Chateaubriand’s birthplace

Have you noticed that everything around here is called “Chateaubriand”? The square, the street, the cafes, the hotels… You guessed it, he was born in this area of St Malo! Let’s get closer to that blue gate, right at the corner of Hotel France and Hotel Chateaubriand. It overlooks a small courtyard where you will find the birth house of the famous writer. Above the steps, you’ll spot the coat of arms of his family, which stems from Breton nobility, along with their motto: “my blood has dyed the banners of France.” It was right here, on September 4th, 1768, that the author of “Memoirs from Beyond the Grave” was born. He was the precursor of French Romanticism, was named ambassador on multiple occasions, and even became Minister of Foreign Affairs. During the reign of King Charles X, he was an ultra-royalist, in favor of the return of monarchy in France, through the Capetian dynasty. His first publications were all about his anti-revolutionary position and his defense of the Old Regime. His crowning achievement was his “Memoirs from Beyond the Grave,”which of course, rightly appeared after his death. The first volumes recount his childhood and his evolution within the bourgeoisie of Saint-Malo. Tthe following ones depict his vision of various historical periods he lived through. His memoirs are considered a masterpiece of autobiography , and his writing style left a serious mark on French literature. Also, let’s not forget, Chateaubriand wasn’t Malouin for nothing – he was a great traveler, and often set out on adventures.