Grand Aquarium Saint Malo — Attraction in Saint-Malo

It was a rainy afternoon in Saint-Malo—the kind of weather that drives even the most stoic Breton local to mutter “Bon, on va au Grand Aquarium, hein?” So naturally, we joined the soggy exodus and headed indoors to the Grand Aquarium, where the fish are always dry and the children always slightly too enthusiastic.

The queue was already curling around like a startled eel. Inside, it was clear half of Brittany had the same idea. Umbrellas were dripping, strollers were colliding, and the air smelled faintly of wet raincoats and popcorn. It was chaos… aquatic chaos.

We shuffled past tanks glowing like alien worlds—tropical fish doing laps with more coordination than most drivers in the Carrefour parking lot. Jellyfish floated serenely, looking like they’d missed the memo about crowd anxiety. We paused at the touch pool, where a small child next to me solemnly whispered to a starfish, “I love you,” before nearly falling in. Romance in the intertidal zone.

But the real showstopper? The 360° shark ring. You stand inside this massive cylindrical tank, surrounded by gliding sharks and casually indifferent turtles. It’s awe-inspiring, majestic, and slightly alarming when one of them gives you that look. You know the one. Like they’re thinking: “You’d be crunchy… but satisfying.”

At that moment, as I was lost in philosophical musings about marine predator diets, a whirlwind approached: a determined granny wielding a stroller like a battering ram. Her grandchild, grinning like a tiny Viking, was clinging to a stuffed octopus while Granny parted the crowds like Moses at high tide. Elbows were deployed. Shins were clipped. A French teenager yelped as she was shoved aside. Granny did not blink. She had sharks to see.

We ended the visit at the gift shop, where I strongly resisted the urge to buy a shark hat.

The Grand Aquarium de Saint-Malo is chaotic in the best way—especially on a rainy day. It’s part museum, part theme park, and part bumper car arena for strollers. But it’s also brilliant: educational, immersive, and full of sea creatures with more personality than most reality TV stars.

And if you're lucky, you might even spot that fearless granny again—pushing through the gift shop, leaving a trail of awe-struck toddlers and terrified tourists...

A large aquarium with mixed display cases. The small and medium display cases were excellent with well thought out layouts however the large shark tank was very poor. From a marine welfare point of view this narrow circular display is totally inadequate for marine creatures of this size. I would say it is the worst l have seen throughout all the European aquariums l have visited..It offers mo stimulation for them and has very limited space for them to swim freely. I was also shocked and disappointed to still see a "touching pool" for similar reasons. Many scientific research papers and studies have been done about "touch pools"...clearly stating that they are not good for marine creatures. The touching removes protective layers from the fishes surface. Please put the welfare of the fish you are showing above the general public's wish to touch fish. Many aquariums have now stopped touch pools for this reason....so l was saddened to see one here. The day that l went was incredibly busy within 30 minutes of opening. There were so many people that children were constantly pushing and shoving people to try and see. Do go very early in the day . The submarine experience at the end was an original idea,although rather spoilt by very bored children screaming and crying as they waited in a very long queue...perhaps a few display cases in the queue are would help to distract them. However the idea of seeing the fish underwater in a moving pod was a good one. My advice..arrive very early,be prepared to queue otherwise. Be prepared for there to be hundreds of people inside, maybe avoid the shark display which has surely got to be improved, and please don't touch the fish as it harms their...

A visit for the kids who love their fish and other sea animals after a walk round the old town of Saint Malo. Lots of parking, some under cover so the car isnt too baking when you return to it. Entrance fee was reasonable for family of 4, less than UK Seaworlds. The signs were electronic and helpfully cycled through each animal in each tank in French and English, more informative than lots of tired UK Seaworld signs. Lots of different sea creatures to see, including turtles in the main tank and spider crabs, a nice flow to the different sections, and a surprise at the end, a simulation of a visit to an underwater station and submarine ride. Quite slow moving queue (whole thing probably took an hour) in a confined area, the videos along the way are all in French, and the sub ride itself is arguably more exciting than what you can see outside of the sub, but a welcome addition to end the visit on that a UK place would make you pay extra for. Worth a visit,...