Mont Saint Michel is an architectural wonder of France. Mont Saint-Michel Island: an impregnable castle
Off the northwestern coast of France there are three rocky islands: Mont Saint-Michel, Mont Dol and Tomblain, of which only one is inhabited - Mont Saint-Michel. In 709 it was founded and consecrated in honor of St. Michael, from which it received its name. At the end of the 19th century, a dam was built to connect it with the mainland, and at the same time (in 1874) it was recognized historical monument. And since 1979, UNESCO has classified it as a World Heritage Fund. With an indigenous population of less than 50 people, up to 3.5 million tourists and pilgrims visit it annually. So during your trip to France, do not miss the opportunity to appreciate the merits of architecture and natural features of this island.
How to get to Mont Saint Michel from Paris?
There are three ways to get from Paris by rail:
· From Paris Montparnasse by TGV via Rennes (2 hours). Then from Rennes to Pontorson by train, and then by bus to Mont Saint-Michel or by direct bus from Rennes to Mont Saint-Michel.
· From Paris Montparnasse by TGV to Dol de Bretagne (2 hours 40 minutes), and from there by direct bus to Mont Saint-Michel.
· From Paris Saint-Lazare by train to Caen, then by train to Pontorson and from there by bus to Mont Saint-Michel.
Attractions Mont Saint Michel
Once you have reached the island, the entire visit can be called one continuous excursion. At the entrance to this medieval city there is the former Burgher’s Guardroom, where the tourist office is now located. Working hours:
· July-August: daily from 7.00 to 19.00.
· March-June and September-October: from 9.30 to 18.00 (break 12.30-14.00).
· November-February: from 10.00 to 17.00 (break 12.30-14.00).
Passing through Boulevard Gate and King's Gate, you will find yourself on the main street, Grande Rue, where you will find museums, shops and houses dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries.
· L "archéoscope - tells about the construction and history of Mont Saint-Michel;
· Historical Museum– there are exhibitions of ancient weapons, paintings and sculptures, and an idea of local prisons and dungeons.
· Museum of the Sea and Ecology – tells about the connection between the city and the sea.
· Tiphaine House (le logis Tiphaine demeure de Bertrand Duguesclin) is a residence built in 1365 by Bertrand Duguesclin for his wife. Here you can see tapestries, furniture and paintings from the 14th century.
Museum opening hours: daily from 9.30 to 17.00. On the winter vacation All museums, except the maritime one, are closed. Tickets are sold at the door. Cost of visit:
· Subscription for 4 museums: for adults, over 25 years old - €18; for persons 18-25 years old - €9;
· Entrance to 1 museum for persons over 18 years old - €9.
· Children under 18 years old have free admission.
· Visitors under 18 years old – free.
Then along the route you come across the small parish church of St-Pierre, built at the turn of the 15th-16th centuries in honor of the patron saint of fishermen. Masses are held daily at 11 a.m. and on Saturdays at 6 p.m.
To get directly to the monastery, you need to climb the Great Steps of the Grand Degré. The abbey itself is open to the public every day except January 1, May 1 and December 25. Working hours:
You can visit it on your own or use the services of a guide (1 hour). Tickets are sold at the entrance to the monastery. Price:
· €9 – for persons over 25 years old (individual visit);
· €5.5 – for non-Europeans aged 18-25 years;
· €7 – for members of a group of 20 people;
· €30 – for schoolchildren (35 people + accompanying person);
· Children under 18 years old (when visiting with parents) – free;
· Citizens of EU countries or citizens of other countries permanently residing in France, under the age of 26 years – free of charge.
Masses are held daily at 12.15 (Sunday at 11.30) and are free to attend.
The layout of the island's tourist sites can be seen on the plan, which you will find in the appendix under our article.
You can purchase a subscription for 4 museums using this link.
Tides in Mont Saint-Michel
People also come to Mont Saint-Michel to see the largest tides in Europe. Twice a month sea waters reach the walls of Saint-Michel. The exact dates of these events are listed at www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/horaires.htm. The water reaches its greatest height 36-48 hours after the new moon and full moon, especially in the mornings and evenings. The difference in water levels is 15 meters, covering and exposing 15 km of areas adjacent to Saint-Michel. Be very careful if you plan to leave your car in the parking lot outside the fortress walls at this time - it may be washed away by water. It is better to arrive a day or two before the expected high tide and stay at a hotel.
