Dinard
Dinard is in north-eastern Brittany, across the Rance Estuary from St Malo.
Dinard is a slightly unexpected town to come across in Brittany. Its history as a fishing village was first pushed aside at the end of the 19th century, when the rich and fashionable of the time built their luxury houses here.
By the end of the 19th century it was considered to be France’s no. 1 seaside resort and was the place to be seen by the rich and famous. As a result of its 19th century popularity Dinard now has lots of attractive villas and houses and because of their very individual and eclectic style they are protected buildings.
Dinard holds itself forward - with some justification - as the heart of the Emerald Coast - the attractive name given to this section of the Brittany coastline.
Its hey-day has passed and now Biarritz and Mediterranean resorts are more popular but none-the-less the combination of beach, beautiful architecture and a lively shopping centre make this a very pleasant and popular resort.
Dinard markets: there is a daily market each morning in the Halles de la Concorde, and on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturday mornings there is a market in Place Crolard. During the summer (early April to early September) there is also an antiques / vide grenier market in Dinard, all day Sunday at Esplanade de la Halle.
Things to see in Dinard
The 19th century houses along the sea-front are very attractive, and there are nice views out to sea. Dinard is affected by the warm gulf stream so has an unexpectedly mild climate.
There are three pleasant beaches in the town, which are also the starting point for nice walks along the coastline, and there are several other nice sandy beaches nearby.
If you only have time to head one way out of town along the coast, head east for the views at the end of the headland called Moulinet Point (the eastern end of the plage de l'ecluse). From here you get magnificent views of St Malo across the water. Along the way admire the sumptuous villas built to enjoy the sea views.
Another excellent walk is the ‘Promenade du Clair de Lune’ or ‘Moonlight walk’. The walk runs between the Prieure beach and the Pointe du Moulinet and takes you through the gardens which are lit up in the evening and have music playing.
Port Breton Park opposite the Prieure beach has a large rose garden and if you have children has a range of children’s games.
Dinard Casino - like many beach resorts in France Dinard has a casino. This can be found on the Plage de l’ecluse - Dinard’s main beach and the location of many of Dinard’s luxury hotels.
To visit nearby
Montmarin Garden - Les Jardins de Montmarin. The garden is on the D114 not far from Dinard. The garden is on the banks of the River Rance and is laid out with an elegant formal garden in front of an 18th century mansion and a park further away from the house.
See also Dinan, a little inland.
Visit Dinard (Brittany, Ille-et-Vilaine) travel, gites and hotels
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The Dinard hotels listed feature descriptions, guest reviews, ratings, location maps, online booking etc. as well as the 'best-price' guarantee. The search for hotels in Dinard is provided by booking.com. General holiday / vacation options- See Brittany gites for Dinard gites - Holiday villages in Brittany Holidays nearbyLooking for something close by? See a wide choice of hotels, holiday villages and holiday rentals at: VisitSee Visit Dinard for places to visit near Dinard including: a detailed map, villages in bloom and most beautiful villages Find distances from Dinard to other places in France and plan your route at France driving distances Airports near DinardDinard airport at 5 km Nice airport at 1,105 km Rennes airport at 68 km Toulon airport at 1,039 km Dinard property for saleSee Brittany property for sale
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Tourist Classifications for Dinard
- Listed as "Ville d'Art et Histoire" (ie focus on preserving the town heritage)
- Town is "Ville Fleurie category 4" (ie good attention to gardens and flowers)
- approved Station Classée (resort paying particular attention to facilities for tourism)
Places to visit near Dinard, France
Explore places of interest within about 70 kilometres on a map at places near Dinard.
Some places to visit within 30 km: 
26 km: Cancale (Town) 20 km: Dinan (Breton town) 5 km: Dinard airport (airport) 6 km: Emerald Coast (coastal region) 22 km: Plancoet (Town) 6 km: Saint-Malo (Important port town)
See also Dinard (version Francais)
