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Do I need to buy boat(cruise) đŸšŁâ€â™€ïž tickets from Dinan to St, Malo in advanced?

We are staying in Dinan from August 28-Sep1 (we have a car), but thinking to take a boat cruise to St. Malo (It looks like a nice trip) on August 30 - Do I need to buy boat tickets in advance? Or I can do it when we will be there. I am not 100% sure I want to spend a whole day for one city - car giving us mobility to make other stops On way back or come back to Dinan earlier and spend afternoon at Dinan.

Thank you very much for suggestions.

Posted by
740 posts

Only ferry i can think of is passenger only, is that what you mean?
And just a point neither St Malo or Dinan are cities, just small towns😀. And very beaitiful. I can easily spend a weekend in St Malo with out any bother, its lovely, and bigger than Dinan

Posted by
33763 posts

I can't figure out the emoticon on the question title.

I can't see it well enough. Can anybody tell what it is?

Posted by
7863 posts

I didn't know this existed:
https://www.compagniecorsaire.com/en/destinations/entry-267-dinan-and-the-rance-river.html

At 2:45 one-way (as I read the French), it's longer than driving. But I agree that on a nice day it could be lovely. August could be very hot, even on the coast. It's not clear to me how long you could spend in St. Malo, which is worth a couple of hours itself. This is the height of the European vacation season, but it is too small a product to know (in the U.S.) if it will sell out every day. You certainly don't want to get stuck in St. Malo without your car, if you are sleeping in Dinan.

Do I understand the timetable to say that there is ONE departure from Dinan on August 30, at 9:30AM, and a return from St. Malo at 18:30? The brochure recommends reservations because of tidal and river conditions: " Il est donc recommandé de réserver pour avoir confirmation des dates et horaires."

You are also asking if St. Malo is worth an entire day. In season, with the massive luxury marina to walk around, as well as inside the walls and the beach, it's just worth a day. But if you only have one night in Dinan, you have to get half a day for Dinan. Both towns could be said to be touristy, but I liked St. Malo better. That's very much an opinion.

Posted by
10146 posts

Nigel — for me the emoji in the question/title shows as a person rowing a red boat.

Posted by
14671 posts

I don't know anything about the boat but I'd say Saint-Malo has at least enough for 1 full day and like Caro - I'd spend a whole weekend there easily!

There is the old city centre area - within the walls/intramuros, as well as the 3 islets (Fort National, Grand Be, Petite Be) which can only be reached when the tide is out so that might take some time. I loved walking the walls including looking over at the swimming pool which is completely submerged when the tide is in! All you can see is the diving board sticking out of the water. One thing I did not get to was the Memorial 39-45 museum just outside the city walls which includes German bunkers from WWII. I was staying in Saint-Malo with a tour group and some of the members did the tour of the privateer/corsair's home. It was in French only but they said it was self-explanatory enough that they felt it was a good value.

To me just watching the tide turn was a fascinating event. Wow....it comes in fast!

Posted by
42 posts

Very Sorry for the emoji I didn’t know name boat cruise or ferry, what I found online only one company sailing there https://www.compagniecorsaire.com/en/destinations/entry-267-dinan-and-the-rance-river.html
I was thinking maybe someone has experience with this trip already. We will be sleeping in Dinan 3 nights and 4 whole days, I hope spending some time there in the morning and afternoon but also I am trying to make day trips from Dinan to St. Malo and Mont St. Michel

Posted by
8538 posts

You won't get stuck in St. Malo if staying in Dinan even if the boat is full because there is frequent bus service between the two; obviously check the time tables while there to know when the last bus is.