Spend a Day with Me in Dinan, Brittany

It is the beginning of February, and we are midway through the “grey days of winter”. The days are getting noticeably longer and the promise of spring is within sight. Today, we happen to be blessed with clear, blue skies and plenty of sunshine. While I need to put on several layers on from head to toe just to take a brief walk with my dog, I am happy to breathe in the brisk air and feel the sunshine on my face.

As often happens, my mind drifts off to my beloved Brittany, and what I would be doing if I were there today. I imagine that I’m in the medieval town of Dinan, on the Rance River …

It’s Saturday, and I’m up with the sun. There is a hazy fog floating above the river. As my coffee is brewing, I peek outside my window to see fisherman seated in little folding chairs at the riverbank, patiently waiting the morning’s catch. Seagulls fly in circles above them, curious to see if they’ve caught anything of interest. A boat or two drifts slowly down the river. It is still very quiet at the port, though I hear the restauranteurs and shopowners starting to arrive further down the road.

I drink a cup of coffee then head to the boulangerie. It’s only a 5-minute walk, and straight away I can smell the familiar scent of buttery breads and croissants, and it makes the short walk seem like an eternity.

I wait my turn in line, and look into the cases filled with far breton, kouign amann, quiches, and much more. While the kouign amann pastries are alluring, I remind myself that I can purchase one later, after my walk. The only question is, will I choose kouign amann nature or framboise? Perhaps the best choice is … both!

I watch the woman behind the counter greet everyone with a warm smile. She somehow remembers how each person likes their bread sliced, their favorite flavor of quiche or pastry. I appreciate how she takes her time with each customer, making sure they are completely happy with their purchase, and how the rest of the people in line casually wait their turn.

Once I am chez moi, I eat my croissant slowly, dipping it into the traditional little round bowl, this one with my name etched on it, a gift from my dear friend Isabelle.

It’s time to restock my refrigerator, so I need to make the trek into town. The little grocery store in city center is open only a few hours on Sunday, so I try to do all of my shopping on Saturdays and Wednesdays, topped off with fresh fruits and veggies gathered at the weekly market on Thursdays.

I walk down to the edge of the port and slowly make my way up Rue du Petit Fort, easily the most photographed street in Dinan.

I stop to say Bonjour to Claude at Maison Blue Lin along the way.

I tell myself I don’t need another vintage green bottle or red and white striped linen cloth, but she carefully selects each piece she lists in her shop and it is quite difficult to resist. I do treasure the old cafe pot that I bought during my last stay. I like to fill it with fresh flowers from the market. There’s nothing like giving something old new life.

As is almost always the case, I find myself taking 45 minutes to walk the 20 minutes into town, mainly because I get lost in the beauty of the cobbled streets and timbered houses.

And then, there is the blue door…

I have countless photos of this particular door, taken in every season and time of day. What is the lure, you ask? I can’t explain. I do know that just about everyone who sees it stops in their tracks. Is it the color? The shape, maybe? Perhaps it is both. And the sharp contrast of the bright pink hydrangeas agains the muted grey wall? Well, they certainly add to the effect. Whatever it is, I am fairly confident that you will find me here for several minutes every single time I make this trek.

Once I am able to pull myself away, I walk through this porte…

… that leads me into the old, walled city …

… where Rue du Petit Fort becomes Rue du Jerzual.

I consider walking about the ramparts before lunch and grocery shopping, as it there that one can truly marvel at the beauty of this charming town …

I could spend the day just wandering about, and often do when I don’t have errands to run. What is not to love about these old, narrow streets and buildings, seemingly out of a movie set? Their oddly shaped floors and tilted beams seem almost impossible, and one can only imagine what the inside must look like. Do buildings like this actually exist, one wonders? Yes, yes they do.

The historic center is so beautiful that it still takes my breath away. I love how the sunlight dances on these ancient paned windows.

… but I need to try and not get too distracted. I do, after all, need to replenish my coffee supply before tomorrow morning.

I have some time before lunch, so I stop in to see my friend Mona at her studio. Will she be painting this morning, I wonder? Or perhaps working on some new jewelry?

Since this is an imaginary visit, I’m going to say that the little café next to her studio is open and Mona and I take a little break to enjoy a cup of tea together before I move on to my next stop.

