Mont Saint Michel Favorites

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Favorite thing: We drove to 'the Mont' via Courtils.

Quite a distance away, I suddenly saw "it," I was so excited. As soon as we could find a place to pull off, I was out the Car and taking a photo.
Now, we were miles away, and I found that there were plenty more opportunities a lot closer, and a much better photo. It was pretty hazy in the distance, but when closer, nice and clear.

Moral of the story.......Plenty of places for photo's, don't be afraid of not getting a distance photo.

Favorite thing: The village :
Free - no specific restrictions

1. Indicative fees (2009) for the Abbey
Tickets available at the entrance of the abbey only
Rates :
- individual : 8.50€; ; from 18 to 25 years old included from Ue : free (from UE) otherwise 5€; less than 18 years : free
- group (20 persons) or tour operators: 6,50€;
- audip-guide: 4.00€; Conducted tour: 1H30, 6.50 €, highly recommended but subject to availability of guides.

2. Opening hours
- The abbey is open every day except the 1st of january, the 1st of may and the 25th of december.
- from 2 may to 31 august : 9am to 7 pm, last admission at 6 pm
- from 1 september to 30 april : 9.30 am to 6pm, last admission at 5 pm.
- On the 24th & 31st of december : last entrance at 4 pm & closing time at 5pm.
Self guided tour or one hour guided tour ( with all reserve)
Pets are not allowed in the abbey (allowed in the village).

3. Contacts

Booking and information at the abbey :
Tel 02-33-89-80-00 - Fax : 02-33-70-83-08
E-mail : abbaye.mont-saint-michel@monuments-nationaux.fr
Website : www.mont-saint-michel.monuments-nationaux.fr (French)

Mont Saint Michel tourism informations center
Tourism informations center (English)
or
Mont Saint Michel portal

Fondest memory: I was sceptical to extend our trip (3 hours drive from Loire valley) to the Mont Saint Michel, but my wife was very motivated. Oh, I was so entousiastic after!

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Favorite thing: The Mont St Michel island located just off the coast of the region of Normandie, best known as the site of the spectacular and well-preserved Norman Benedictine Abbey of St Michel at the peak of the medieval town.
It was one of the most important places of pilgrimage for the Medieval occident. For nearly one thousand years, men, women and children went there, despite the dangers, hoping for the assurance of eternity, given by the Archangel of judgement « Peseur des ames ».

Mont Saint Michel was officially inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1979

The « Wonder of the Western World » forms a tower in the heart of an immense bay invaded by the highest tides in Europe.

History (adapted from tourism information center web site)
It was at the request of the Archangel Michel « chief of the celestial militia » that Aubert, Bishop of Avranches built and consecrated a small church on the 16th October 709. The pre-Romanesque church was built before the year one thousand.

- 8th century, the construction of the first monastic establishment
- 11th century, fondation of the Romanesque abbey church over a set of crypts
- 12th century, the monastery buildings were extended to the west and south.
- 13th century , a donation by the king of France enabled a start to be made on the Gothic section of the "Merveille ": two three-storey buildings, crowned by the cloister and the refectory.
- In the 14th century, military constructions (the Hundred Years War effect)

The Abbey was turned into a prison during the days of the French Revolution and Empire, and needed to be restored before the end of the 19th century.
With the celebration of the monastic's 1000th anniversary,in the year 1966 a religious community moved back to what used to be the abbatial dwellings.

At the same time as the abbey was developping a village grew up from the Middle Age. It flourished on the south-east side of the rock surrounded by walls dated for the most part from the Hundred Years war. This village has always a commercial vocation ( this is still valid...)

Mont Saint-Michel welcomes more than three million visitors a year.

Fondest memory: The excitation when we started to see the Mont, while driving, illuminated by the sun rise (it was early the morning).

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Favorite thing: If you arrive before 10:00 am it takes about 30 minutes to walk the causeway , through the street(s) up to the ticket office and then to the top . The buses arrive after 10:00 am and then the streets get crowded.

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Favorite thing: On the main land, in front of Mont-Saint-Michel, along the Couesnon river, this old wind mill was not in use anymore and had lost its wings. However, the building itself and the roof looked in good condition. I bet that it might some day be restored and turned for example into a crêperie to taste one of those delicious crêpes (pancake) washed with a bowl (not a glass, a bowl) of cider!

Favorite thing: http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/lieuxvisite_gb.htm
Or click here

http://mont-saint-michel.monuments-nationaux.fr/en/bdd/page/visites
Or click here

Favorite thing: Mont St-Michel is one of the most popular tourist attractions in France, with over 3.5million people visiting this tiny island every year! That single, steep, narrow street gets crowded pretty quickly as the tourist buses role in.

Our first visit was at 10pm, just before sunset, and it was nice and quiet. The next morning we arrived at around 9am and it wasn't too busy, but by 11.30am it was crowded (in June). I must admit that the crowds really detracted from the uniqueness of the place.

Fondest memory: My favourite thing about Mont St-Michel was the way that you could catch a glimpse of it from miles away, when driving along the main roads that run near the coast. It is a very cool site for a distance. Even the view from the start of the causeway is good.

But, once you actually get up to the island, see the car parks, and perhaps fight through the crowds some of the mystery is gone, well, it was for me anyway.

Favorite thing: Infos from projectmontsaintmichel.fr

A landscape restored

The action over the period 2003 to 2008 will free the Mont from the stranglehold of the surrounding salt marshes, rid it of its unsightly parking area, and of the causeway tying it to the mainland and obstructing the ramparts.

The most spectacular feature will be the return to a marine setting. Once the current parking lots have been demolished, 15 hectares of strands will be restored to their natural state. The combined forces of the sea and the Couesnon will flush the sediment out to sea away from the Mont. The Mont approaches will be permanently cleared of salt marshes, with 50% of the end result to be achieved within two years and 80% within 8 years of commissioning the dam.

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