| Dinan is the mediaeval jewel of NW France. The war passed by in both 1940 and 1944, leaving the buildings and streets of the old town undamaged. A mediaeval atmosphere can can still be felt in this city, so favoured by the famous Duchess Anne of Brittany (whose coat-of-arms adorns the Britanny flag), as one walks through the narrow streets with their picturesque half-timbered houses. The church of St.Sauveur is relatively undistinguished as a building, but it contains the heart of Bertrand du Guesclin, one of France's greatest heros. (He was the key general in the later part of the 14th C., and won back most of English-occupied France for the French king.)
The clock-tower offers a vast panorama of the city and the surrounding countryside. Much of this may also be seen by walking the ramparts. One of the best viewpoints along the ramparts is the English Garden, a considerable height above the modern road viaduct which itself towers above the river Rance and the old port. For Dinan is a city on two levels and these days the old port teems with yachts whose crews mingle with other tourists in the many restaurants at this level. A very steep hill, lined with antique and curiosity shops, joins the old port to the mediaeval town 280 feet above. |
