th century.

Here I suggest ending the trip, but not before I recommend two restaurants that are about a five-minute walk from the statue of Du Guequal.

• Fleur de sel – A recommendation from my friend Anton Chili, who knows a thing or two about food, as you can read in the article. Culinary tour of the Marais districtThis is a restaurant that serves excellent seafood and has a menu priced at 32 euros (definitely reasonable for a restaurant of this level).
• Crêperie Ahna, located at 7 Rue de la Poissonnerie, is considered the best crêperie in Dinan, and some say in the entire area.

Wait, what about a church or two?

You are absolutely right! How could a church lover like me not have a house of worship or two on my itinerary? So after I sinned and learned about it, here are some churches that you should not miss.

Basilica of Saint Saveur

A beautiful basilica built between the 12th and 16th centuries. It contains the heart of Du Guequin, which I wrote about earlier. Note the facade of the church, whose sculptures very graphically depict the various sins of man.

Address: 14 Place Saint-Sauveur.

Saint-Malo Church (Eglise Saint-Malo)

This is a very beautiful church whose construction began during the 15th century (note the Renaissance door at the front). The church was looted during French Revolution As a result, the interior may be a little disappointing (unless you like stained glass, then you will definitely enjoy it).

Address: 12 Rue de la Boulangerie

That's it, I hope you enjoyed it and if you are looking for more information about Brittany, don't miss the This page.