Rue du Jerzual down to the Port
1 hNo pushchairs
The steep cobbled street that goes down from the upper town to the Rance port, among timber-framed houses and workshops; free, one hour.
From Saint-MaloAbout 30 km
RampartsAbout 2.7 km
Best timeMay · Jun · Sep
Minimum timeHalf a day
What to do
What to do in Dinan
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Ramparts and Wall Walk
1 h · 2.7 kmAll agesDog-friendly
About 2,650 m of medieval wall with five gates; the Jerzual wall walk, restored in 2026, is free every day.
Clock Tower
30 minApril to early November
A 43 m municipal tower from the 15th century, with one of the oldest clocks in Europe and a view over Dinan; April to October, €4.
From €4
How to do it
Plan the trip
Dinan, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Dinan
May, June and September, with terraces open at the port and no queues on the rue du Jerzual. In July and August there are lots of people at midday. In winter the town is still lively, but the tower and the boat on the Rance close.
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
Dinan your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
Dinan by Car, Parking Outside the Old Town
Dinan is half an hour from Saint-Malo by the D137 and D168, and an hour from Rennes by the N137 and N176. The car lets you combine it with the coast on the same day. Inside the ramparts the streets are narrow and in summer the street is paid: leave the car in a car park and get around on foot.
90–150 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHôtel Arvor, in the upper…
- Getting aroundJean Monnet car park, free…
- EatingCrêperie du Roy for a…
- ServicesTourist office on rue du…
Where to sleep
- Hôtel Arvor, in the upper town, with paid private parking that you book
- Hôtel Le D'Avaugour, at the Champ Clos, with public parking opposite
Getting around
- Jean Monnet car park, free all year
- P1 Plaine du Port to start from below, at the harbour
- On Thursday mornings, place Duguesclin and the Champ Clos are market
Eating
- Crêperie du Roy for a quick galette
- Colibri or Evezhea for a sit-down meal
Services
- Tourist office on rue du Château
Dinan Without a Car, by Train or Boat
Dinan is easy to visit without a car: everything is on foot, you arrive by regional train and, in season, you can arrive by river on the Compagnie Corsaire boat from Saint-Malo and Dinard. The slopes are the only thing that tires you.
80–140 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHôtel Le D'Avaugour, about 12…
- Getting aroundTER to Dol-de-Bretagne, with a…
- EatingThursday market for the picnic
- ServicesDinan station
Where to sleep
- Hôtel Le D'Avaugour, about 12 minutes' walk from the station
- Hôtel Arvor, in the upper town, with everything to hand
Getting around
- TER to Dol-de-Bretagne, with a connection to the Paris TGV and to Saint-Malo
- Boat on the Rance from Saint-Malo, one trip a day in season
- On foot along the towpath to Léhon
Eating
- Thursday market for the picnic
- Crêperie du Roy, on the way down to the harbour
Services
- Dinan station
- Tourist office, with the day's boat times
Fly to Rennes or Nantes and Drive to Dinan
The nearest airport is Rennes Bretagne, a good hour by car, but from Spain it only has a direct flight to Seville in the winter season. The most practical is usually to fly to Nantes Atlantique, with direct flights from Barcelona and Madrid, and drive about two and a half hours; or fly to Paris and take the TGV down to Dol-de-Bretagne or Rennes, and from there a regional train or car.
- Getting thereRennes Bretagne (RNS), about 60…
- Getting aroundHire car at the airport…
- Where to sleepHôtel Le D'Avaugour, near the…
- ServicesDinan station
Getting there
- Rennes Bretagne (RNS), about 60 km away
- Nantes Atlantique (NTE), about 200 km away
- Paris (CDG, ORY) and the TGV from Paris-Montparnasse to Rennes or Dol-de-Bretagne
Getting around
- Hire car at the airport, to combine Dinan with Saint-Malo and the coast
- TER from Dol-de-Bretagne to Dinan if you arrive by TGV
Where to sleep
- Hôtel Le D'Avaugour, near the station, for a first night without a car
- Hôtel Arvor, with parking if you arrive in a hire car
Services
- Dinan station
- Tourist office, on rue du Château
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Dinan for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
Half a day of hills and a flat river
Dinan can be seen quickly and is not tiring if done in the right order: upper town, the Jerzual downhill, port and towpath.
