Guérande – Our Favorite Walled City on the West Coast of France
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The medieval walled town of Guérande built its fortune on the salt marshes of the surrounding inlets. Salt has been harvested here since Roman times. One the main reasons we wanted to visit Guérande was to visit some of the 1650 hectaires of the Guérande salt marshes.
Walking the Ramparts of Guérande
Walking around the ramparts of Guérande brings you to each of its fortified gateways. Guérande is one of the few towns in France to still have all of its ramparts. When you reach the section where the old moat still remains water-filled you truly feel you have stepped back in time despite the modern-day traffic on the adjacent streets.
We stayed at Hôtel des Remp’Arts just across the street from this gate – there are several places to stay inside the walls but you must book your room months in advance.
Guérande City Gate
Our first excursion was to walk completely around the wall, starting at the Guérande Gate across from our hotel
The day fluctuated between sunshine and clouds as we walked.
Guérande’s fortified walls
The best souvenir you can buy here is the local salt. The course gray salt is used for cooking and the fleur de sel (fine salt flakes) is added to your dish for that last touch of seasoning before you serve it. Fleur de sel is fine and snow-like and only a pinch produces amazing flavor results.
At 1 euro per large bag it is the best value for your money.
Such a Curious Set of Iron Sculptures Outside the Collegial Church of Saint Aubin
In the center of town is the Collegial Church of Saint Aubin. This granite and limestone church is dedicated to St Aubin who was the Bishop of Angers in the 6th century. I love the sculptures of the salt workers, paludiers, which adorn the square beside the church. On Wednesdays and Saturdays you will find the local market here, as well.
Collegial Church of Saint Aubin
Gérande Paludiers (salt workers) beside Collegial Church of Saint Aubin
Collegial Church of Saint Aubin
Intriguing museum for all ages
Whether you have children or are a collector of dolls or games yourself, the Musée des Poupées et des Jouets Anciens (Doll and Antique Games Museum) which is located at 23 rue de Saillée. Their collection of more than 300 dolls is wonderful!
No matter where you are when you travel, take the time to absorb the details. In many cases this means be sure to look up. You don’t want to miss the details such as the wonderful old signs and, of course, the gargoyles on churches.
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- St-Aubin Gargoyle – possibly a cat?
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- Saint-Aubin gargoyle
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- Creperie du Chien Assis (Creperie of the Sitting Dog)
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- Patisserie Guérandaise – Salon de Thé: Tea and a pastry, just the thing for an afternoon break
Mon histoire en français…
Guérande est une ville fortifiée proche de 1650 hectares de marais salants. Le sel a été récolté depuis l’époque romaine. Nous aimons Guérande parce qu’on a la sensation d’entrer dans une autre époque quand on passe par ses portes. Cette ville est une des rares villes fortifiées en France.
Nous sommes restés à l’hôtel en face de la porte Saint-Michel à l’extérieur des remparts. Notre visite a commencé par une promenade autour des remparts où nous avons trouvé les douves ici et là mais pas complètement autour de tout le mur.
Le meilleur souvenir d’ici, à mon avis, est le sel de mer. J’utilise le sel gris pour cuisiner et la fleur de sel pour l’assaisonnement final. J’ai abandonné le sel de table depuis ce temps-là.
Les sculptures en fer des paludiers autour de l’Église collégiale Saint-Aubin sont très intéressantes. Situé dans le centre-ville, cette église est dédiée à Saint-Aubin qui était l’évêque d’Angers au VIe siècle. Les mercredis et samedis il y a un marché sur le square près de l’église que nous avons apprécié. En plus, il y a un Musée des Poupées et des Jouets Anciens qui plairait aux petits comme aux grands. Pour moi, c’était les gargouilles sur les bâtiments et les vieilles enseignes métalliques qui ont capté mon regard.
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