Mont-Saint-Michel and Mont-Saint-Michel bay are among France’s most beautiful panoramas, a magical island topped by a gravity-defying chapel. This holy island is nowadays a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as is its stunning bay, a significant pilgrimage destination in Europe for centuries.
A Memorable Place
Mont-Saint-Michel is one of Europe’s most unique places. Set in a stunning bay shared by Normandy and Brittany, the mountain attracts the eye from afar. This breathtakingly beautiful place has captured the imagination for a long time. The story of how the peak became a Christian pilgrimage site dates back to the early 8th century when Bishop Aubert of the nearby hilltop town of Avranches claimed that the Archangel Michael influenced him to build a church. The island is beyond the sea.
From 966, the Dukes of Normandy, followed by the French kings, supported the development of a major Benedictine abbey at Mont-Saint-Michel. Magnificent devotional buildings were added throughout the Middle Ages, and one Virgin wing, in particular, was nicknamed the Marvel. Mont-Saint-Michel’s monastery became a prestigious learning center, attracting Europe’s greatest minds and manuscript luminaries. Despite the endless cross-channel conflict, pilgrims came in large numbers; The forts of the island camp were built to keep out the English forces. Other good buildings line the steep village street, which has now been converted into museums, restaurants, hotels, and shops for tourists.
To reach The Mont-Saint-Michel and Mont-Saint-Michel bay
Tourist car parks have been moved further inland to save Mont-Saint-Michel‘s unique landscape. The car parks are about 1.5 miles from the hill. Once you’ve parked, head to the Place des Navettes, where specially designed shuttle buses called passeurs will convey you to the top of the peak. The shuttle bus stop is 800 meters (half a mile) from the car park, and passengers stop 450 meters from the mountain itself. Passengers operate at regular intervals from 7:30 am to midnight every day. Alternatively, you can book a special horse-drawn carriage (marinate) or walk from the car park up the mountain, taking in the splendor of Mont-Saint-Michel as you approach.