- What works bestThe rue du Jerzual, downhill…
- SleepingHôtel Arvor, in the centre
- EatingCrêperie du Roy for a…
- Bear in mindThe climb back up the…
What works best
- The rue du Jerzual, downhill and with workshops open
- The towpath to Léhon, flat and pushchair-friendly
- The Clock Tower, to see the town from above
Sleeping
- Hôtel Arvor, in the centre
- Camping de la Hallerais, beside the river
Eating
- Crêperie du Roy for a galette
- A picnic from the Thursday market
Bear in mind
- The climb back up the Jerzual is hard with tired children
- The boat from Saint-Malo takes almost three hours
- The tower is only open from April to September
What to do as a family
Ramparts, Harbour and Towpath with the Dog
Dinan is easy to explore with a dog: the ramparts admit it, the towpath runs beside the Rance to Léhon without cars, and the Compagnie Corsaire boat carries it on board with its own ticket. The three places to stay in the town that we list accept animals, each with its own conditions.
- WalksTowpath to Léhon, flat and…
- Where to sleepCamping de la Hallerais: admits…
- Keep in mindOn the return coach from…
Walks
- Towpath to Léhon, flat and by the river: on a lead, as there are cyclists
- The ramparts and their walkway: dogs are admitted
- Boat on the Rance: €3 ticket for the dog, on a lead or in a basket
Where to sleep
- Camping de la Hallerais: admits dogs on pitches and in rentals
- Hôtel Arvor: admits animals, with a supplement
- Hôtel Le D'Avaugour: admits dogs; check the conditions when booking
Keep in mind
- On the return coach from the Rance cruise, dogs are not admitted
- On the towpath, on a lead: it is shared by cyclists and families
What to do with a dog
Where to stay with a dog
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingwithout a carif you're flying
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hôtel Le D'Avaugour
Why we like it: A charming hotel with 21 rooms and three suites on the place du Champ Clos, with a garden and a terrace bar above the ramparts.
Hôtel Arvor
Why we like it: A three-star hotel in an 18th-century house opposite the theatre, inside the upper town; 24 rooms and seven apartments.
From €70
View details
Camping de la Hallerais
Why we like it: A four-star campsite in Taden, beside the Rance, with an indoor and an outdoor pool; about a 30-minute walk from the port of Dinan.
From €25
View details
Services for this trip
Where to eat
Where to eat in Dinan
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Crêperie
Crêperie du Roy
What to order: a savoury buckwheat galette and a wheat crêpe for dessert, with cider in a bolée.
15 rue de la Lainerie · historic centre · closed on Mondays
Colibri
What to order: whatever the menu of the day says; it mixes land and sea produce.
14 rue de la Mittrie · Tuesday to Saturday
Evezhea
What to order: the €39 Arborescence menu if you go on a weekday at lunchtime; Quintessence for a special dinner.
5 rue de la Chaux · closed Monday and Tuesday
Takeaway and markets
Thursday Market, Dinan
Nearby
Near Dinan
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
48.65° N · 2.03° W
Saint-Malo
By carCar-freeBy campervanCampingOn foot
48.68° N · 1.85° W
Cancale
By carBy campervanCampingCar-free
48.64° N · 1.51° W
Mont-Saint-Michel
By carBy campervanBy bikeCar-free
48.02° N · 2.17° W
Brocéliande Forest
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Go down the Jerzual and come back by the port
It is downhill on the way out and uphill on the way back. Wear flat shoes: the cobbles are slippery.
- 2Park outside the old town
Place Duguesclin and place du Champ Clos are car parks, except on Thursday morning, when there is a market.
- 3Check the boat the day before
The timetable changes every day with the tide. If you come by boat, you go back by bus or train.
What is Dinan?
One of the best-preserved walled towns in Brittany: about 2.7 km of ramparts with towers and gates, streets of timber-framed houses and a basilica. Below, on the banks of the Rance, is the port, with a stone viaduct above it. Everything is joined by the rue du Jerzual, cobbled and very steep.
How do you get there?
It is about 30 km from Saint-Malo, half an hour by car. It has a regional railway station. In season, the Compagnie Corsaire sails up the Rance by boat from Saint-Malo and Dinard to the port of Dinan in about 2 h 45; it leaves once a day, at the time set by the tide.
How much time do you need?
Half a day for the upper town, the Jerzual and the port. A whole day if you add the towpath to Léhon or arrive by boat.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth it from Saint-Malo?
Yes, as a half-day or whole-day trip. It combines well with a morning on the beach and an afternoon here.
Can I go by boat?
Yes, in season, with the Compagnie Corsaire: about 2 h 45 along the Rance, one trip a day depending on the tide.
Is it suitable with a pushchair?
The upper town, yes. The rue du Jerzual is cobbled and very steep. The towpath from the port to Léhon is flat.
Do I have to pay to enter the ramparts?
No. The walkway is free. You pay for the Clock Tower and the castle.
Where can I park a motorhome?
Under the viaduct, on rue du Port, there is a motorhome car park with a maximum height of 4 m, and a municipal area at Léhon.