Saturday in Saint Malo

     Saturday was our first excursion outside of Rennes!  We took a bus one hour north of the city to the sea and Saint Malo, which is a historic port city surrounded by granite walls and has a long history of piracy.  Today, it is a popular tourist spot with museums, cafes, shops and beaches.

    In the morning, we toured the “Demeure de Corsaire” which was built in 1725 for Auguste Magon de la lande, a shipowner and corsair.  We learned about the lives of pirates and sailors during the 17th century, we discovered hidden staircases, and heard stories of the English Mastiff guard dogs that made sure everyone was home by curfew during the 1600s.  

    After our tour we walked the ramparts around the city of Saint Malo which gave us beautiful views of both the sea and the town.  We had a picnic lunch next to the seaside, but had to be very careful of the brave seagulls who wanted to steal our lunches. I think we had a couple of attacks!  We also were able to experience how quickly the tide went down. When we first arrived in Saint Malo there was a high tide and we could see several islands off the coast.  By the time we finished our lunches, the tide had receded quite a bit, revealing a swimming pool and a path out to the two islands, “The Grand Blé” and “The Petit Blé”. The students were given free time in the afternoon to explore Saint Malo,  the islands, and even do some swimming! We have a brave group that wasn’t afraid to swim in cool temperatures or jump off the diving platform. All in all, it was a lovely Saturday as a group and time to bond together even more outside of classes.