Where to stay on Mont Saint Michel?
There are a sufficient number of hotels on the territory of this small island. 7 of them are located a couple of kilometers from the monastery, another 9 are located directly on the territory (these hotels). In addition, from February 15 to November 11, visitors can stay in an electrified campsite with 48 beds.
· Le relais Saint-Michel – 4 stars, outside the walls of the monastery – 39 rooms costing €270-560;
· La mere Poulard – 3 stars, on the territory of the monastery – 27 rooms costing €190-550;
· Saint Aubert – 2 stars, outside the monastery walls – 27 rooms costing €90-145;
· Lavieille Auberge – 2 stars, on the territory of the monastery – 11 rooms costing €120-200.
Where to eat in Mont Saint Michel?
On Mont Saint-Michel you can eat in hotel restaurants or in a dozen cafes and creperies, almost all of which are located on the territory of the monastery. Various seafood dishes are considered traditional menu items here; mussels are especially often ordered (moules de bouchot de la baie de Mont Saint Michel). And a huge omelet “from mother Poulard”, baked on the fire of the hearth, is exactly what gastro tourists come here for. “La mere Poulard” is prepared in the restaurant of the hotel of the same name. The meat of 3-6 month old “lamb from the salty fields” (l’agneau de pré-salé), with a high content of iodine and salt, is incredibly tasty. And in pancake shops you can treat yourself not only to the usual homemade pancakes, but also buckwheat pancakes. In many catering establishments, the menu is translated into various languages, including Russian. To taste all of the above, be sure to check out
· Traditional pancake house La Cloche;
· Cafe Mere Poulard;
· Restaurant Le Saint-Michel;
· Le tripot snack bar.
The best time to visit Mont Saint-Michel is considered to be July-August.
Have a nice rest!
You can find analogues - but Mont Saint-Michel is absolutely unique. There is simply no rival in the world to a lonely mountain in the middle of a perfectly flat plain; a mountain crowned by a stern monastery and surrounded by impenetrable walls; a mountain whose slopes sheltered an entire medieval city with tiny winding streets; a mountain that the highest tides in Europe twice a day turn into an impregnable island, and the surrounding plain into a raging ocean. The path to get there is not easy, but from year to year millions of people flock here - to feel involved in a true miracle, at least for a few hours.
UNESCO included Mont Saint-Michel on the List of World Heritage Sites, guidebooks proudly call it the “eighth wonder of the world,” and the French themselves simply call their favorite attraction the Mountain.
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How to get to Mont Saint Michel
The easiest and most economical way to get to Mont Saint-Michel is to take a direct bus from Paris. On Saturdays and Sundays, Flixbus buses leave from La Défense early in the morning and return to the capital late in the evening. The journey takes about 5 hours, passengers are taken directly to the walls of Mont Saint-Michel. A round-trip ticket will cost less than 50 EUR, you can book it at the office. carrier's website. Prices on the page are for October 2018.
On weekdays, getting to the Mountain is a little more difficult: first you need a network connection high-speed train TGV at Montparnasse station, go to Rennes, and then change to a bus from the local Keolys network. A combined train-bus ticket can be purchased at the office. website of the SNCF company, which is in charge of all railways France. The travel time is comparable to the bus option, and for a one-way ticket you will have to pay at least 50 EUR.
The third way to get to Mont Saint-Michel from Paris can easily be considered exotic: at the Rennes railway station you need to change to a local train to the town of Pontorson, and then take a minibus to Mont Saint-Michel (travel time is about 20 minutes, ticket price 2.50 EUR). For those traveling to Mont Saint-Michel from Normandy, this method is quite acceptable: several trains run daily from Rouen to Pontorson.
Mont Saint-Michel can also be reached by car - the road from Paris along the A13 toll motorway takes about 4 hours and costs 15 EUR. The route through Alençon along the free highway N10 is shorter in mileage, but longer in time and very tiring for the driver - the road runs through many towns with narrow intersections, pedestrian crossings and frequent speed limits of up to 50 km/h.
