Église Saint-Malo

Church in Dinan & Léhon

Dinan’s Saint-Malo church, with roots stretching back before its current location was established, originally sat outside the city walls. This strategic vulnerability led to its demolition under the directive of François II, Duke of Brittany, during King Charles VIII’s era in the late 15th century, to prevent it from becoming a French stronghold. The construction of a new church within the safety of the city’s walls began in 1490 on land donated by Jehan II, Viscount of Rohan, reflecting the prosperity and generous spirit of Dinan at the time. Built in the flamboyant Gothic style using the region’s characteristic granite, the church’s architectural details and its subsequent expansions showcase a blend of Norman and Breton influences, evident in its choir and radiating chapels.

Despite early robust funding, financial support waned, leading to a prolonged completion timeline. The church suffered significant damage during the Revolution, repurposed for secular uses and left in disrepair. It wasn’t until the Second Empire’s economic uplift that restoration efforts led by architects Aubry and Guépin in the mid-19th century brought new life to the nave and aisles, although the original spire plans were never realized. Today, the church is celebrated for its external apse adorned with pinnacles and its 20th-century stained glass windows, despite some historical oversight of its neo-Gothic renovations. Prosper Mérimée’s brief 1835 dismissal of the church underscores its challenging past, yet the enduring beauty and historical depth of Saint-Malo church have solidified its place as a monument of architectural and historical significance, classified as such in 1907.

The Église Saint-Malo appears in our Complete Guide to Visiting Dinan & Léhon!

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