I have always wanted to find my way to this beast of a city. Though it may be small, it is mighty.
For being one of France's top tourist destinations, this place seemed to be a world of it's own.
*unless marked, all photos are my own.
We left Courseulles-de-Mer early in the morning by car, and set out on the 1.45 hours journey to the wonder that is known formally as Mont Saint-Michel, but by Victor Hugo as the 'Pyramid of the Seas'.
The drive took us through country scenery, with the biggest town we passed being Avranches. There isn't much to write home about regarding the drive, although the scenery was quite tranquil and slow paced. No crazy highways, traffic, or scary rest stops.
For the first time since I moved abroad, I found myself the furthest west I have been in Central Europe. Though it may sound strange, I wanted to wave towards the United States in hopes that someone would wave back. I had never felt closer to home in the past two years...
I am very glad I read and reread loads of information on Mont Saint-Michel before heading there. First, a good majority of photos that float around on Pinterest and Google of MSM (Mont Saint- Michel) are outdated, and there is ONE huge giveaway: The bridge that is, but wasn't.
The bridge is a new-ish feature; replacing the old causeway or footpath that once existed for many, many years that most people still see in many, many images floating around the web.
In 2011 the project began (which I can only imagine was fun for tourists that encountered the construction), and last year {2015} it was complete.
Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about the bridge though I never visited before it was built. The bridge looks too modern next to such an old structure; the juxtaposition of the two, if you will, isn't in favor of MSM. Not that anyone asked me...
Now, there are a few reasons the bridge was developed, but for two main reasons concerning tourists:
Tourist Tip for future visitors:
Now the car park sits about 1.5 miles away from MSM. It is controlled parking, where folks in reflective vests guide each vehicle in, directing them where to go. It also does cost money, but how it works is in traditional Euro garage style: Park your ride, take your journey to MSM, and when you return to the car park, there are 'pay machines' located near the tourism office; next to the restrooms. Pay for your parking, receive a ticket, and when you exit the car park, you insert the ticket into the machine, thus allowing the arm to raise, and you're on your way! There was a vehicle in front of us upon our exit that apparently didn't do the research, had to back out, and go get a ticket. Note: The vehicle had a French licence plate. Ha dur. Another note: Parking cost us €11.70 for our day
Because authorized vehicles are the only few that can drive on the bridge, transportation is provided to and from MSM from the car park by {smelly} bus or horse carriage. We chose to walk to it, and return by bus.
After parking the car, we got to walking! Call me crazy, but I took my sweet time getting to MSM, in no rush or hurry to make it past the lower fortification wall.
I stopped to snap a ton o' photos along the way (it's hard not to) which caused me to fall behind my family, naturally.
I was slightly disappointed that there weren't any picturesque fluffy clouds floating in the skyline behind MSM, but definitely grateful that the weather was on our side. It was about 65 degrees, and perfect. I didn't have to wear a coat!
The tide was dramatically low on this morning, but was set to rise a bit around 6pm-ish. For those interested, there is a website that tracks the rise and fall of the tide. The same site will also alert visitors of potential flooding.
http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/en/maree-montsaintmichel-avril2016.htm
Spring and fall are more prone to higher tides because of their respecting equinoxes, and in spring of 2015, the super tide hit (happens every 18 years) causing MSM to become an island. Oh, it also made for stranded tourists within it's walls. Would have been neato to witness in person, but then again, it would have been hindering to the exploration of the area.
Folks, as if your eyes don't hurt enough from taking in the wonderful sights, when you enter the fortified city, the most amazing aromas of roast ham, roast beef, grilled vegetables, baking bread, and all kinds of goodness enters your nose. I wasn't hungry until I walked inside of this place. There are cafes, restaurants, and gift shops right off the entrance, go figure, but none of them took away from the medieval ambiance.
We located another tourism office near the entrance, but in a quick decision, I decided to tour this place without a map.
I don't regret it.
After wandering for about an hour or so, we accidentally stumbled upon the abbey entrance. I was a little confused as to how the abbey queue worked considering I had read a lot about how terrible the queue usually is.
We didn't see a queue, and that's what was confusing!
So we walked up the stairs, through a hall, and we found ourselves paying for tickets within minutes. For a mere €18 (€9 per adult), we were in.
Oh, I love the fact that children get into 99.9% of places/museums/monuments in France for FREE! This was no exception.
Sadly, it was time to go. Once we were in the car, and far enough away from the crowds, tour buses, and out of the small surrounding villages, we pulled off the road to eat a picnic packed lunch. It was a beautiful little stop with quite the view! And a lot of cows.
For being one of France's top tourist destinations, this place seemed to be a world of it's own.