Search for flights to Paris (the nearest airport to Mont Saint-Michel)
A little history
In Gallo-Roman times, a dense forest rustled on the site of the present Bay of Saint-Michel, and the future Mountain was a low hill. The first Christian hermits chose it as a place of solitude and prayer. Locals They brought food to the ascetics, and in due course they buried their remains. The previously unnamed hill began to be called Grave Mountain. By the 7th century, the ocean swallowed up the land, and the Mountain acquired its modern shape, and in 709 the first monastery was founded on the top. Over the centuries, it grew, changed owners several times, survived many wars and sieges, was once burned to the ground and rebuilt stone by stone - until it was closed during the French Revolution. The monks were expelled, their cells were turned into cells for political prisoners. The darkest period of Mont Saint-Michel lasted almost 100 years, and only at the end of the 19th century the prison was closed and Mont Saint-Michel received the status national museum. In 1966, part of the monastery was returned to the Catholic Church, and now the Benedictine brothers celebrate Mass daily in the abbey chapel.
Transport
The transport system of Mont Saint-Michel is somewhat exotic, but very convenient and fully corresponds to the special atmosphere of this place. 3 km from the monastery, next to the 24-hour paid parking (half an hour is free, a day ticket will cost car owners 11.50 EUR) there is a stop for unusual electric buses. They were designed specifically for Mont Saint-Michel, and they do not have the usual “front” and “rear” - the driver’s cabins are located on both sides. They cover the path to the mountain in 12 minutes, making stops along the way at hotels and restaurants in the town of La Caserne on the shore of the bay. Buses run from 7:30 to midnight at intervals of several minutes and travel is free.
For lovers of antiquity, there is an alternative: carriages pulled by a pair of Norman heavy trucks reach the mountain in 25 minutes. Capacity is up to 24 passengers, one-way ticket costs 5 EUR.
Beautiful Mont Saint Michel
Communication and Wi-Fi
Problems with mobile communications not in Mont Saint-Michel - 3G and 4G networks are available anywhere on the island. The situation with Wi-Fi is less rosy; you can only discover a free access point by chance. In this sense, it is easier for hotel guests and restaurant clients than for tourists visiting for a few hours - free wifi has long become a standard in such establishments. The password to a hotel chain is usually written either on the wall of the room or on a special laminated card - it is placed on the table before guests check-in. Finding the password to restaurant chains is not always easy - it is not customary to post it openly. Sometimes it is printed at the bottom of the menu, but in most cases you will have to ask the waiter for help.
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Mont Saint Michel Hotels
Local hotels are clearly divided into two groups: hotels from the first are located inside the city fortifications (intra muros), from the second - in the town of La Caserne in the immediate vicinity of Mont Saint-Michel. The hotel rooms are cramped, not the most pleasant smells can be heard from the restaurants downstairs, you will have to first take a minibus to get to your accommodation, and then walk up the Grande Rue, crowded with tourists. But the proximity to all the attractions and the opportunity to watch the tide from your “own” windows are worth it.
Hotels in La Caserne are designed in modern times, there is a higher level of comfort at reasonable prices - with early booking a room in a 2* hotel will cost only 55 EUR. Among the advantages of staying overnight in La Caserne are convenient hotel parking, a stunning view of Mont Saint-Michel at night, as well as a vibrant and varied nightlife.
What to bring
The choice of souvenirs in Mont Saint-Michel is huge: shops along the main street fight for every client, offering a wide range of goods for every taste and budget - from magnets for a couple of euros to complete set knight's armor for the price of an average car.
In addition to the usual tourist set, it is customary to take away as souvenirs elegant plates with images of the abbey, small copies of the statue of the Archangel Michael decorating the monastery spire, funny stone figurines of musicians and jugglers made in medieval technology, models of sailing ships, figurines made of Norman porcelain, as well as souvenirs replicas of bladed weapons.
Among the culinary products, the most popular are crispy butter cookies “from Mother Poulard”, “Quin-aman” pies from neighboring Brittany, as well as local salted caramel - it is packaged and sold individually.
