Pointe du Grouin and Cancale
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Pointe du Grouin

Along the coast east of St-Malo is the Pointe du Grouin, a perilous and windy height, which offers spectacular views of the pinnacle of Mont St-Michel and the bird sanctuary of the Îles des Landes to the east. Just south of the pointe, and less than 15km from St-Malo across the peninsula, CANCALE is renowned for its Oysters. In the old church of St-Méen at the top of the hill, the town's obsession is documented with meticulous precision by the small Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires (July & Aug Mon 2.30–6.30pm, Tues–Sun 10am–noon & 2.30–6.30pm; June & Sept Thurs–Sun 2.30–6.30pm, and groups by appointment on 02.99.89.71.26; €2.29). Cancale Oysters were found in the camps of Julius Caesar, taken daily to Versailles for Louis XIV and even accompanied Napoléon on the march to Moscow.

From the rue des Parcs next to the jetty of the port, you can see at low tide the parcs where the Oysters are grown. The rocks of the cliff behind are streaked and shiny like mother-of-pearl; underfoot the beach is littered with countless generations of empty shells. The port area is very pretty and very smart, with a long line of upmarket glass-fronted hotels and restaurants. Cancale's hotels mostly insist that you eat if you want to stay; among the best value are La Houle, with its Nice balconies overlooking the middle of the port at 18 quai Gambetta (tel 02.99.89.62.38; €40–55), and Le Phare (tel 02.99.89.60.24; €55–70; closed Thurs in low season) and the Émeraude (tel 02.99.89.61.76; €70–85), both set above their own restaurants, at nos. 6 and 7 respectively on quai Thomas. Budget travellers can head instead for the hostel 2km north of town at Port Picain (tel 02.99.89.62.62, [email protected]; closed Jan), where a dorm bed costs €9 for the night. Au Pied de Cheval, 10 quai Gambetta (tel 02.99.89.76.95), is an informal place to sample a few Oysters, with great baskets of them spread across its wooden quayside tables. A dozen raw Oysters on a bed of seaweed can cost just €4.