Dinan Property Guide & Information
Dinan is a walled Breton village located in the Cotes d'Armor department in north-eastern Brittany. Its name apparently comes from the contraction of two Celtic words: “Dunos” and ”Ahna”, meaning “hill of Ahna” - the goddess of the living and the dead. This village has an outstanding geographical setting as it is located in a valley, along the Rance River. Given the medieval origin of this area, there are imposing ramparts, towers and a castle as well as many historical monuments in Dinan. The history, local gastronomy, architectural heritage and nature in and around this village are waiting for you to discover them!
Overview
Dinan received the ville d'art et d'histoire (Town of Art and History) award - showing that the 11,000 Dinannais (locals) make the most of their setting, attractiveness and architecture. Conservation and preservation are real priorities in terms of town’s policy. The Breton culture also has an important role in Dinan: in the language - about 5% of the children go to bilingual schools (French/Breton) - the gastronomy and the way of life. Let’s discover this wonderful medieval village at the heart of the Brittany region!
Dinan Immobilier & Property Market Trends
Real estate prices in Dinan are higher than in most Breton towns. They still stay under the national average though. It costs about €2,000 / square metre to buy property in this village. As far as apartments are concerned, prices have been soaring for the last years (+7.2% in 2006) but are now decreasing due to the global financial crisis. You should plan to invest around €1,718 / square metre.
There are a few holiday homes (5%) out of all the properties. A buy-to-let investment is really interesting as Dinan is one of the most sought-after towns of the Brittany region. Why not buy a property to renovate in this beautiful medieval village? It is a real heaven for people to relax in.
To get updated info about housing prices in the Dordogne, please browse our French Property Market Reports published in the News Section every month.
5 Reasons to Buy a Property in Dinan
Dinan’s history is really rich and interesting. Many French and foreign holidaymakers are attracted by this village which has been able to preserve its historical and architectural heritage.
- Castle and fortifications: Dinan’s wonderful castle and old town are surrounded by almost 3km of fortified walls (13th-15th centuries) that have been pretty well preserved over the centuries. The castle has been a listed building since 1886. We recommend a walking tour to the ramparts. Amongst others, you can do the promenade de la Duchesse-Anne or the promenade des Grands Fossels. Do not miss the fête des ramparts (ramparts’ celebration), which is held in July every two years and attracts many visitors. During two days, locals are dressed up in medieval costumes and there are jousting competitions, street entertainers, banquets, fairs, parades and fireworks.
- Other sights: here are the major historical attractions of Dinan: the Jacobin’s Theatre (13th century), the clock tower (15th century, panorama of the town from the top), the St Malo Church and the St Saviour Basilica (mix of renaissance and gothic styles).
- Old town: you will definitely enjoy strolling in the old town. Within the fortifications that surround the old quarters, you will find many typical houses as well as many medieval towers (tower of Penthievre, St Anne, St Julien, etc.). We suggest you to stroll in the rue du petit Fort and the rue du Jerzual. Leaving from the old town, you will arrive directly in the old port, enjoying the charm of the old town. With its cobbled rambling streets all carefully restored and preserved, this area is worth a visit.
- Breton gastronomy: what about tasting crêpes (sugared or salted thin flat pancakes) or galettes (buckwheat pancakes) filled with a sausage, ham or cheese and drinking a glass of cider in an authentic crêperie?
- Good location: situated between St Malo (32km), Rennes (54km) and St Brieuc (60km), Dinan allows you to access easily many Breton towns by road thanks to a well-developed road network. You can also reach Dinan by sea or by air thanks to St Malo’s ferry port and Dinard’s airport.
Property Styles and Architecture in Dinan
Dinan’s architecture is great and varied. Many properties were built on the hillside of this valley, overlooking the river. Even if properties traditionally have thatched roofs, slated roofs are more and more common.
- Half-timbered houses: the old town - especially the place des Merciers - is full of such properties dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. Dinan’s colombage houses have deeply steeply pitched roofs, corbels and wooden porches. Walls are made of a slab being a mix of cob and stone with wood beams and painted in warm colours (yellow, orange, etc.). The ground floor is often used by the town’s shopkeepers for their activities.
- Stone houses: these properties can also be found in the historical town centre, close to the half-timbered houses. Full of character and of large dimensions, such properties are perfect for holidays. Most of these houses were built during the 18th century. They are made of stone mixed with the major building material used in the Brittany region: granite. This stone of great hardness has always been used to build churches and houses in this area. Doors’ and windows’ frames are composed of granite only.
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