Mercure

The Bus from Pontorson to Le Mont St. Michel

by siliconbruin

Les Courriers Bretons offers convenient bus transportation from the Pontorson train station to your Mont St. Michel hotel and to Le Mont St. Michel itself. The Pontorson bus stop is 100 m on the left as you exit Pontorson train station. (Ignore the bus parking spaces in front of the Pontorson Gare.) Each bus has plenty of cargo space for those travelling with luggage or backpacks. And, the drivers are really great people. My driver spoke zero English, but went out of his way to help me get to my hotel.

If you have booked a hotel on the continental portion of Mont Saint Michel, you can purchase a 1.50 euro ticket from the driver that will take you from Pontorson Gare to the La Caserne bus stop, which is located in front of the Hotel Motel Vert and its associated restaurant, La Rotisserie. From there, you can easily walk to the following hotels: Relais Saint-Michel, Hotel de la Digue, Le Relais du Roy, Formule Verte, Hotel Mercure Mont St. Michel, and the Hotel Motel Vert. When returning to Pontorson Gare, use the bus stop across the street -- in front of the Hotel Mercure Mont Saint Michel.

(If you are going from Pontorson Gare directly to to Mont, just ask for the Le Mont Saint Michel bus stop. It only costs 1.80 euro.)

The bus schedule is seasonal and probably coordinates with the trains arriving in Pontorson. (The Le Courriers Bretons web site has no information about this Pontorson to Mont St. Michel bus route. I found out the details at my hotel.)

There is also a bus service from the Rennes train station the the Mont -- possibly operated by Ligne Regionale (Region Bretagne). I know nothing about it except that one of their busses stopped at "La Caserne" before my Les Courriers Bretons bus arrived. I also noticed a listing for Le Mont St. Michel while waiting at Rennes Gare.

Michael at Le Mont St. Michel

by siliconbruin

"17 Aug 2006"

Well, here I am -- three trains and a bus ride later.

I started the day in Saumur and got to Pontorson via Nantes and Rennes without any problems. The French train system is awesome!

More importantly, the bus line, Les Courriers Bretons, has anticipated the arrival of travellers going to Le Mont Saint Michel. There is a bus waiting at the corner just 100 meters away from the Pontorson train station. Just exit, stage left, and you'll find yourself at the bus stop. (Ignore the bus parking painted on the street in front of the train station. I don't think any busses actually use these spots. The street in front of the train station is actually a cul-se-sac.)

First, I'm going to my hotel -- Relais Saint-Michel. It is the four-star hotel that is located on the continental portion of Mont Saint Michel nearest to the 2-kilometer causeway that connects to island portion of Mont Saint Michel. All I need is a 1.50 euro ticket for the "La Caserne" bus stop. This bus stop is actually located in front of the Hotel Motel Vert and its associated restaurant, La Rotisserie.

I bought a ticket from the driver, and he kindly helped me store my 22-kilo suit case in the compartment below the bus. I did not know there was a trick to opening the compartment door. You are supposed to push the rubber button AND lift at the finger grip. Sigh...

Tomorrow, I'll use the bus stop across the street in front of the Hotel Mercure Mont Saint Michel to return to the Pontorson Gare.

Those who want to go directly to the island portion of Le Mont Saint Michel should simply buy a 1.80 euro ticket for the Le Mont Saint Michel bus stop.

"Le Mont by Night"

My 1st-class cycling trip last week has really spoiled me for French food. So, I'm having dinner at La Rotisserie. The inside of the restaurant looks like a typical tourist restaurant. It's clean, bright, and staffed by a whole bunch of polo-shirt-clad waiters scurrying from table to table. They were fast, friendly, and spoke English. They also offered a menu in several other languages: Thank You, Gracias, Dank-u, Grazie, Danke, Merci.

The prix fix menu du jour looked great, but the waiter told me that I had arrived too late to order. So, I'm having the lamb, a bottle of Chinon (a red wine), and a green salad. You've got to try this lamb dish. The sauce was phenomenal!

Now, it's back to the hotel patio for a wonderful view of the Mont.

"Le Supermarche"

There is a sandwich shop and supermarket just to the left of Hotel Motel Vert and La Rotisserie. (All of these seem to have the same ownership.) Don't expect more that the basic food items from the market. It is better described as a gift shop and wine shop, but there is a small section for refrigerated food and fresh baguettes.

I bought a two-pack of yogurt for breakfast. I love French yogurt! I had the mixed berry and the apricot-mango flavors today. Yum! I basically drank my yogurt and used strips of my baguette to scoop up every last drop...

That first close-up view of the abbey....

by morgane1692

and you cannot help but be impressed. Yes, some may say it is touristy and of course if you are here in the spring or summer months, then you are bound to encounter busloads of daytrippers. So be here on a cold, damp wintry day, you won't be bothered by all that many punks and tourists then!

The Mont tomorrow 3

by Azhut

Infos from the site projectmontsaintmichel.fr

Air and - silence

Removing traffic from about 2 km of road between the Mont and the mainland will also mean no more exhaust fumes. Today at peak periods, the causeway is taken by 1000 vehicles an hour each way. The new shuttle will offer silent, zero emission transport. It will bring an end to noisy, smelly cars and coaches. Visitors will at last be able to enjoy nature undisturbed.

To read more go on this site:
www.projetmontsaintmichel.fr

The legend of Saint Michel

by Pavlik_NL

It is said that on the 16th October 709 the Bishop of Avranches, Aubert, built a chapel on Mont Tombe after he was visited twice by the archangel Michael (Michel). After the first visit in his dream, he did not acted on the request of Michel, to built him a sanctuary on the small hill within the forest near Avranches. The second time Saint Michael visited Aubert, he awoke him by pushing his finger against his head (burning a small hole in his skull, that still can be seen in the basilica of Avranches!). Now Aubert believed and acted on the archangels request by building the chapel. Some times after this some natural disaster flushed away the forest around Mont Tombe and Le Mont Saint Michel became a coastal island. So far the legend of which most facts are clouded by mysteries. It is however an absolute fact that in the year 966 the Benedictine order settled on the island on demand of the Duke of Normandy. They built a early Romanesk church that evolved in the abbey that we see today.