Perched on the Bastion de la Hollande, overlooking the cove and the sea, stands the statue of Jacques Cartier, another illustrious native of Saint-Malo. The bastion itself is part of the 17th-century fortifications, built to protect the western entrance to the city walls and ensure defense against enemy incursions by sea. Its name recalls the trade and maritime relations maintained with the Netherlands at the time, while its strategic position allowed for crossfire with other defensive points in the city.

Jacques Cartier (1491–1557), born in Saint-Malo, is the famous explorer who opened the route to Canada and the St. Lawrence River for France. Between 1534 and 1542, he carried out three major maritime expeditions: he mapped the coasts of Newfoundland and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, entered the St. Lawrence River, and made contact with the indigenous populations, thus laying the foundations for the future French colonization of North America.

The statue, erected in tribute to this adventurer, depicts him with the determination and spirit of discovery that characterize Saint-Malo: a city where sailors and explorers have always had the infinite sea as their horizon, guided by courage and curiosity. From the Bastion of Holland, it's easy to imagine Jacques Cartier scanning the horizon, ready to set sail for unknown worlds.