France 2022 – Down to the river and up to the castle in historic Dinan

April 23, 2022

On my first full day in Dinan I got up early in order to be able to photograph the wonderful buildings in this town without having to wait for tourists to exit the frame! It was cool and fresh and a light rain had fallen just before I left my apartment. My first destination was the Rue de Jerzual which would lead me down to the river Rance. This steep street was the route between the port on the river and the city on the hill, and was continually busy with the flow of people and goods. It is still a busy pedestrian street for tourists and locals but this morning I had it all to myself.

The buildings, many housing artists’ and crafters’ studios are beautiful!

The road continued steeply down the hill past half-timbered and stone houses and shops.

Part-way down was the Porte Jerzual which was the gateway between the river port and the city. This particular defensive gate was built in the early 14th century, but a gate has been at this location since as early as 1123. The lumber in the archways is there because this is one of the places where stones fell from the ramparts.

From the Porte Jerzual the road (now named the Rue du Petit Fort) continued steeply downhill,

and further downhill,

until finally reaching the River Rance. I walked a short distance upstream to take this photo of the old bridge which crosses the river.

I then walked onto the bridge and took these views looking first upstream and then downstream. The river meets the sea downstream some twenty-five kilometres away at Saint Malo and Dinard.

Returning to the shore, I walked downstream along the cobbled walkway. This river is largely responsible for the growth, prosperity and importance of the town of Dinan during the early middle ages as it provided maritime links with Flanders and England for the trade of linen cloth, leather goods, wood, and agricultural products. Ships were hauled upstream by mules and men!

Looking back upstream, the tall viaduct was built in 1852 to bring goods and people into the upper city as an alternative to the narrow and steep Rue de Jerzual. The viaduct was routed to bring traffic to the city along the outside of the medieval walls, thus helping to ensure the preservation of most of the town’s ramparts and towers.

I returned to the old bridge,

and then turned right to return up the Rue de Petit Fort as far as the Porte Jerzual.

Rather than passing through the gate, I took a staircase to the left which led to a pathway leading steeply uphill along the base of the ramparts. Soon I reached the base of the Tour Sainte-Catherine, one of the oldest towers in the 13th century walls.

The trail continued uphill to the next tower, and before passing through it I took a photo of the trail below, the walls leading towards the Tour Sainte-Catherine, and the view down over the viaduct, port, and river.

Once I passed up and through the tower, the path continued along the top of the ramparts, with an excellent view towards the back of the Saint Sauveur church and the tall trees of the Jardin Anglais, and also more views down over the river valley.

I was able to walk on the ramparts almost all of the way around to the 14th century castle which consists of a tall keep with its roof top terrace, the Tour de Coetquen which I am standing on for this photo, and the Porte du Guichet entrance gate which is built in the wall between the keep and the tower.

The castle keep looked small to me from the outside but there was a lot to this castle and it was presented really well. The tour route began with a walk on the ramparts, past the four flags to where I am on Coetquen tower which was built in the late 15th century to strengthen the defences of the keep. The keep, or ducal tower, was the principal residence of the dukes of Brittany for several centuries.

In the guard room of the Coetquen tower there was a model of the ramparts and towers of Dinan and some information about the strategic importance of the site and of sieges over time.

On another floor, there was a small display of armour and armaments from the 13th to the 15th centuries.

A tunnel at the base of the tower allowed guards to pass undetected from the Coetquen tower to the keep.

After entering the keep, the tour led first down to the large kitchen in the basement with its massive fireplace, well, and water drainage system.

Rising up to the next level I entered the banqueting hall, a large reception space meant to impress guests. Elaborate meals with an abundance and variety of dishes were served to display the duke’s wealth and prestige.

The principal room on the next floor was the ”Facing Room” where the dukes received homage from their vassals and rendered justice. The dukes would sit on a high-backed seat that was set on a dais bearing their coat of arms.

Also on this level was a small chapel that would have been reserved for the use by the duke and his family.

Here is the retiring room where the duke would meet with his family and closest advisors, and there were also private apartments and garderobes adjacent.

As well as these principal rooms, there was access to and information about many other rooms and anterooms. The top level of the castle keep was reserved for guards and in this room there was an audiovisual presentation that showed the evolution of the castle over the centuries. It was amazing to me how many changes occurred over time with entire walls being moved, dry moats dug, drawbridges added, gates and towers fortified etc. The physical changes to the castle evolved in partnership with the fortunes and ownership of the castle through time and through wars with England and the King of France. The castle was abandoned in the mid 17th century as it had fallen into disrepair and it was partially restored at the beginning of the 18th century to be used as a prison for captured English sailors and soldiers. (It would have been a terrible imprisonment in small, cold, dark and dank stone cells.) Finally, it became a civil prison from 1817 until 1904 and then was bought by the city of Dinan to be used as a museum. The current, excellent restorations, tour route, and educational displays were completed in 2019. I highly recommend a visit if you are ever in Dinan!

I exited the castle through the Porte Guichet. Flanked by two towers, the gate’s defences included a portcullis, murder holes, and seventeen arrow slits.

From here, I had a good view of the keep from its base. I walked past the keep and along the wide promenade that paralleled the eastern edge of the city walls.

Along the walk I passed another large tower, a narrow tower which once held a bascule drawbridge, and a very narrow tower which very well could have been the tower which held Rapunzel.

And that was just my morning! After lunch and a restful hour or two in my apartment I explored more of this wonderful town, but this post is surely long enough already so I’ll end here. Apologies for all of the historical details – I did try to whittle it down! (Though I know several readers of this blog who love this stuff as much as I do.) As always, thank you for reading.