Les Remparts de Saint-Malo

Les Remparts de Saint-Malo is a fortified stone wall that completely surrounds the old city center, accessible for walking along its upper edge at multiple locations. The structure features regular bastions and defensive works spaced throughout its course, allowing views across the water and inland areas.

The wall started in the 12th century as a defensive line around the settlement and expanded over several centuries as threats changed. By the late 1600s, military engineers reinforced weak sections and replaced older towers with stronger formations to resist cannon fire.

The fortifications frame how visitors experience the walled city inside, with gateways marking passages through different districts. Walking along the parapets, you notice how locals and travelers both use these walls as a natural route to move around town.

Access to the walls is free and straightforward, with entry points distributed around the perimeter making it easy to start your walk from any part of town. Plan for windy conditions and bring sun protection, as the walls are fully exposed with little shelter along the route.

Beneath buildings inside the walls runs a network of vaulted underground chambers that dip below sea level, built as part of house foundations. These subterranean spaces reveal how medieval builders adapted to wet ground conditions while maintaining strong structures above.