Demeure de Corsaire — Attraction in Saint-Malo

Disappointing Tour for Non-French Speaking Tourists

Review: I was very excited to visit the "Demeure de Corsaire" in Saint-Malo because of my great interest in the history of privateers. Unfortunately, the tour was a huge disappointment.

Firstly: The entire tour is exclusively in French. There are no indications that other languages are not supported. As a tourist, you feel misled when you only find out upon entering the museum that you won’t understand anything if you don’t speak French.

Secondly: There is no information or warning that the tour is only in French before you purchase the tickets. Given the rather high ticket prices, I would have at least expected an audio guide or a written summary in English. Instead, you end up stuck with expensive tickets without being able to enjoy even a fraction of the tour's value.

Thirdly: When I brought this up with the staff, I was brushed off in a very unfriendly and arrogant manner. There was no willingness to help or provide alternative solutions to make at least part of the experience comprehensible.

I cannot recommend this museum if you do not speak French. It is really a shame that such a historically significant place is not better suited to international visitors. Saint-Malo has many other attractions that are much more welcoming. Avoid the "Demeure de Corsaire" if you are planning a pleasant and...

I anticipated that the tour would not be accessible to non French speakers but I was not prepared for a whole hour just spent in 3 rooms - I was very disappointed not to see more than the ground floor (rather than the 56 rooms advertised) but I couldnt stand up any longer ! My feeling was that the lengthy (interminable) explanations were (way) too long even for French speakers. Sadly I left after an hour - my choice ! Just couldn’t take any more …. Re bathroom - no toilet paper and basin sink bin overflowing with yesterday’s used towels. Madame was 10 mins late opening up so maybe they had a problem 🤷🏻‍♀️ if you don’t speak French I would say don’t go - this is a real pity as I didn’t lack interest or realise the rarity...

Excellent visit with a well informed, funny, entertaining, engaging and patient guide who made history come to life by telling us surprising stories, enacting scenes and revealing secrets of times gone by + answering lots of questions and giving plenty of explanations and details. Despite the house itself and displays being limited to several rooms, the visit was made memorable and enriching; the corsairs suddenly seemed approachable and their adventures intertwined with day to day life, were described with insightful and rich historical background. The rise and fall and rise again of the town of Saint Malo makes for a fascinating story. A very enjoyable visit (in French) that I would...