The secrets of letting go | Saint-Malo – Mont-Saint-Michel Bay

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4

Epiniac / Mesnil-Roc’h

Day 1: A woodland getaway to start

It’s 4pm and you’ve just put down your luggage. A glance out of your cosy bedroom window at the verdant surroundings immediately sets the mood: your stay with your partner will be one of calm and relaxation. How about a woodland getaway to get you started? Whether it’s the Parc de la Higourdais, a protected natural area with ponds and an old mill, or the Mesnil forest, this time it’ll be forest.
Walk at your own pace beneath the majestic trees to the Maison des Fées, a Neolithic covered walkway listed as a historic monument. Don’t be surprised if you come across a druid… A relaxing treatment concludes this first afternoon, the effects of which are already being felt. You can relax. Dinner at the restaurant is perfect. You linger at the table, the evening gently flowing by. You’re feeling good. You’re happy. But you’re still going to have to go to sleep later…

All the way to Cancale…

Day 2: A green and iodised day!

Golf? You’d promised yourself you’d try it, but never got round to it. This morning is your first day. The site is magnificent, the instructor friendly, you’re over the moon. A light lunch at the club house, and you’re off to Cancale for an outing to the oyster beds or a visit to an oyster farm.

You want to know everything about the molluscs that have made Cancale famous and about the oyster farmers, these gardeners of the sea. Oyster farming in Cancale has been listed as France’s Intangible Cultural Heritage since 2019, really? The prospect of tasting them, directly from producer to consumer, makes your mouth water. Here you are: facing the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, a dozen oysters just opened in front of you, enjoying the atmosphere of an oyster market unique in France. You’re on your way to rediscovering a taste for the simple things in life.

Saint-Malo and its Bay

Day 3: the sea in all its states!

Did you check the tide directory before arriving in Saint-Malo? It’s OK, the sea is low this morning, the islet of Grand Bé is accessible. Take the time to say hello to the illustrious writer Chateaubriand, buried facing out to sea, before continuing the walk. The gorse is in bloom and fragrant.

The Petit Bé fort is just beyond. It is one of four maritime forts built in the 17th century, according to Vauban’s plans, to protect the bay. On the lunch menu: delicious fish with a sea view! Your afternoon is spent at the Parcours Aquatonic: seawater jets, whirlpool baths, waterfall, sauna… The relaxation interlude is marvellous.

As you leave, the sea is high: the spectacle of the waves breaking on the breakwaters and the sea wall is truly impressive, and you do well to keep your distance! Now you know what a high tide in the Bay of Saint-Malo looks like. This evening, dinner for two and return to your accommodation.

Vallée de la Rance / Saint-Suliac

Day 4: be serene on the banks of the Rance

A stroll along the water is ideal for serenely enjoying the grandiose landscapes of the Rance, aboard a cruise boat. Ancient shipyards, small ports and tide mills are just some of the gems scattered along the banks. Have you seen this beautiful, haughty building nestling in its grounds? It’s a malouinière, the country home of wealthy 18th-century Malouin shipowners. Here, you sail between land and sea.

Cracks, harbours, hamlets are revealed amid lush vegetation. The boat glides gently, your spirit soars. Back with us? It’s time to disembark… Your journey continues and ends with a visit to Saint-Suliac, labelled the Most Beautiful Villages in France®. Stroll through the narrow, picturesque streets, enter the 13th-century church and head down to the port for a final coffee in the golden light of the late afternoon. The boats at anchor sway quietly. You leave feeling refreshed, relaxed and at peace.

DID YOU KNOW?

It was in the Mesnil forest spread across the communes of Mesnil Roc’h and Le Tronchet that the French Navy used to source timber for the Saint-Malo shipyards. It was once owned by the famous privateer Robert Surcouf!