*unless marked, all photos are my own.
We left Courseulles-de-Mer early in the morning by car, and set out on the 1.45 hours journey to the wonder that is known formally as Mont Saint-Michel, but by Victor Hugo as the 'Pyramid of the Seas'.
The drive took us through country scenery, with the biggest town we passed being Avranches. There isn't much to write home about regarding the drive, although the scenery was quite tranquil and slow paced. No crazy highways, traffic, or scary rest stops.
For the first time since I moved abroad, I found myself the furthest west I have been in Central Europe. Though it may sound strange, I wanted to wave towards the United States in hopes that someone would wave back. I had never felt closer to home in the past two years...
I am very glad I read and reread loads of information on Mont Saint-Michel before heading there. First, a good majority of photos that float around on Pinterest and Google of MSM (Mont Saint- Michel) are outdated, and there is ONE huge giveaway: The bridge that is, but wasn't.
The bridge is a new-ish feature; replacing the old causeway or footpath that once existed for many, many years that most people still see in many, many images floating around the web.
In 2011 the project began (which I can only imagine was fun for tourists that encountered the construction), and last year {2015} it was complete.
Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel about the bridge though I never visited before it was built. The bridge looks too modern next to such an old structure; the juxtaposition of the two, if you will, isn't in favor of MSM. Not that anyone asked me...
 |
| Photo of the causeway (footpath) before the bridge was built. Photo courtesy of Lonely Planet. |
Now, there are a few reasons the bridge was developed, but for two main reasons concerning tourists:
- When the tide would get high, access to MSM was sometimes restricted to pedestrians and vehicles.
- The parking area for MSM was at the foot of the lower fortification wall in causeway times. Not only did a ton of parked cars next to the base of the city make it look crowded and unsightly, having cars parked there was also dangerous when the tide would rise. Yes, cars have washed away before. Can you imagine visiting for the day, only to find out your car was missing when you were ready to leave? I'd love to hear an auto insurance service agent's reaction to that!
Tourist Tip for future visitors:
Now the car park sits about 1.5 miles away from MSM. It is controlled parking, where folks in reflective vests guide each vehicle in, directing them where to go. It also does cost money, but how it works is in traditional Euro garage style: Park your ride, take your journey to MSM, and when you return to the car park, there are 'pay machines' located near the tourism office; next to the restrooms. Pay for your parking, receive a ticket, and when you exit the car park, you insert the ticket into the machine, thus allowing the arm to raise, and you're on your way! There was a vehicle in front of us upon our exit that apparently didn't do the research, had to back out, and go get a ticket. Note: The vehicle had a French licence plate. Ha dur. Another note: Parking cost us €11.70 for our day
Because authorized vehicles are the only few that can drive on the bridge, transportation is provided to and from MSM from the car park by {smelly} bus or horse carriage. We chose to walk to it, and return by bus.
After parking the car, we got to walking! Call me crazy, but I took my sweet time getting to MSM, in no rush or hurry to make it past the lower fortification wall.
I stopped to snap a ton o' photos along the way (it's hard not to) which caused me to fall behind my family, naturally.
I was slightly disappointed that there weren't any picturesque fluffy clouds floating in the skyline behind MSM, but definitely grateful that the weather was on our side. It was about 65 degrees, and perfect. I didn't have to wear a coat!
The tide was dramatically low on this morning, but was set to rise a bit around 6pm-ish. For those interested, there is a website that tracks the rise and fall of the tide. The same site will also alert visitors of potential flooding.
http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/en/maree-montsaintmichel-avril2016.htm
Spring and fall are more prone to higher tides because of their respecting equinoxes, and in spring of 2015, the super tide hit (happens every 18 years) causing MSM to become an island. Oh, it also made for stranded tourists within it's walls. Would have been neato to witness in person, but then again, it would have been hindering to the exploration of the area.
Folks, as if your eyes don't hurt enough from taking in the wonderful sights, when you enter the fortified city, the most amazing aromas of roast ham, roast beef, grilled vegetables, baking bread, and all kinds of goodness enters your nose. I wasn't hungry until I walked inside of this place. There are cafes, restaurants, and gift shops right off the entrance, go figure, but none of them took away from the medieval ambiance.
We located another tourism office near the entrance, but in a quick decision, I decided to tour this place without a map.
I don't regret it.
Looky. I found a cemetery after going in the opposite direction of the other tourists.
 |
| A grassy knoll. Interesting how from a distance, MSM looks packed full of tiny stone and timber buildings, but open space within actually exists! |
We didn't see a queue, and that's what was confusing!
So we walked up the stairs, through a hall, and we found ourselves paying for tickets within minutes. For a mere €18 (€9 per adult), we were in.