Cuisine and restaurants of Mont Saint-Michel
People don’t go to Mont Saint-Michel for the sake of gastronomic pleasures, fancy expensive restaurants here would simply go out of business. The local cuisine is simple, tasty and inexpensive - exactly what a weary traveler needs.
All bars, cafes, snack bars and pancake houses are located exclusively on Grande Rue - it is useless to look for food in other places on the island. These establishments are accustomed to quickly serving the tourist flow, and you can count on a short, hearty snack at a price of 12 to 25 EUR. Snacks and sandwiches to take away will cost 3-4 EUR each.
There are few restaurants in Mont Saint-Michel, they exist only at hotels and sometimes live at the pace of the guests - they serve for a long time, but it is there that you can taste the Mountain's signature dish at an affordable price - lamb fillet raised in the local water meadows (it is believed that Ocean salt naturally permeates the meat and gives it a unique flavor). Dinner in such a restaurant will cost 80-120 EUR and will take several hours, but while waiting for food you can watch the ebb and flow of the tides - all restaurants here have panoramic terraces overlooking the bay.
Guides in Mont Saint Michel
Entertainment and attractions
Mont Saint-Michel is a landmark in itself. The majestic fortress city on a lonely mountain, surrounded alternately by the ocean and by a damp sandy plain, invariably makes a strong impression on travelers.
By the way, it was the monastery of Mont Saint-Michel that became the prototype for the fortress of Minas Tirith in the film “The Lord of the Rings”.
Access to Mont Saint-Michel itself is free, and any tourist can enter the city through the Royal Gate, simultaneously examining a cannon from the Hundred Years War, marvel at the two-meter width of the local “Grand Rue” (Grande Rue) and pick up souvenirs there. If your build permits, you can take a chance and climb to the upper tier along crooked alleys - in some places you will have to squeeze through sideways. At the top, after passing the gates of the abbey and walking along the walls, you can thoughtfully select an “observation post” and meet the tide with a camera in your hands. On the way back, it’s worth stopping by the tiny city church and ending the tour with a walk along the fortress walls of the lower tier, returning to the Royal Gate. If you have time and energy left, you can walk along the granite blocks along the island to the small chapel of Saint-Aubert - it used to serve as a place for prayer vigils.
An adult tourist will have to pay 10 EUR to enter the abbey (office site in English), children are admitted free of charge.
"Constable's House", "Archaeoscope", Historical and Maritime museums somewhat lost against the background of other attractions, but also interesting in their own way. A combined ticket to visit all 4 will cost 18 EUR, Additional information can be obtained at the office. website (in English).
5 things to do in Mont Saint Michel
- Walk under the echoing arches of the abbey and go down to its heart - the chapel of Notre-Dame-Sous-Terre.
- Meet the tide while standing at the stone parapet of the upper fortifications.
- At low tide, go out onto the damp sand of the bay and look at the Mountain from all sides.
- Buy souvenirs in the shops on Grande Rue.
- Try the famous omelet “from Mother Poulard”
Weather
The climate in northern France is mild. In general, you can rely on the weather forecast for Normandy, but it is worth taking into account some features of the bay: the ocean has leveled the surface for kilometers around the Mountain, so the westerly wind blows around Mont Saint-Michel as it wants - this is especially felt on the upper observation platforms. Tides constantly wet the surrounding sand, so in winter there is a high risk of fog, and in summer high humidity combined with the scorching sun makes many tourists faint.
The ocean not only affects the microclimate of the Mountain - often the life of a tourist depends on it. The tide comes suddenly and moves the water at the speed of a running person, so before going for a walk you should definitely study the tide schedule at the office. website (in English).
Castle Mont Saint Michel is located on an island bordering two French provinces, which to this day dispute the right to the castle. The abbey, built on a rock protruding from the sea, is rightfully considered a wonder of the world.
Surrounded by granite cliffs and the sea, at an altitude of about 80 meters, lies one of the most famous and memorable castles of Normandy, protected by UNESCO since 1979. According to ancient legends, the island became a monastery after Archangel Michael appeared to Bishop Aubert in 708 and ordered the construction of a chapel here, a place where people could make pilgrimages and where they could ask for peace of mind.
