Dinan (Part 1): around the town and up the clock tower

After spending a night in Rennes, we continued on our vacation in France in the ancient town of Dinan. It is a pretty small town, and gorgeous in a medieval way. The hefty ramparts, cobbled streets and timbered buildings are all part of Dinan's charm. We wanted to explore this part of Brittany, and I chose Dinan as our base because I heard that it wasn't as overrun with tourists like the nearby towns are. And we really enjoyed our stay in this quaint little town. Walking is the best way to explore this town, and a lot of ground can be covered in just one day.

The road to our hotel (Hotel de la Porte Saint-Malo):

A short walk from our hotel was Porte Saint-Malo, the medieval gateway into the main part of town:

Rue de Jerzual, the steep and scenic route down to the old port by the River Rance, the birthplace of Dinan about 1000 years ago (townsfolk later retreated to the bluff behind the current fortifications). We explored this route later on (to be covered in Part 2):

A talented one-man-band busker performing in the town's centre:

An old but functioning carousel:

Inside Église Saint-Malo (Saint Malo's Church):

It is very peaceful and tranquil inside Saint Malo's Church. Even our active and noisy boy hushed when he entered the doors:

One of the stained glass windows of Saint Malo's Church:

Château de Dinan, which also houses the local museum:

Tour de L'Horloge, also known as the Clock Tower, as viewed from the streets. For a small fee, tourists can enter the tower, climb up 158 steps to get to the top and enjoy the beautiful view. Our boy really wanted to go up the clock tower (related to his obsession with the Eiffel Tower), so we did:

The old clock movement manufactered in 1498 by a German watchmaker, Hamzer, and was used until 1847:

We made it to the top, and enjoyed vast views. This is the view facing east towards Saint-Sauver's Basilica. Click on image for larger view:

The quiet streets of Dinan from above:

The view facing north-west, towards Saint Malo's Church where we were before. Click on image for larger view:

Zooming in on Saint Malo's Church:

The clock bell that rings on the hours and quarters:

What goes up must come down. Climbing back down to street level:

This post covers only part of our exploration in Dinan. Stay tuned for more!