From the heights of the Bidouane Tower, the view is directed towards two emblematic islets of Saint-Malo: Grand Bé, in the foreground, and Petit Bé, slightly further out to sea.

On Grand Bé, buffeted by the winds and accessible on foot at low tide, lies François-René de Chateaubriand (1768–1848). Born in Saint-Malo, this great Romantic writer and politician wished to "have only the sea for a horizon" after his death. His tomb, sober and facing the infinite sea, has become a place of contemplation imbued with poetry, where the spirit of The Genius of Christianity and Memoirs from Beyond the Grave still breathes.

Just behind it stands the islet of Petit Bé, on which stands a 17th-century fort. Built between 1689 and 1707 to Vauban's designs, the Petit Bé Fort served to protect access to the port and to cross-fire with those of the National Fort and the ramparts. Long abandoned, it has been patiently restored by enthusiasts and can now be visited at low tide, offering a remarkable example of coastal military architecture.

These two islets, one a place of literary memory, the other a defensive bastion, embody the soul of Saint-Malo, between the grandeur of literature and the power of the sea.