In 2015, a tide, later called the "tide of the century", destroyed the dam, and Mont Saint-Michel regained its status as an island. Today, you can only get to the monastery via a pedestrian bridge, which only at first glance seems like an inconvenience. In fact, this walking tour gives tourists a chance to experience the spirit of pilgrimage.
The monastery itself is more similar to the castles of Normandy than to churches. Even after repeated reconstructions, the abbey's buildings retained their Romanesque spirit. Pointed spiers, massive vaults, high towers, rounded arches - all this takes you many centuries back, allowing you to plunge into the ancient atmosphere.
According to the Bible, Michael is not just an archangel, but a warrior-defender, and it was he who, in the event of the Apocalypse, was supposed to lead the Lord’s army. To this day, there are legends about Michael’s constant patronage over the island, because throughout the entire period of its existence, the monastery has never been captured by anyone. The monks repeatedly had to defend their lands from constant Viking raids, as a result of which the walls of the abbey grew upward and strengthened, overgrown with loopholes and turning into a mysterious fortress, surrounded by natural sea and man-made walls. On the most high tower at an altitude of more than 150 meters rises the gold-covered figure of Michael, raising a naked sword in his hands.
The bay of Mont Saint-Michel provides tourists with the opportunity to observe the ebb and flow of the tides; twice a day the water level completely cuts off the fortress from the mainland. You can find out the tide schedule in advance and tailor your trip to it. If at this moment you are on the terrace of the abbey or on pedestrian bridge, then remember this amazing sight for the rest of your life.
Before planning a trip to spiritual center Normandy , make sure not to miss the view of the Mont Saint Michel castle at night, so spectacularly illuminated in the dark. Majority travel companies offers a one-day excursion to the island, but you will not regret if you decide to stay in the local hotels for at least one night. You will be able to see all the sights of the monastery and surrounding areas, try local cuisine and spend unforgettable time at the walls of the legendary monastery. On average, there are about 3 million visitors a year, but only a little over a hundred permanent residents, including monks. On the island, in addition to church buildings, there are many shops, hotels and restaurants. Local residents care about the development of tourism on the island, and all proceeds go towards the restoration of the abbey’s architecture.
The Mont Saint Michel castle in France is a place that is worth visiting at least once in your life!
One of the most popular attractions in France is the Mont Saint-Michel castle.
How often have you seen a monastery on a rock sticking out of the watery abyss?
It looks stunning.
The city on the island has existed since 709. Currently there are 80 inhabitants. Since 1879, the island has been connected by a causeway to the mainland. The island is a granite formation approximately 930 m in diameter and 92 m above sea level. Mont Saint-Michel is famous for its Benedictine abbey, built between the 11th and 14th centuries.
At the very top of the rock, at an altitude of almost 80 meters, the walls of the ancient abbey rise to the sky, and at the end of its spire, located at an altitude of 155.5 meters above sea level, stands a golden figurine of an archangel with a sharpened sword. Mont Saint-Michel is protected by the sea on all sides and only a 2-kilometer-long causeway connects the mainland to the island
Victor Hugo was so impressed by Mont Saint-Michel that he nicknamed it “The Pyramid in the Ocean”
The Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is the most visited place in France after Paris. Due to the territorial affiliation of this a unique corner Two regions are in dispute - Brittany and Normandy.
Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that the border between them is drawn along the Coueson River running in the coastal sands, which does not testify in favor of Brittany. There is even a French proverb about this: “Couenon went crazy, so Mont Saint-Michel ended up in Normandy.”
The entrance to the castle starts at the Royal Gate. From here, the only street extends into the interior of the island - Grande Rue. In tiny, almost toy houses of the 15th-16th centuries, huddled together on two sides of the street, today there are cafes, restaurants, hotels and tents with a variety of souvenirs.
A huge number of legends are associated with the Mont Saint-Michel castle. According to one of them, in 708 the Archangel Michael came to Archbishop Aubert in a dream. The Archangel ordered the bishop to dedicate to him the rock, already almost completely covered by the sea. Ober did not carry out this order, for fear of becoming a victim of his imagination. The same vision was repeated many times in the future.
