A small town of character located at equal distance from Saint-Malo and Mont Saint-Michel, Dol de Bretagne deserves a stop. You will be charmed by its cobbled streets, its imposing cathedral and its unobstructed view of the bay of Mont Saint-Michel.
Dol de Bretagne is characterized by the presence of the prestigious St Samson cathedral, known as one of the most beautiful in the region. Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, the cathedral is the legacy of a prestigious past.
This small Breton town, an ancient medieval city, has ramparts to the north and south, a sign of a past military presence. But Dol de Bretagne is also a character town marked by wooded houses. The Maison des Plaids, for example, has been recognized as the oldest building in Brittany.
From the Saint Samson Cathedral, by taking the pretty little Rue Ceinte, lined with typical houses, you will reach the town centre.
Walking along the main street of Dol de Bretagne, very popular for shopping, is also a nice walk. You go up the Grande Rue des Stuart on one side, up to the Place Chateaubriand and down on the other sidewalk to the Place Toullier. All along this very lively street, you will discover houses with half-timbering walls.
It is also where a fabulous market is held every Saturday morning, with a multitude of exhibitors, which attracts a considerable crowd. Don’t miss out on the traditional “galette-saucisse” (sausage crepe) as you stroll through this very famous market.
In the calm of the ramparts, you can stroll along the moat promenade, a green space overlooking the Marais de Dol, then visit the Cathédraloscope, the Museum of Cathedral Builders, which explains in great detail the architecture and symbolism of the Cathedrals.
Classified as a historical monument since the end of the 19th century, the Menhir du Champ Dolent is a magnificent testimony of the Neolithic period.
This menhir, conical in shape, is more than 9 m high. Its presence is the subject of many legends. One of them tells that the menhir sprang from the earth to separate two armies led by two brothers, during a war that had already caused too much bloodshed. Another says that the Menhir gradually sank underground with each death. When it will have totally disappeared, the hour of the Last Judgement will have come…
3 km from Dol de Bretagne is the Mont-Dol, a granite rock 65 metres high, from the top of which there is an exceptional view of the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel.
Legend has it that this is where the Archangel Saint Michel struck down the Dragon and that the rock has traces of it: the Devil’s claws and Saint Michel’s footprints.
It is a pleasant halt. Picnic areas have been set up in the shade of the trees and there is a creperie at the top of the Mount.
