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Dinan

Dinan is a walled Breton town in the Cotes-d'Armor department of Brittany in northwestern France. It is located on the banks of the Rance River, about 30 kilometers from Saint-Malo. Dinan is a popular tourist destination, known for its medieval ramparts, cobblestone streets, and half-timbered houses.

Some of the most popular tourist attractions in Dinan include:

The Chateau de Dinan: This 14th-century castle is one of the best-preserved in France.
The Basilique Saint-Sauveur: This 12th-century basilica is a fine example of Gothic architecture.
The Rue du Jerzual: This historic street is lined with medieval houses and shops.
The Porte du Guichet: This 13th-century gate is one of the four entrances to the old town.
The Tour de l'Horloge: This 15th-century bell tower offers panoramic views of the town.
The Rail Museum: This museum has a collection of model railways, posters, and signal boxes.

Dinan is also a great place to enjoy the outdoors. The town is surrounded by countryside, and there are several hiking trails in the area. The Rance River is also popular for swimming, boating, and fishing.

If you're looking for a charming medieval town with something to offer everyone, then Dinan is the perfect destination for you.

Its geographical setting is exceptional. Instead of nestling on the valley floor like Morlaix, most urban development has been on the hillside overlooking the river Rance. The area alongside the river is known as the "port of Dinan", and is connected to the town by steep streets: Rue Jerzual and its continuation outside the city walls, the Rue Petit Fort. The Rance has moderate turbidity and its brownish water is somewhat low in velocity due to the very low gradient of the watercourse.

For many years, the bridge over the river Rance at Dinan was the most northerly crossing point on the river, but the tidal power station at the mouth of the estuary, constructed in the 1960s downstream from Dinan, incorporates a 750-metre long tidal barrage, which also serves as a crossing point nearer to the sea.

Dinan station has rail connections to Saint-Brieuc, Lamballe and Dol-de-Bretagne.

Population     14,682

 

Northern France

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