Grand Aquarium de Saint-Malo
The great aquarium of Saint-Malo and its 600 species: the ring of the seas, a touch pool and a simulator — the safe bet for rainy afternoons.
Visit their websiteOn rainy days
Ideas for grey days
Experience the bay
Raining over the bay? Make the most of it: aquarium, crocodiles or karting — plenty to keep young and old busy within 40 minutes, before warming up in the indoor heated pool.
The professionals we recommend
Alligator Bay
5 minutes from Mont-Saint-Michel, greenhouses full of alligators, giant tortoises and snakes: guaranteed change of scenery, whatever the weather.
Visit their websiteKarting de Saint-Malo
An indoor circuit and outdoor tracks between Saint-Malo and the Mont: karting sessions for adults and children from age 7.
Visit their websiteDescriptions written from the providers’ official websites; book directly with them. Your hosts hand you their tips and contacts on arrival.
The other experiences
Crossing the bay The bay from the sky The bay on horseback The bay by kayak Sand yachting
Museums and indoor sites open off-season
The Mont’s abbey and the Avranches Scriptorial
Rain does not stop a visit to the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel, 15 minutes from the gîtes: from 1 September to 30 April it opens every day from 9:30 am to 6pm, last entry one hour before closing, except on 1 January and 25 December. The Avranches Scriptorial, the museum of the abbey’s manuscripts, opens 2pm to 6pm, Tuesday to Saturday, in October, November, December, February and March; it is closed in January. Hours checked on 21 September 2026 on their official websites.
The Grand Aquarium of Saint-Malo in the low season
40 minutes away, the Grand Aquarium of Saint-Malo stays open in winter. In November and December it opens at 10am and closes at 5:30 pm on weekdays, 6pm at weekends; outside school holidays it closes on some Mondays, and on 25 December. In January it opens only on Wednesdays and at weekends. Ticket desks close one hour before the doors, so do not leave the gîtes too late. Calendar checked on 21 September 2026 on the aquarium’s website.
Fougères castle, and Granville until early November
35 minutes away, Fougères castle is open from October to April, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 12:30 pm and 2pm to 5:30 pm, with an annual closure from early January to early February; bring a raincoat for the ramparts. In Granville, 45 minutes away, the Christian Dior museum is open until 1 November 2026 and closes at 6pm from 1 October: an idea for autumn showers. Hours checked on 21 September 2026.
Back into the warm: a pool at 28 °C and a sauna
After the visit, the day goes on at the estate. The heated pool, shared by the five gîtes, is kept warm all year round, with water at 28 °C, and open from 8am to 8pm, under a dome closed depending on the weather. The traditional sauna on the pool terrace is included, upon booking a time slot, also until 8pm, and bathrobes can be hired for €8 per person per stay. A warm end to a grey day.
Frequently asked questions about rainy days
Is the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel open in winter?
Yes, every day except 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. From 1 September to 30 April it opens from 9:30 am to 6pm, last entry one hour before closing. Hours checked on 21 September 2026 on the abbey’s official website.
Which sites close in January?
As checked on 21 September 2026, the Avranches Scriptorial is closed for the whole of January, Fougères castle has its annual closure from early January to early February, and the Grand Aquarium of Saint-Malo opens only on Wednesdays and at weekends. The Mont’s abbey, for its part, stays open.
What can we do with children when it rains?
The Grand Aquarium of Saint-Malo, 40 minutes away, remains the safe bet, open in winter on a variable calendar. Back at the estate, the gîtes’ heated pool, kept at 28 °C, is open until 8pm; children stay under their parents’ supervision there.
Is the Christian Dior museum in Granville open in winter?
No. For the 2026 season it opens from 4 April to 1 November, and closes at 6pm from 1 October (checked on 21 September 2026 on the museum’s website). In winter, choose the Mont’s abbey, the Avranches Scriptorial or the Saint-Malo aquarium instead.
Is an off-season stay cheaper?
From October to March our gîtes are at low-season rates, and length-of-stay discounts are added automatically: −15% from 2 nights, −20% for 3 or 4 nights, up to −35% from 14 nights. The heated pool stays open all year round.
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