Cézembre Island

Cézembre Island, 3 nautical miles off St.Malo, is a granite rock 700 mn long by 250 m at its widest, bordered on three sides by sheer cliffs, naturally protected by 10-knot currents and high tides.
Only the south-east side, sheltered from strong westerly winds, offers a haven of peace for anchored ships. This stretch of shoreline is also home to the beach, a marvel of golden sand bisected by the rocky outcrop of Notre Dame de l'Ile. In 1940 the Germans settled on the island. The development work was entrusted to the Todt Organization and the Corps des Pioniers de Forteresse, who opened the worksite towards the end of summer 1942. The aim was to cover the approaches to the corsair town and the entrance to the Rance, but also to prohibit all maritime traffic in the bay, from Cap Fréhel to the west to the Pointe du Grouin to the east. The island was fortified to the hilt and became the inferno of Stalingrad in 1944. It was the target of the first napalm bombs. Numerous cannon remains on the island. Worth a visit.

Cézembre Island, 3 nautical miles off St.Malo, is a granite rock 700 mn long by 250 m at its widest, bordered on three sides by sheer cliffs, naturally protected by 10-knot currents and high tides. Only the south-east side, sheltered from strong westerly winds, offers a haven of peace for anchored ships. This stretch of shoreline is also home to the beach, a marvel of golden sand bisected by the rocky outcrop of Notre Dame de l'Ile. In 1940 the Germans settled on the island. The development work was entrusted to the Todt Organization and the Corps des Pioniers de Forteresse, who opened the worksite towards the end of summer 1942. The aim was to cover the approaches to the corsair town and the entrance to the Rance, but also to prohibit all maritime traffic in the bay, from Cap Fréhel to the west to the Pointe du Grouin to the east. The island was fortified to the hilt and became the inferno of Stalingrad in 1944. It was the target of the first napalm bombs. Numerous cannon remains on the island. Worth a visit.