Plage du Sillon

The Plage du Sillon, also called the Grande Plage, is the longest beach in Saint-Malo, a broad strip of sand running for about three kilometres from the walled city towards the districts of Paramé and Rothéneuf. It is backed by the Digue, a seawall promenade lined with hotels, villas and cafés, and it faces the open sea.

The beach is known for its rows of tall oak trunks, the brise-lames, planted in the 19th century to break the force of the waves and protect the seawall. Weathered by salt and wind, they have become one of the most photographed sights in Saint-Malo, especially at sunrise and at low tide. Because the tidal range is so large, the beach changes completely through the day: at low tide the sand stretches far out, while during the big equinox tides the waves can break over the Digue itself, a spectacle that draws crowds.

In summer the beach is popular for swimming, sunbathing, sailing and other water sports, and land yachting takes place on the wide sands at low tide. From its western end, near the walls of the old town, the Fort National is reached across the sand at low tide. The beach is free and open at all times, and a walk along the Digue makes a good complement to the ramparts.