Then the archangel could not tolerate such disobedience and stuck his finger into Ober’s head. In order to finally convince the bishop and other Christians, he created many miracles here. By the way, the legend is a legend, but in Ober’s skull, scientists actually found a hole) It could have been caused, for example, by a battle wound or trepanation during brain surgery.
The Monastery of St. Michael was built for a very long time - from the 11th to the 16th centuries. The Vikings settled here, William the Conqueror set out for England from here, and many kings lived here. During the Hundred Years' War between France and England, Mont Saint-Michel was the last French stronghold in Normandy, never captured by the enemy... It was never conquered, once even surviving a 30-year siege - it remained in history impregnable castle. The castle was conquered only by tourists - today it is visited by more than 3 million tourists every year - only Paris and Versailles are more popular
The monastery of Mont Saint-Michel was closed a long time ago - back in 1790! Several decades later, ironically, the most dangerous criminals and scoundrels were imprisoned here - the castle turned into a state prison for half a century. Because of this, it is popularly called the “provincial Bastille”. Only in 1863, after a major restoration, did it open its Royal doors again, but for tourists.
Along with the world-famous Eiffel Tower, there is another calling card of France. This time we will not talk about a separate building, but a whole complex that occupies the territory of a small island. This is one of the most picturesque corners of Normandy, which is rightfully considered a real monument to the history of France - this is the island-monastery of Mont Saint-Michel.
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The impressive island, based on millions of tons of granite, is only 930 meters in diameter, and highest point located at an altitude of only 92 meters above sea level. It was this place that was chosen by the Benedict monks back in the 8th century, who became its rightful owners for many centuries, building a real abbey.
There is a legend according to which the place for the construction of the monastery was chosen here not by chance. In a dream, the Archangel Michael appeared to Bishop Avranches and ordered to build a monastery on the island to commemorate the battle between the bright forces of the heavenly army and the satanic hordes that appeared in the form of a dragon. According to the vision, it was here, on the granite ledges of the island, that the fatal meeting of two eternal opponents took place - good and evil.
The construction of the monastery was financed by the Norman dukes, who saw not only a religious significance in its rough outlines, but also a strategic one. It was the island that was to become the first stronghold of the numerous Viking raids to which Normandy was systematically subjected.
The construction of the central building of the abbey lasted for 500 years, from 1017, when the first stone was laid, until 1520. And by the 12th century, the monastery became one of the main religious centers for numerous pilgrims from Europe. The final touches that completed the image of the modern monastery were made until the 17th century, as a result of which a complex complex of buildings and structures began to rise above the island, the architecture of which overlapped Gothic and Romanesque styles.
Everyone who sees this masterpiece of human creation for the first time will watch with delight and hope the structures literally climbing up the steep slopes towards the sun, the crown of which is the elegant Marvel Church. All this creates a truly mesmerizing landscape, which can only be compared with the famous creation of Eiffel. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that this grandiose complex included in World Heritage UNESCO.
Island crashing into the ocean
Mont Saint-Michel is capable of presenting some of the most vibrant and unforgettable impressions in the life of everyone who is lucky enough to be here. It is difficult to find the right words to convey as colorfully and accurately as possible the sensations that you experience every time you sit at a table on a restaurant terrace with a tablecloth whitened to a crisp and greedily absorb with your eyes the endless expanse of the ocean.
And what is the air like here! Simply saying that every breath makes you feel dizzy and your pulse beats faster in your temples will clearly not be enough. He's special here. It is the local air that is best suited to be described as sea air “saturated with centuries-old dampness.” The impressions will be especially vivid during high tide, which, like a leopard stalking its prey, approaches silently and unnoticed.
The island is located in the north-west of France and is part of a group of islands located in the bay of the same name. It is only 2 km from the mainland of the state and at low tide it is not difficult to get to it. Although, due to the local peculiarities of the sea weather, the island sometimes seems like an impregnable fort, the path to which is blocked by huge gray-green waves that crash into the rocks below.
It is interesting that, even despite such proximity to mainland France, as well as to historical Normandy, Britain has repeatedly tried to “redraw” the local borders in its favor and make the island another distant harbor for its numerous ships. This is explained by the crazy popularity of this place, with which only one place can compete with this criterion - the French capital. Because of this, the French, who have never been overly modest, called these places “the eighth wonder of the world.”
