Races in Saint-Malo

It wasn’t François-René de Chateaubriand who wrote the story of his city, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t captivating. Vikings and Kings of France followed one another in Saint-Malo. Bombed in 1944 during World War II, the small town of Ille-et-Vilaine (45,000 inhabitants, and yes it’s not exactly Tokyo, huh) took a different turn afterwards. A fortress and major hub of maritime trade, the privateer city has today become a famous seaside resort in Brittany, notably thanks to its beautiful beaches facing the English Channel and its renowned privateer city. 

Your adventure in Saint-Malo starts MAND-A-TO-RI-LY with the old town (or Intra-Muros) and Place Chateaubriand. You can walk the ramparts (ideal for an unofficial urban trail run, by the way), with direct access to beaches such as Bon-Secours, Môle, Éventail or Grand Sillon, before getting lost in the many lively cobbled alleys of the center. Of course, it’s not over! A quick stop at Fort(midable) National, or in the cité d’Aleth, where you can catch sight of the ruins of Saint Peter’s Cathedral. The Privateer’s House and the Church of Saint-Sauveur are also among the city’s most visited monuments. If you’re in the area, go explore the surroundings, especially the Parc de Briantais and its famous Rance Estuary, at the end of which lies Grand Bé Island (that one will leave you open-mouthed for sure). Want even more? Just a few strides away, go discover the Pointe du Meinga or the Sculpted Rocks of Rothéneuf. It’s clearly worth a look... and what’s more, it’s only 7 km on foot, enough for a great unofficial outing 🙂.

But in our opinion, the best is to discover the privateer city while running! The most popular running spots in Saint-Malo are, unsurprisingly, the loop around the ramparts and Grand Sillon Beach. You can also take part in the “Run&Visit”, a 5K offered by the tourist office! If you like to go big, we can even suggest the city’s best-known trail races, because Saint-Malo’s race calendar is pretty cool! Let’s mention Intrail-Muros or La Passagère, a great point-to-point that links Dinard and Saint-Malo. If point-to-points are your thing, you can also opt for the Cancale–Saint-Malo half marathon. You can also sign up for great races taking place just a stone’s throw from Saint-Malo, like the Emerald Coast Trail or the Ebihens Trail... To prepare in the best possible way for all these events, we’ve got a little challenge for you! During your prep runs, try to count as many Malouinières 🏠 as possible! But Jamy, what are Malouinières? It’s simple: they are vast residences built in the region back when Saint-Malo was a Privateer City. 

Even though it’s a small seaside resort in the north of Brittany, the city of Saint-Malo offers a whole host of events. Whether it’s water sports like the Route du Rhum, the Branlebas de Régates, the Québec–Saint-Malo, and other sports such as the Open 35 Tennis (sure, it’s not Roland-Garros, but the setting is honestly really nice!), you’ll have plenty to broaden your athlete horizons. That’s not all! You’ve got to party sometimes, and for that, the city has hosted since 1991 the Route du Rock (which has welcomed many world-famous artists like Portishead, Tame Impala, The XX, and Massive Attack) as well as the Privateers’ Festival. And where there’s sport and festivities, there’s food! You’re in the right place to feast! It’s up to you to choose between kouign-amann, Saint-Malo craquelins, Breton crêpes and galettes… In any case, we strongly recommend you try the Pedro and Alexis Sanchez ice creams (not the football player, huh), but we hope you’re patient because the ice-cream shop is a victim of its own success (and yes, it’s been an institution since 1992). Careful, you have to earn it! We’re counting on you to smash the clock in Saint-Malo 😉!

And if after all that you still want to see even more, you can run around Rennes, Dinan or Fougères! There’s no sea, but it’s just as lovely 🤗.