Oh, I love the fact that children get into 99.9% of places/museums/monuments in France for FREE! This was no exception.
 |
| I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Scaffolding happens. |
 |
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| The abbey cloister |
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| A relief sculpture of Saint Aubert. Saint Aubert is what most people refer to as the founding father of Mont Saint-Michel. Originally known as Bishop Aubert during the 8th century from the near by city of Avranches, he had a vision where the archangel Michael appeared to him, and told him to build a place of worship on the then barren rocky island that is now MSM. Aubert ignored the archangel Michael's request. Michael returned to him, but this time, according to legend, stuck his finger into Aubert's skull demanding he get to work. Thus he did. And now you know why it's called Mont-Saint-Michel! Saint Aubert's skull is on display in the Saint-Gervais Basilica in Avranches today. Apparently, it bears the hole where the archangel stuck his finger. |
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| Some dudes were scaling the abbey walls on official business. I think they were cleaning? |
We began making our way back down after touring the abbey. Though this strange little village has many twists, turns, narrow and dark paths, it doesn't mean that every bit of it can be explored. It really felt like a lab rat maze; dead ends, locked doors, and tiny spaces would sometimes surprise us.
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| The main tourist street has dozens of shops and cafes. By this time in our day, masses of tourists began pouring into the city making it severely difficult to navigate on the bottom streets. I almost wished that I had explored them more when we first arrived, but then there may have been a long queue to get into the abbey, had we waited. This a game we often play while adventuring that we refer to as "Pick your poison". |
Before heading back to the car park, we stopped to snap a few touristy pictures. This is where I dropped my sweater into the clay/mud and the stains remain two weeks later!
Speaking of the clay/mud, it has a quicksand effect. It's not sand, but it can swallow your legs pretty quickly if you stand in the right spot leaving you stuck. Signage all over warns tourists to stay out of it. Once the tide rolls in at what Victor Hugo {Les Mis, anyone?} described as "à la vitesse d'un cheval au galop" (The speed of a galloping horse), there's no saving yourself if you are stuck in the mud.
Yes, it's happened to some fateful few before.
Sadly, it was time to go. Once we were in the car, and far enough away from the crowds, tour buses, and out of the small surrounding villages, we pulled off the road to eat a picnic packed lunch. It was a beautiful little stop with quite the view! And a lot of cows.
We had a wonderful day out at Mont Saint-Michel and it was definitely worth the drive. I wouldn't have done anything different during our adventure except maybe snap a few more photos of the inner streets.
Being enclosed within the fortified walls without a map was pretty darn fun. While most tourists were constantly in a nose-to-map position, we were busy enjoying whatever came our way with no real direction in mind!
I'd love to return someday and see it light up in the evening hours. Someday. But for now, I am content with having seen and visited during the day.
It's an experience I won't soon, or ever, forget.
Mont Saint-Michel Fun Facts & Junk:
- Say it like zee French do. The name is only spelled as "Michael" in unaware English articles, blogs, and stuff. It's universally known as Mont Saint-Michel (yes, with a hyphen) and technically isn't interchangeable like Paris in English vs. the French pronunciation of Pah-rhee, or Köln vs. Cologne spelling and pronunciation in English and German. Mont Saint-Michel is Mont Saint-Michel. Pronunciation: Mon Sahn-t (<ever so quiet T sound) Me-shell.
- If you want to be grammatically correct, hyphens matter, too. If referring to only the abbey, the writer should use two hyphens: Mont-Saint-Michel. If referring to the entirety of the islet, the hyphen is only between Saint-Michel.
- Only 43 people live in this little village. Half of the inhabitants are monks. Maybe one is half monk?
- It is not an island, sort of. Geographically speaking, it's an islet by high tide, and at the end of a peninsula by low tide.
- Nor is it a castle. Originally founded as a place of worship with later fortifications added over time; most during the 100 Years War. But the fortifications do not classify this as a castle. If anything, it would be architecturally classified as a fortress.
- You can only find it in your GPS by adding "Le" before "Mont Saint-Michel". The location refuses to pop up otherwise.
- Underground crypts support the weight of the abbey and other structures.
- The site was used as a prison during the French Revolution
- Mont Saint-Michel sits just inside of the Normandy border, but was once within Brittany's border.
- A famous omelette is sold here; known for being large and luxuriously fluffy. But it comes at a steep cost: One omelette will set you back between $35-$70 USD!
Well, that about wraps up our visit and this post. I have one or two more posts regarding Normandy, and then I'll venture into Paris, again. Yeehaw.
By the time y'all are tired of posts regarding France, I'll have a new city and country to talk about... Promise!
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