L'Alchimiste

St-Malo


Mellow tunes fill this magical and alluring place lined with old books. Take a seat at the bar draped on the wall behind with a red-tasselled theatre curtain, on the carved-timber mezzanine (including a pulpit), where a pile of books helps support the ceiling, or in the wood-heated basement (though the downstairs has little if any character).

There's a decent stock of Belgian and Breton beers.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby St-Malo attractions

1. Musée d'Histoire de St-Malo

0.07 MILES

Within Château de St-Malo, built by the dukes of Brittany in the 15th and 16th centuries, this museum examines the life and history of the city through a…

2. Cathédrale St-Vincent

0.1 MILES

The city's centrepiece was constructed between the 12th and 18th centuries. During the ferocious fighting of August 1944, the cathedral was badly mauled,…

3. Château de St-Malo

0.11 MILES

Château de St-Malo was built by the dukes of Brittany in the 15th and 16th centuries, and is now the home of the Musée d'Histoire de St-Malo, which…

4. Plage de Bon Secours

0.26 MILES

You can splash in the protected tidal swimming pool west of St-Malo's walls at Plage de Bon Secours, wander along the sand or climb the diving board to…

5. La Demeure de Corsaire

0.27 MILES

This 18th-century mansion and historic monument was once owned by corsair (privateer) François Auguste Magon. Guided tours are knowledgeably presented but…

6. Fort National

0.28 MILES

The St-Malo ramparts' northern stretch looks across to the remains of this former prison, built by Vauban in 1689. Standing atop a rocky outcrop, the fort…

7. Ramparts

0.33 MILES

Constructed at the end of the 17th century under military architect Vauban, and measuring 1.8km, the ramparts of St-Malo can be accessed from several…

8. Île du Grand Bé & Fort du Petit Bé

0.42 MILES

At low tide, cross the beach to walk out via Porte des Bés to Île du Grand Bé, the rocky islet where the great St-Malo-born, 18th-century writer…