Before heading to Carrefour for groceries, I stop for lunch at D’icidela. There are so many things I love about this little place. I appreciate that their menu changes every day, but always has a vegetarian and carne option and all products are sourced locally.

The food is delicious and beautifully presented in glass jars. The owners are also delightful people, which just adds to the restaurant’s charm.

Once I’ve finished my meal, I’ll walk a few blocks to Carrefour to grab the necessities that couldn’t be purchased at Market Day, held every Thursday morning. To save some time – and my ankles – I will walk through town and down the little footpath back to the port rather than make the trek down le Jerzual. While I love Rue du Jerzual and Rue du Petit Fort, the angle can be a bit tricky to navigate, especially with groceries.

Instead I walk past my favorite little building with the blue door and shutters …

… past the Basilisque, and through the Jardin d’Anglais …

From there it’s just a quick and steep climb down. Now, I’m not sure about you, but I always think I see a face in this rock. Is it just me?

I empty my groceries into my tiny fridge, then think about what I will do next. Maybe take a ride down the river on the Jaman V?

In the end, I opt for another walk. I think I’ll walk along the river this time, to the little town of Lehon.

This is one of my favorite walks, not only because the scenary is breathtaking …

… but also because no matter how I’m feeling that day, I’m immediately reminded of the simple pleasures in life, and am overcome with peace and gratitude.

And I must say that this is one of my favorite bridges in all of Brittany.

Yes, a walk along the river and a stroll through this charming village will put the soul at ease.

I spend a good amount of time wandering about this picturesque town. I watch neighbors chatting, children playing, and a few people riding their bikes slowly down the cobbled streets.

After my stroll, I walk back into Dinan, and because this is how I’d love things to be, restaurants are open and I hear people at the port de Dinan laughing and enjoying the music with their loved ones.

I meet my friend Michelle for a glass of wine and a sweet crepe at Bords de Rance. She and her husband run a gite in Lehon, Quai du Val, and it’s always a pleasure to spend time with her. We discuss plans for an upcoming women’s retreat (stay tuned … this part is not imaginary!).

We sit here a long while, taking pleasure in these little moments. We can hear tourists and locals alike sharing the news of the day and making plans for the remainder of the weekend and all seems very right in the world.

We take our leave as I have company coming over soon. It is my turn to host an apéro with my friends and neighbors. We start with a glass of wine, and nibbling on cheese and crackers, olives and ripe little cherry tomatoes. We spend a few hours like this, talking and laughing, moving from one topic to the other, until about 9 PM when people take their leave to have dinner.

As I wash the dishes (which still need to be done on this imaginary day) I take a peek outside. It’s completely dark and quiet now, except for the low voices of couples walking by the river. The lights from the viaduct shine into the water below and I think of what a miracle it is that such a place exists.

I hope you enjoyed spending a day in Dinan with me. Dinan is an absolute treasure. Anyone who has traveled to this medieval town can tell you that it is worth a visit. I certainly hope that we may all experience the charm that Dinan holds, and soon. Until then, take good care!

General information about Dinan

Dinan tourism office: https://www.dinan-capfrehel.com/en/ This site has anything and everything you would ever want to know about Dinan.

Another wonderful source of information: https://www.brittanytourism.com/destinations/the-10-destinations/cap-frehel-saint-malo-mont-saint-michel-bay/dinan/

Places to go and things to do in Dinan:

The picturesque Rue du Jerzual and Rue du Petit Fort

The historic town center

A walk along the ramparts …

Basilique Saint Saveur and Jardin Anglais

Château de Dinan https://www.chateaudedinan.fr/

Visit Mona’s art gallery at:

L’atelier de Mona 12 Rue de la Lainerie, 22100 Dinan, France http://latelierdemonadinan.com/

Restaurants:

D’icidela 14 Rue des Rouairies, 22100 Dinan, France https://d-ici-de-la.bzh/

Bords de Rance 18 Quai du Tallard, 22100 Lanvallay, France

Galettes are most often served with cider, a delicious combination!

La Lumachelle

80 Rue du Petit Fort, 22100 Dinan, France

Places to stay:

Quai du Val https://www.quaiduval.com/ A fabulous home right on the Rance river. Sleeps up to 7 people.

There is much, more more to see and do in Dinan. If you are planning to visit this amazing town, please let me know. I am happy to organize something for you.

Take good care,

Amy, from Tales from Brittany