How to get there
Of course, after such a vivid description of the local beauties, the image of an ancient carriage with a forged frame, harnessed to a pair of black horses, appears in your head. It is they who must deliver the real adventurer to the wooden suspension bridge, which, descending with a creak, will reveal its secrets and untold riches that have been preserved here since time immemorial. To complete the look ancient castle The only thing missing here is the statues of mythical monsters – chimeras.
Perhaps a couple of centuries ago this is exactly what the path to the world famous abbey looked like. But today you can get to the Abbey of Saint-Michel much more comfortably. For example, buying a ticket for a fast train from Paris to Rennes (approximately 55.8 euros), and then transferring to a regular bus that takes travelers to the foot of the monastery (a little more than 11 euros). There is also a system of discounts, which will be a pleasant surprise for young travelers.
If you want to save money or simply prefer to travel with an ascetic bent, we recommend bus route via Pontorson. The regular bus runs only 6 times a day, but travel costs only 5 euros. But such inconveniences will not be a serious obstacle for true adventurers.
You can go to a holy place and personal car. But in order to avoid unpleasant surprises, it is recommended to leave the car in a specially designated place, where it will be safe during the high tide, and walk the remaining couple of kilometers of the journey.
If you decide to go to the island with the aim of replenishing your personal photo album with new photographs and your heart with vivid impressions, we highly recommend not choosing the summer months for your trip. During this period, the influx of tourists to the monastery is simply huge, which does not allow one to fully appreciate the beauty of these places. And, of course, we advise you to purchase a bycatch calendar, using which you can choose the best time for photo hunting and take simply stunning pictures of the landscapes that open from the fortress walls.
Don’t forget to take into account the peculiarities of the local climate, which obviously will not allow you to parade in a colorful sundress and light sandals. The harsh winds, which feel like full-fledged masters of the local expanses, have a negative attitude towards such equipment for tourists. But the most important accompaniment during the trip should be humility. After all, it is the humble tourists who can count on enlightenment within the walls of this holy place.
Entertainment and excursions
When you get tired of looking at the raging ocean and following the endless cycles of ebb and flow, you can go for a walk around the island, during which you will find many more interesting acquaintances and discoveries. But before that, close your eyes for a moment and imagine that this is the heyday of the medieval knightly era, and you are none other than the main character of Dumas’ favorite novel from your youth. Introduced? Then let's go!
The Royal Gate, a little rough, but created with medieval taste, pointed stone vaults, as well as a huge knight's hall and a refectory, where several hundred years ago the deep voices of the island's defenders hummed, as well as numerous winding streets, as if luring into the depths of the island - all this will require a lot of your attention and time.
Do you like mystery and different puzzles? There is more than enough of this goodness here! There are many secret passages in the streets that lead to another part of the monastery, and the iron-framed wooden doors make sounds that are so clearly remembered from the times of watching films about the exploits of knights and medieval castles.
All this, without a doubt, will leave an unforgettable mark in the memory of every visitor to these wondrous places and will beckon again and again to plunge into the beauty and unique charm of the monastery, which is located on the island of Mont Saint-Michel.
Well, how can you ignore one of the most mysterious places on the island - a small vaulted room called “Notre Dame underground”. There are many legends and traditions that reveal the history of this mysterious place from different sides. And you should definitely get to know many of them.
Local kitchen
If you decide to go to the island, you should definitely get acquainted with the local culinary traditions. The menu of restaurants located on the island is presented national dishes Breton cuisine, the basis of which is lamb dishes. In addition, lovers of seafood, meat dishes and salads will be able to discover a lot of new things.
Before you order a meat steak or other similar dish, remember that the French prefer medium-rare, almost raw meat. Depending on the order, you will have to pay from 14 to 35 euros for dinner.
You can stay in one of the local hotels, some of which are located on the first floors of buildings that date back to the 15-16th century. From the windows of hotel rooms you can enjoy marvelous landscapes until dusk, and a great mood in the morning is guaranteed by clean sea air, which will saturate your body with healthy salts and minerals in just a couple of nights.
