Page 283 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - France

Fort La Latte on its rocky
headland on the shores
of scenic Côte d’Emeraude

Its splendid medieval Château de Vitré is and home to Mme de Sévigné
complete with pencil-point turrets and (1626–96), the famous letter-
has picturesque 15th- to 16th-century writer and chronicler of life at
the court of Louis XIV. The park,
buildings in attendance. chapel and some of her rooms
are open to the public (guided
tours only; book in advance).
de la Frênaye, the medieval overlooking the lovely Vilaine
Fort La Latte provides good Valley. Its splendid medieval Château de Vitré
views from high in its ancient Château de Vitré is complete " ⌂ Ille-et-Vilain § 02 99
watchtower; the 30-m- (98-ft-) with pencil- point turrets and 75 04 54 # 8:30am–5:30pm
tall lighthouse that dominates has a range of picturesque Mon–Fri, 8:30am–12:30pm
Cap Fréhel nearby provides 15th- to 16th-century buildings Sat & Sun ¢ Pub hols
even more extensive vistas. in attendance. The castle was
To the east of Dinard, the rebuilt during the 14th–15th Château des Rochers-
D186 runs onward to St-Malo, centuries and has a triangular Sévigné
crossing the Barrage de la plan. Some of its ramparts are " ' ⌂ Ille-et-Vilain
Rance. Built in 1966 it was the walkable, and in the Tour St- § 02 99 96 76 51 # Apr–
world’s first dam to generate Laurent there is a museum. Sep: 11am–5pm daily
electricity by using the power To the east, rue Beaudrairie
of the tides. Beyond St-Malo, and rue d’Embas are lined by
coves and beaches surround some historic over hanging PICTURE PERFECT
La Guimorais, while around timber-frame houses that The Côte
the Pointe du Grouin the seas have remarkable patterning. d’Emeraude
are often truly emerald. The Cathédrale Notre- Running to the west of
Dame, built in Flamboyant the River Rance, almost
Gothic style during the 15th as far as fairy-tale Mont
29 to 16th centuries, has a south St-Michel, the Emerald
façade with an exterior stone
Coast has deserted
Vitré pulpit. A little further along beaches and wild rocky
rue Notre-Dame is access to headlands, such as
! C2 ⌂ Ille-et-Vilaine £ @ promenade du Val, which skirts those of the striking Cap
n Place Général de Gaulle; Fréhel peninsula, and
www.bretagne-vitre.com around the town’s 13th- to
17th-century ramparts. the dramatic Fort La
The fortified town of Vitré, To the southeast of Vitré on Latte that clings to a
which is tantalizingly visible the D88 is the Château des rocky promontory over
from the Laval to Rennes Rochers-Sévigné, home of the grey-green sea.
autoroute, is set high on a hill the Sévigné family from 1410
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