Château de Saint-Malo

The Château de Saint-Malo stands at the northeast corner of the Intra-Muros, its massive granite towers visible from the ramparts and from the sea. Built in the 14th century and expanded under Anne of Brittany and successive French kings, it served as the seat of royal authority over the theoretically independent city — Saint-Malo had a reputation for fierce independence and the motto "Ni Français, ni Breton, Malouin suis" (Neither French nor Breton, I am from Saint-Malo).

Today the castle houses the Musée d'Histoire de Saint-Malo, which covers the city's maritime past: the corsairs (officially licensed pirates), Jacques Cartier's voyages to Canada, and the city's role in the slave trade. The museum is intelligent and doesn't romanticise the corsair history. The tower offers good views over the old town and bay.

things to do museum sight
A story
The castle has an unexpected connection to one of the great naval disasters in history. In 1693, the French privateer René Duguay-Trouin — who was born in Saint-Malo — was captured by the English and briefly held here before escaping. He later became one of the most successful corsairs in French history, sacking Rio de Janeiro in 1711 in retaliation for a Portuguese attack on a French fleet.