Dinan, Medieval town in Brittany, France
Dinan is a fortified town in the Côtes-d'Armor department of northwestern Brittany, sitting on hilltops above the Rance River valley. Its narrow cobblestone streets link the historic center to the waterfront harbor district, accessible through a steep descent.
The town walls were built during the 13th and 14th centuries, when this spot became an important trading station between coastal ports and the Breton inland. The Duchess Anne Tower, named after the Breton duchess, remains one of the largest surviving keeps in the region.
The name Dinan comes from a Celtic word meaning fortress, and this heritage still shapes how the town appears with its craft workshops tucked behind centuries-old facades. Residents use the steep lanes for daily journeys between the upper quarter and the harbor, while artists and potters work in the ground floors of their stone houses.
A visit in the morning offers quieter lanes and better light for walking along the fortifications. The steep sections between the old quarter and the harbor require sturdy footwear and some stamina for the ascent and descent.
Every two years in July, the entire center transforms into a living medieval scene, with locals in period costumes moving through the lanes. The event fills the streets with jousting tournaments, craft demonstrations, and reenacted scenes from earlier centuries.
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