So coming all over my lovely Bretagne or Brittany or Breizh, we came to Dinard.It was an enjoyable visit we cherish a lot in my family. Therefore, I am updating with new links and text same pictures my post from April 2015. See my other posts with pictures on sights. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
What a name, hard to come up with titles for the uncreative mind lol! In this wonderful Easter holiday, off today and day off tomorrow !! We decided to go up again and visit Dinard. We have been to the ones nearby and always missed it even thus we heard about its wonderful villas houses. Dinard is gorgeous and the best for us were the beaches, even in off period! Oh by the way, this city is in Ille et Vilaine dept 35!
As usual we went by car, it is less than 2 hrs from us! Not bad we should come more often lol! We took going there the D768 up from us to Loudéac linking with the N164 to Saint Méen le Grand, here hook up with the D125 briefly to connect with the D166/D766 direction Saint Malo and Dinan. By Dinan we took the N176 direction Saint Malo, link up again with the D766 direction Saint Malo/Dinard, which becomes the D266 pass the airport of Dinard-Pleurtuit-Saint Lunaire; take right briefly on the D168 and again on the D266 direction Dinard, off the D266 entering the town we turn left into rue Henri Maulion then continue on rue Saint Enogat to park free by the beach or plage de Saint Enogat, pretty district guide you by the sign for the Church of Saint Enogat, from which we walk all over the place! All done in 163,7 kms and 1h40m !
We went straight for the beach at plage Saint Enogat, wonderful stretch of sandy beach with great bath changing rooms and a mini golf. The restos were just up the street at 100 meters right by the fontaine Jules Verne, and wonderful water spout of 10 meters high. Then we went to the Church of Saint Enogat ,previous church from the 17C only the belltower from 1761 is standing original, the new church was built in 1874 with many furniture and paintings from the 19C and 20C. The church sits in a peaceful corner right behind the buzzle and hussle of the beach area.
We continue our walk all thru curving ,narrow, steep streets along the coast by the promenade de clair du lune created in 1930, and the rue albert lacroix zigzagging into the little streets and some private chemin passageways between homes to reach closer to the ocean. The views are fantastic and the houses if we can call them that , more like mansions or small castles of the belle époque period are superb; can’t wait to get my hand on one of them ::) You go by the parc de Port Riou with a panoramic view of the ocean and a villa port riou built in 1882 that has a lighthouse building in the front!!!
The pointe de la Malouine is a beautiful lookout of gorgeous homes and great ocean views all plumbing into the beach or plage de l’écluse, inmense at low tide you seems to go right into the ocean with a pool, huge front property, a beach to return. Here interesting there is a statue to Alfred Hitchcock who loves to come here! You have wonderful villa reine Hortense, (queen of Holland) who vacationed here built by the Russian lover prince Nicolas Vlassov who was passionate of the life of the mother of Napoléon III. The mansion continue too numerous all wonderful such as the villa Cézembre with a stair bringing you down to the beach and the villa Greystones of art deco style.
We continue on the Pointe du Moulinet, rocky place on the border of the Rance on the city of Saint Malo, here more villas such as Saint Germain built in 1870, the pont d’emeraude with great views of the ocean and the villa La Garde tudor style construction. You will see a huge pool on the bridge or pont de l’émeraude that is use in summers ;gorgeous pool.
The plage de l’écluse or levies beach is one favorite to return having the Malouine on the west and the Moulinet on the east, with bath changing cabins since 1859. An aristocratic beach with the famous from Europe with casino Barriére (built 1902) , the palais des arts et du festival exhibition hall, go up on blvd Féart and see the villa Montplaisir very so British style, and the wonderful tourist office. Here we had lunch.
Finally, that time to eat, and we were in the beach area of the Ecluse so we choose the one active place Brasserie le Bar du Soleil, great choice ,fantastic service, very funny/friendly waiters, the food was good with a bottle of muscadet white wine and American tuna sandwhiches, mussels ,and burgers ,café or thé gourmand dishes which are coffee or tea with small pastries and all for under 22€ per person, can’t beat it with the view, the location and the servings big. Just due for a return.
Already some family members becoming tired,not me ::) of walking lol! We arrived at the beach or plage de la prieuré, this is a port harbor with you see a pool open, and you see the Church Notre Dame, built in 1858, with stained glass done by Max Ingrand. It is a bigger church but less popular, and has a wonderful nave with memorial to the fallen inside as well as in front of the Church. The across the street Christ cross overlooking the Prieuré beach is wonderful.
We stopped short of the last district La Vicomté, because it has been a long day of walking, the city is long with district far apart and hilly so it takes it tolls, next time we will park closer to this district to finish our journey of the city. From the Church Notre Dame on the side we took the rue des français libres to return to Saint Enogat and pickup our car not before getting some baguettes at the corner boulangerie Romain, and some drinks at the near boulangerie Aux délices Enogatais at place du calvaire. Ready to take our car back home.
The tourist office of Dinard-Côte d’Emeraude: https://www.dinardemeraudetourisme.com/
The Brittany tourist office on Dinard and the Côte d’Emeraude: https://www.brittanytourism.com/offers/dinard-et-la-cote-demeraude-dinard-en-2113593/
The tourist office of dept 35 South Brittany on the Côte d’Emeraude/Dinard: https://www.bretagne35.com/partez-a-la-decouverte-de-lille-et-vilaine/sites-remarquables/cote-d-emeraude/
We took the same road back and made in about the same time and km. Another city of Brittany review and counting, the region is beautiful with many more to see, explore, admire, and visit by the road warriors!! Indeed we came back and several posts in my blog. Hope you enjoy this brief introduction to pretty Dinard.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 