Dinan Just Might Be Northern France’s Most Charming Medieval Village

Dinan is an absolutely adorable medieval town in northern Bretagne, just south of Saint-Malo and not far from Mont St. Michel and Rennes.

The walled village is full of half-timbered and charming stone buildings, with winding streets, cobblestoned lanes, beautiful views over the countryside, the Rance River on one side, rolling hills on the other, and plenty of greenery and flowers accenting the streets.

Truly, Dinan is one of the prettiest villages in all of France and makes for an excellent day trip. While you could easily spend hours just wandering the streets and admiring the charming facades, there are also plenty of interesting things to see and do in Dinan.

If you’re visiting Bretagne (known as Brittany in English), I’d highly recommend prioritizing a visit to this historic city.

10 Delightful Things to Do in Dinan, Bretagne’s Most Adorable Village

1. Chateau de Dinan

Dating back to the 1000s (!!! – so old!), the Château de Dinan played a key role in defending the Bretagne region in the Middle Ages, as warring nobles battled for control of the countryside.

The castle is primarily composed of two tall towers connected by a passageway, and serves as the heart of the city’s walled defenses. From the top of the towers, you’ll get great views over the south and west of the city, as well as back over the charming village itself.

Inside, you can explore various rooms, including the arms room with weaponry and chain mail, a chapel, a prison, a serving hall, a bedroom, and even a game room.

One particularly amusing feature is the small “bathrooms” tucked off the spiral staircases, complete with holes that drop straight to the ground below!

• Hours: Open daily April-Sept, 10:30am-6:30pm, 6:30pm or 7pm; Tues-Sun Oct-Dec 10:30am-12:30pm, 1:30pm-5:30pm
• Cost: €8

2. Walk the Ramparts

Dinan’s ramparts, or city walls, encircle the entire Old Town, and connect to the Château de Dinan. These historic city walls stretch for three kilometers and are among the best-preserved in France.

There are multiple access points to the ramparts, including near the Jerzual Gate and the Jardin Anglais. Walking along the walls gives you fantastic views over the countryside, the Rance River, and the picturesque village below.

3. Clock Tower

The Clock Tower, or La Tour de l’Horloge, was built at the end of the 14th century as part of the town hall and served as both a watchtower and a clock tower.

Today, you can climb the spiral staircase to see the old gear mechanism that ran the bells and then continue to the top for panoramic views. About halfway up, the stone spiral staircase switches to a wooden staircase—a very unique feature for towers in France.

At 43 meters/141 feet high, the views from the top are fantastic. Highlights include looking over the old town and the distinctive landmarks of the two churches in Dinan. This was a great attraction in Dinan that shouldn’t be missed!

• Cost: €4

4. Couvent des Cordeliers

The Couvent des Cordeliers is an old Franciscan monastery dating back to the 1200’s, when the Francisian order first arrived in Dinan.

Today, the convent is used by the local high school, but during the summer months the rooms are used for art exhibitions by local artists.

We walked through a few of the shops and there are some incredibly talented artists with their work on display. We ended up buying a print of a whimsical scene from St. Malo painted by a very friendly local lady. 

5. Basilique Saint Sauveur

The Saint Sauveur Basilica dates back to the 1100’s and is a beautiful cobination of Gothic, Romanesque, and Byzantine architecure. The church is notable for its wooden roof, its very asymmetrical design, and its beautiful stained glass windows.

Don’t miss the small greenspace behind the church that connects to the city ramparts. 

6. Eglise Saint Malo

The Saint Malo Chuch, the second of the grand, soaring churches in the Old Town of Dinan, was originally started in the 1400’s but was not completely finsihed until 1865. 

It was built in flamboyant Gothic style, a similar style to what you see in the churches in Rouen.

Interestingly, this church was built to replace the previous St. Malo church, which was purposefully destroyed by the village to prevent attackers from using it as a base to attack Dinan.

The reconstruction, was originally personally financed by Count Johan II de Rohan, the governor of Dinan, and then Queen Anne of Bretagne in the early 1500s.

7. Walk the Pretty Streets

As with many towns in France, wandering through the charming streets is truly one of the best things to do in Dinan, as the Medieval town is well-preserved and oh-so adorable.

Truly, there’s not a bad street inside the walled city, but definitely don’t miss:

• Rue de la Mittrie
• Rue Haute Voie
• Rue de Jerzual
• Rue du Petit Four
• Rue de la Cordonnerie

Of these, Rue de Jerzual, which turns into Rue du Petit Four, is the absolute must-see, with some of the prettiest street views you can find anywhere in France.

Interestingly, Rue de Jerzual was home to many weavers and tanners in the 14th to 18th centuries. Note that this street is a hill that descends to the port, and walking back up it can be a bit tiring! (But totally worth it). 

8. Le Port

The port has been an important part of the industry of Dinan since the 11th century, when trade, in particular the cloth trade, moved up and down the Rance River, between Saint Malo on the coast and the villages further inland.

Today, river trade has pretty much become non-existent, so most of the riverboats are pleasure boats.

The port is incredibly charming, with a stone walkway along the river, restaurants and cafes lining the promenade with open-air terraces, and the Vieux Pont, or the “Old Bridge” crossing the river. 

From the port, you can join a river cruise that takes you on a short sightseeing cruise on the Rance, floating past idyllic villages and countryside, bridges, ruined castles, and other sites.

There’s 2 good options for sightseeing cruises:

• The Jaman V – a 1 hour cruise
• The Compagnie Corsaire – a 2.5 hour cruise

You can also walk or bike along the riverpath that heads south from the Old Port and takes you as far as Léhon, another charmingly adorable hamlet that’s just a 30 minute walk south of the Port. 

9. Jerzual Gate

There are four city gates in Dinan that provided access to the walled city during Medieval times. La Porte de Jerzual, or the Jerzual Gate, is one of the most prominent gates and is located right off the Rue de Jerzual.

This street leads directly down to the port, so the Jerzual Gate, constructed in the 13th century, was designed to protect the city from access via the river.

Want to see other city gates? There’s also the Porte de Saint-Malo and the Porte Cardinal.

10. Eat a Kouign Amann

One of Bretagne’s most iconic regional specialties is the kouign amann (pronounced coon yah-mahn), a flaky, layered, caramelized pastry. You can find kouign amann all around town, but there were two standout locations for us:

• Steeve McKouign: The best traditional Kouign Amann we tried in Bretagne
• Gat & Vous: Incredible raspberry kouign amann that I’m still dreaming about! 

Map of Attractions in Dinan

How to Get to Dinan

Renting a Car: If you are planning to visit several cities, and especially smaller spots like Dinan, renting a car is a great way to get around Bretagne.

Parking in Dinan wasn’t too hard to find, though it will be busier in summer. There is a large lot near the tourism office located here. There are several other lots along that same main road – Rue General de Gaulle (D795) .

Public transit option: There is a train station in Dinan that can be used to arrive from Saint Malo and Rennes. There is also a bus route between both cities – Line 7. The train takes about an hour from each city, the bus about 1 h 45 min from each.