Mont Saint-Michel’s Unique Location and Grandeur Make It a Premier Landmark - France
WHAT IS IT- Mont Saint-Michel has been attracting pilgrims, tourists, and royalty for almost 1300 years to a desolate location on the coast of Normandy. Mont Saint-Michel was a small island less than half a mile offshore consisting of granite rock formations and bird habitats and rising to a height of 250 feet. It was surrounded by mud flats and waters that rise and fall four times each day due to extensive tidal flows that recede for miles out to sea. Despite this inhospitable location, in 709 AD a church Bishop from Avranches known as Aubert had three visions in which Saint Michael directed him to build a shrine there which was completed soon thereafter. While empires and rulers have come and gone, the small shrine started in 709 AD was transformed over time into a magnificent medieval fortress, abbey, and village, and preserved as a sanctuary for people seeking spiritual salvation or political recusal. Mont Saint-Michel now attracts over 2.5 million visitors annually, maintains the status of a World Heritage Site and ranks as the fourth most visited landmark in France.
WHAT YOU WILL SEE THERE- The experience of visiting Mont Saint-Michel on a group tour or by yourself is exciting. As you approach the area by road, the majestic island can be seen in the distance rising unexpectedly from the sea and silhouetted by green tidal marshes. All cars and buses must park in one of the large parking lots and then visitors walk to shuttles that take you through a small village on the mainland and along a footbridge before dropping people off a short distance from the base of the rock. This location provides excellent views of the entire complex and, depending on the tide, the surrounding water or sandy mudbanks. From there, you enter the main street of the site and begin a steep ascent up to the abbey.
Some of the most popular and unusual things to enjoy inside the complex are the following:
Grand Rue- The main street is a long and narrow path that goes through the village, and up several flights of stairs to the entrance of the abbey. This area gets particularly crowded during peak times and is lined with 15th and 16th century mansions that have been converted into cafes, restaurants, and tourist shops with souvenirs, clothing items, and medieval replicas.
Abbey- The abbey located at the top of the mountain is the crown jewel of the site. A separate timed admission ticket is required to enter this area, but it is a unique experience. There is an open-air platform at the entrance to the church that provides spectacular views of the bay and the architecture of the church. You will likely see specially trained guides leading visitors on walks across the mudflats during low tide while taking care to avoid treacherous quicksand areas. Inside the abbey church, one cannot help but being impressed by the large columns, flying buttresses, and various statues and carvings from the Middle Ages. Some parts of the structure are Romanesque in style and other sections reflect Gothic features added in later years.
Living Quarters and Halls- Mont Saint-Michel was for centuries a working monastery with monks engaged in religious devotion, tending to pilgrims, maintaining manuscripts and books, and helping knights and other dignitaries. Consequently, Mont Saint-Michel also contains living quarters, reception areas, and rooms halls used for work and assemblies. Tours of the abbey lead you through many corridors to various small chambers and large halls used for these purposes.
Cloister and Gardens- The rectangular shaped cloister area is an open walkway with stone columns supporting a wooden framed roof. Built in the early 1200s, this section was used as a place for reflection, conversation, and walking. Known for its lavish design and internal garden, the cloister is a popular place to experience the grandeur of Mont Saint Michel.
HISTORY OF MONT SAINT-MICHEL- The unique and breathtaking medieval town that is now recognized as Mont Saint-Michel evolved gradually. The island was initially occupied by hermits and some devoted followers of Bishop Aubert. In 966 AD, the King of France and Duke of Normandy decided to create a simple church there for St. Benedictine monks to live and worship, while following their order’s principles of poverty, charity, and obedience. Over a century later, plans were developed to expand the monastery to include a massive church built on top of the granite formation using advanced architectural designs, galleries and windows. By the twelfth century, pilgrims were flocking to pray at the church, see holy relics there, and study at a large library added to the abbey. Meanwhile, the community on the island and the shore thrived from these visitors.
During the next three hundred years, the abbots struggled to maintain good relations with various French and English rulers contesting for control of Normandy and the surrounding lands, and engaged in internal battles. In 1204, an ally of the French king, Philippe Auguste, laid siege to Mont Saint-Michel and the destroyed parts of the abbey and the town. Seeking redemption, the French king then sent a large amount of gold to the abbey which helped pay for improvements on the island such as new living quarters for the monks and more reception rooms for pilgrims. People were encouraged to make pilgrimages during the Middle Ages and except for during times of plague, Mont Saint-Michel continued to receive thousands of visitors. The Hundreds Year War between Protestant and Catholic monarchies again brought conflict to the gates of the monastery in 1424 when English ships laid siege to the Mont after some knights faithful to the French cause took refuge there. A naval battle broke the siege and thereafter Joan of Arc claimed to have been visited and inspired by Saint Michel to devote her life to rescuing France. After those dangerous encounters, Mont Saint-Michel underwent further improvements to its defenses such as adding drawbridges, ramparts, watchtowers, sentry boxes, and cannons. While French kings continued to visit Mont Saint- Michel from time to time with great pomp and circumstance, and the monastery was eventually placed under the care of a Benedictine order, the buildings were not well maintained and some collapsed. By 1780, the abbey was converted into a prison for political opponents of the king. After the French Revolution the monks left the island, and it was used solely as a prison until mid-1800s.
The modern era of Mont Saint-Michel began in 1874 when the French government designated it as a historic monument. However, it took almost a hundred years for the Mont to be restored fully to its former glory and for the abbey to be turned back into a spiritual center. A 1000-year celebration was held in 1966, and a causeway was built to the island to facilitate pilgrim and tourist visits again. Improvements have continued to be made in this century to the buildings and entire site by replacing the causeway with a footbridge and shuttle service, adding remote parking lots for cars and buses and restoring the water flow and ecological balance of the estuary.
WHEN TO GO HERE- Late Spring and September are the best times of the year to visit Mont Saint-Michel as the weather is ideal and the crowds are less than during the summer months. Although the site is open year-round except for three days each year, the weather can be rainy and cool on the island during winter months.
HOW TO GET HERE- Mont Saint-Michel can be a difficult place to visit in a day trip from Paris since it takes at least 7 hours of driving to go back and forth, and even more time to take a train and a bus to reach the parking lot. Nevertheless, there are tour companies that provide van or bus service from various locations in the city to the destination. It takes half a day to enjoy Mont Saint Michel so a day trip can still be done. People interested in also seeing the beaches and memorials at Normandy could see both places on an overnight excursion to the area.
COST- There are two costs involved in visiting Mont Saint-Michel. One is the 6 Euro parking Fee and another is the 11 Euro fee for adult admission to the Abbey.