The best road cycling routes around Le Tronchet

Numerous Breton legends surround the stone. One of the most famous tells that the menhir sinks a little deeper into the ground each year, and that its complete disappearance will signal the end of the world. Another legend sees it as a divine sign that separated two feuding brothers and gave the field the name "Champ-Dolent," or "Field of Sorrow."

South of Dol-de-Bretagne rises the Menhir du Champ-Dolent, a mighty granite block from the Neolithic period. At almost ten meters high, it is one of the largest surviving menhirs in France. Its weight is estimated at around 100 tons, and it was probably extracted from the immediate surroundings. Its original function remains unclear to this day—researchers suspect ritual or symbolic purposes, perhaps even an astronomical alignment.

The Grand'Porte de Saint-Malo is the oldest surviving gate in the city, built in 1582. It consists of two massive round towers connected by a wall and served as the main entrance to the fortified old town (Intra-Muros) until 1708. The gate features niches containing statues of the Madonna and Child ("Notre-Dame des Miracles") and "Saint Christopher," the latter of which is associated with the legend of stopping the great fire of 1661. The Grand'Porte played an important role in defense, trade, and customs control.

Dol-de-Bretagne is a historic town founded as a bishopric in the 5th or 6th century under the influence of Saint Samson of Dol. The town is known for its well-preserved medieval architecture, including the Saint-Samson Cathedral, the Musée de la Trésorerie, and the Maison des Petits Palets. The surrounding area also features the Menhir du Champ-Dolent, a megalith dating back to the Neolithic period that is over 4,000 years old. Markets, local festivals, and small shops enliven town life, and despite its touristic significance, the town remains relatively quiet and manageable, an ideal place to experience history, culture, and Breton flair.

At 3 km long, this is the largest sandy beach in Saint-Malo. Walking along this beach, you can reach Intra-Muros in Paramé. Sillon Beach includes Grande Plage, Hoguette Beach, and Rochebonne Beach. La Digue was built from 1883 to 1913 on an old sandbar (the Sillon) that once connected Paramé to the walled city and provided the only dry-land access at low tide. Originally, a strip of sand was covered with dunes that grew higher and higher as one moved toward Rochebonne, with only a succession of windmills remaining. The first causeway was built in 1509, rebuilt and widened several times... Le Digue, 1,671 meters long, runs along Grande Plage and offers a pleasant stroll, lined with numerous villas built towards the end of the 19th century. Along the Sillon, a line of breakwaters protects the seawall from the force of the waves. Built in the early 19th century based on an idea by the civil engineer Robinault de St-Servan, the oak breakwaters have a depth at least equal to, or even greater than, their visible height.

magnificent cathedral

one of the tide mills on the Rance, worth the detour

Going back up towards St-Malo, a pretty path to the left (Rance valley) allows you to partly avoid the D117.