And this is a twist off of one older post of two towns and I am splitting on my black and white series as already plenty on them with pictures in my blog. On a nice Sunday afternoon, and after doing some gardening in the house, I decided to visit Dinan . I like to update this older post on the one and only Dinan!!!
This came in as an introductory post on the wonderful city of Dinan. This is the beauty and diversity I have around me, and time for many to come on over , this is a gorgeous region; and if you are into the sea, the goodness of the produce from it and history, then by all means come to Brittany or Bretagne or Breizh.
Dinan is in the department 22 Côtes d’Armor in the region of Bretagne, part of the cities of the Poudouvre traditional Breton country. It is a fortified town with ramparts defended by a castle ,strategic point between Normandy and north of Brittany. The city of Dinan was built mainly on a hill and the old town dominates from about 75 meters the Rance river that flows to the north into the Manche between Saint Malo and Dinard. The name of Dinan comes from two Celtic words, Dun meaning a high hill and ahna a protective goddess of the living and keeper of the dead.
Brief history I like. In 1357 the war of succession of the duchy of Brittany joined Bertrand du Guesclin and his brother Olivier to defend the city from the English and Bretons loyal to Jean de Monfort. They face Thomas de Cantenbury in a single combat and were victorious. In 1364, after many attempts the duke Jean IV takes control of the city and had built a donjon known as the Duchess Anne. The fortifications of the city were modernised in the second half of the 15C with the addition of several artillery towers. A long relatively calm period followed and to note in WWII, by August 2 1944 the 6th Armored Division USA reaches Dinan, heavily guarded by the nazis it takes them to get around it and later come back on August 6 with the 802nd Tank Destroyer Battalion to liberated the city.
Things to see in Dinan , huge amount of sights including many mansions me think are
The city has a wonderful old town fortified and a large area from the harbor and the neighborhood of the Rue Saint Malo covering 90 hectares (222 acres) or almost a quarter of the city. The rue du Jerzual, the hill most famous in Dinan that connects the port harbor to city center/downtown with a difference in height of 75 meters a slope of 35 % . Glad I had a car lol!
The castle or Donjon Duchesse Anne, part of the 2600 meters of ramparts walls. Saint Malo Church, end 15C to end 19C ,gothic and renaissance style with beautiful stained glass from early 20C, English organ, polychrome pipes built in 1889 ;the French revolution destroyed the Church and it was rebuilt and given back to the Catholic cult in 1803; The clock tower or tour de l’Horloge, from the 15C and 45 meters high, still has the bell given by the Duchesse Anne in 1498; the convent of the Cordeliers from the 13C and buildings now dating from the 15C, it held the estates general of Brittany in 1573 , and 1634 convent restored in the 19C and now houses a private school; Basilica of Saint Sauveur built from the 12C was never completed and it houses the cenotaph of the heart of the constable Du Guesclin. Done in the Gothic, classic, and baroque style of construction, with a nice portal from the 12C; the train station or gare de Dinan built in 1931 with ceramic mosaics maps inside showing the railroad lines and a map of the city of Dinan; the station is built in the neo Breton style of Ar Seiz Breur.
The city is rich in museums and we like many but these are the best in my opinion:
The museum castle of Dinan, rue du Château ,history of Dinan from antiquities to now decorative arts, fine arts and religious art. Tour de l’Horloge, rue de l’Horloge f or a tour up 45 meters and the bell of Anne de Bretagne., and Musée Remember 1939-1945 , at 16 rue du Pont de la Haye, showing about 6000 items from cigarette boxes to airplane engines, artillery, uniforms, vehicles, and reconstruction of a blockhaus and history of the resistance in the area.
Some webpages to help you plan your visit to wonderful Dinan, and you should are:
The city of Dinan on sights: https://www.dinan.fr/8/decouvrir
The Dinan Cap Fréhel tourist office: https://www.dinan-capfrehel.com/notre-destination/destination-dinan-cap-frehel/
The Côtes d’Armor tourist office on Dinan: https://www.cotesdarmor.com/sites-incontournables/dinan/
The Bretagne tourist board on Dinan: https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/cap-frehel-saint-malo-mont-saint-michel-bay/dinan/
And voilà, this is beautiful Dinan, worth the detour me think. Hope you enjoy the introduction and do read my other posts on the city and this one of course.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 