Corsair houses

Here, you’ll find a remarkable row of Corsair houses. After the bombing in 1944, they were all reconstructed to their original designs. The stones used to rebuild Saint-Malo come from the same quarry as those used for the Mont-Saint-Michel. The rocks have small golden flecks, giving the town its distinctive shiny appearance, quite different from the granite commonly seen on tombstones. These houses belonged to the shipowners we mentioned earlier! Corsairs are essentially pirates but operating with the king’s approval (so it’s all legitimate), and only during times of war! And back then, it seemed like there was always a war with the English! Corsairs raided and looted enemy ships, greatly contributing to the city’s economic prosperity. Saint-Malo was truly a hub for corsairs! Between 1688 and 1713, there were over 900 armed ships! The famous Robert Surcouf even lived in one of these houses, right next to Dinan Gate.