Saint-Malo in the light of a Netflix heroine

• 10am: Your weekend in Saint-Malo following in the footsteps of the Netflix series All the Light We Cannot See begins at 4 rue Vauborel. When Marie-Laure arrives from Paris, she joins her great-uncle. Etienne's famous dovecote. The building may not be historic today, but the large stone facades and cobblestones will give you a feel for the area. Then head up the street, following in Marie-Laure's footsteps along rue d'Estrées, before turning left into rue Robert Surcouf. If the bakery in the original painting doesn't exist, don't miss the chance to take a look at the Hôtel André Désilles, and why not stop off at one of the many crêperies in the area. 
   
• 11am: Walk up the rue de la Pie qui Boit to the Place du Guet, where Marie-Laure discovers a grotto ‘in the shape of a loaf of bread’. You can admire the Porte Saint-Pierre and the Bastion de la Hollande, where our young heroine sometimes manages to escape. It's just a few steps away, on the beach at Le Môle, that the young girl makes her first outing, overwhelmed by the sound of the ocean. Take time to observe the horizon, and head down towards the Rance Estuary for a magnificent view of the town and Dinard in the distance. 
   
• Your weekend in Saint-Malo continues in the centre of the Cité Corsaire, and it's already time for lunch. At L'Optimiste, for example, for its local gastronomy. Or at Père Bougeard, for its delicious galettes and crêpes. 
   
• 13:30: As you walk north along the ramparts, you may come across what is described as the ‘Hôtel des abeilles’, a place invented by Anthony Doerr to provide a home for young Werner. Then, taking the Rue du Boyer, head up towards the Cathédrale Saint-Vincent, which Marie-Laure heard ringing to mark the hours of her day. The building took over seven centuries to construct, from the 12th to the 18th century, and was badly damaged in 1944 during the Second World War. Following extensive renovation work, the vaults of the three cross bays can now be seen, and are among the oldest in Brittany. 
   
• After a diversion via the Rue du Chat qui Danse, past the Porte des Blés and the Tour Notre-Dame, you're on the beach. Take time to observe the ramparts and the island of Grand Bé offshore. If the tide is out, you can get there by crossing the Plage de Bon Secours. Here you can see the stele of the famous romantic writer François-René de Chateaubriand. But be sure to keep an eye on the timetable, as the town's tourist office advises: ‘You need to refer to the low tide time of the day and add 1? hours before and after this reference time. This gives you an access window of 3 hours.
   
• Back on the coast, stroll along the beach, enjoy the many crêperies and seafood restaurants in Saint-Malo, and admire the sunset on the horizon. And if you want to spend the night, we can't recommend the Mercure Saint-Malo Balmoral enough, just a stone's throw from the SNCF station and holder of the ‘European Ecolabel’, a symbol of its commitment to eco-responsibility.

• 10:30: The second day of your weekend in Saint-Malo starts in the north of the city, along the Sillon beach. This is where you'll find Fort National, the central location in the story of All the Light We Cannot See. This key site in the corsair town was built by engineer Siméon Garengeau in 1689, based on plans by Vauban and on the orders of King Louis XIV. It was against this fort that Chateaubriand played with his friends, and it was the same fort that welcomed 380 Malouins in the summer of 1944, imprisoned by the Germans. It was here that the famous privateer Robert Surcouf fought a famous duel, alone against twelve Prussian officers. The fort is best visited in summer, and here again you need to be careful of the tides! 
   
• Back in the centre, a visit to Place Chateaubriand is a must to discover the building that once housed the town's history museum. Closed in 2019, it is currently being renovated to create a maritime museum by 2028. After a short diversions via rue de Chartres, another important passage for Marie-Laure, enjoy a well-deserved lunch break.
   
• 2pm: Your weekend exploring Saint-Malo continues along the Quai Saint-Louis, past the Bassin Vauban, the Gare Maritime de la Bourse and then the Bas-Sablons beach. From here, you can see the city of Alet and its many remains. Take the Port de Plaisance des Sablons, then branch off towards the park to find the 39-45 Memorial. Set in the courtyard of the former 18th-century fort, a number of bunkers dating from the Second World War have been preserved. In the air defence bunker, you can discover the history of the conflict and the reconstruction of the town, as well as a collection of over 1,500 objects. Another route, this time outside, takes you to the fortifications, to discover other bunkers, turrets and remains from the 18th century.
   
• The town of Alet also offers several unmissable views over the bay and is well worth a visit. And if you've got energy to spare, we recommend a trip to the more discreet but equally idyllic Corbières beach. 
   
• This stretch can be done by bike, as part of the Tour de Manche à vélo, which comprises a total of 1,200 km of cycle routes. And if you feel like it, don't hesitate to stay a few extra days to discover the pretty towns of Cancale to the east, or Dinard and Saint-Lunaire to the west.

Find out more about Brittany

• Visiting Brittany

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