Dol-de-Bretagne

The town of Dol proudly stands on the cliff of the ancient shoreline of the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, which today is separated from it by a lush marsh. The cathedral alone summarizes the fate of the town of Dol.

Dol originated from a monastery founded in the 6th century by Saint Samson, a Welsh bishop, which serves as its prototype in Brittany. In the 9th century, it became the seat of the religious metropolis of Brittany, with its bishop being elevated to the dignity of archbishop and primate of the duchy until 1199.

The cathedral, burned in 1203 by the troops of John Lackland, was completely rebuilt in granite in the Norman Gothic style. It is an authentic architectural jewel. Due to its prestige and its location at the marches of Brittany, the episcopal city is frequently attacked and surrounded in the 13th century by ramparts, partly preserved today, to which the cathedral is integrated.

The protection system was further strengthened in the 16th century. Affected in its very essence by the suppression of the bishopric in 1790, the city had to resolve to be just an active and dynamic commercial center, thus preserving a medieval heritage of primary importance, organized around a main street punctuated by squares and lined with porch and pillar houses, celebrated by Stendhal and Victor Hugo. Today, this small town, with its ancient and dynamic historical center and its hundred shops, manages to combine past and present. Here, culture, nature, and heritage, but also gastronomy, come together to offer visitors the best of stays.

not to be missed

• Interpretation circuit "Dol the Mysterious"
• Nominoë Space (seasonal exhibitions)
• International Photo Month (1 month every 2 years)
• Cathedraloscope

the must-sees

• Heritage ensemble from the 12th to the 18th century
• The Great Street of the Stuarts
• The Saint-Samson Cathedral
• The Ramparts Walk - Jules Revert, enclosure erected in the 13th century and reinforced in the 14th and 15th centuries
• The double well of the cathedral
• The menhir of Champ Dolent

to download

Brochure "Discovering the heritage" (.pdf)

nearby

• Combourg and Bazouges-la-Pérouse, Small Towns of Character
• Mont-Saint-Michel
• The Rance Valley: Dinan, Dinard, Towns of Art and History; Saint-Malo, Historic Town

contacts

Tourist Information Office of Dol-de-Bretagne

Tel: 02 99 56 66 99

www.saint-malo-tourisme.com

Town Hall of Dol-de-Bretagne
Tel: 02 99 48 00 17
www.dol-de-bretagne.fr

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