19 March 2025
Caught up on blessed sleep. Weather is sunny and cool. With rain predicted for later in the week, we adjust plans accordingly.
After a coffee and biscuit, my niece Gabrielle and I returned to Rèn’s modern train station, maneuvering its many levels and services. Our destinations over the next few days seem best reached by automobile. Therefore, we retrieve our Peugeot rental car and drive the 45 miles to Mont-Saint-Michel along the western coast of France.
Mont-Saint-Michel’s fame results from its spectacular setting high atop a big pile of rock above the galloping tides of the English Channel. The island, upon which the village and cathedral sits, is about a half-mile off the coast at the mouth of the Couesnon River.
Ultimately, the entire commune of Mont-Saint-Michel is little more than 17 acres with a population of about 50, all salesmen. Let’s face it, the island survives on tourists who want to climb their rock, walk their streets, and visit their monastery. Us included.
Tides and Time
The island is known for its rushing tide. Because of this natural phenomenon, when the tide remains low, like now, one might be tempted to walk across the sands. However, these tides and beaches also made the commune very defensible. If the quicksand didn’t entrap the aggressor, the tides could. High tides gallop in quite quickly and strand or drown any would-be attackers or unwary tourists. Remarkably, tides vary from modest to a whopping 46-feet!
Currently, the tide is still going out. When it reverses and returns starting about 4pm, waters will reach a high of over 35 ft by 8:46 pm. Don’t know how much galloping it will do. All the school children on field trips across the sands will be gone by then, hopefully.
Church of Saint-Pierre – Le Mont-Saint-Michel and its small cemetery along narrow passages and stairs.
Once inside the walls of Mont-Saint-Michel, shops and cafes line the cobbled, narrow streets. The monastery, built in 1067, lies up a series of broad stairs. A golden statue of the Archangel Michael rests atop the spire of the beautiful Romanesque style church. The entire complex sits upon the highest point of the island, just 302 feet above sea level.
Visiting the abbey means lots of stairs. I read recently, for better health, one should climb about 5 flights of stairs, or 50 steps, daily. Mont-Saint-Michel makes this goal easy.
The abbey gave its early support to William the Conqueror and his claim to the English throne as depicted by the famous Bayeux Tapestry. Through the centuries, Mont-Saint-Michel and its abbey retained its importance and influence. For many, it acted as a center of religious pilgrimage.
During the French Revolution, the abbey closed and converted into a prison. In 1836, writer Victor Hugo occupied one cell. However, as early as 1874, France recognized the abbey as an historic monument. Since 1979, it ranks as a UNESCO site.
Wandering the Church and Abbey
Sunlight filters through towering stained-glass windows, casting colorful patterns on the ancient stone floors. Intricate carvings adorn the walls. Winding staircases and passageways weave thru a maze of rooms, telling a story of the abbey’s size and importance.
This commune was constructed to accommodate a typical feudal society. At the top sat “God, the abbey, and monastery” and below this, the great pillared halls, then stores and housing. At bottom outside its walls, fishermen and farmers lived.
From the ramparts, sweeping views of the bay unfold, where the tide rolls in or out like a ribbon of froth, transforming the landscape in a mesmerizing dance of water and sand. The abbey’s serenity, punctuated only by the whisper of the wind and arguing seagulls, creates an atmosphere of timelessness.
Magical Experience
Today the fishermen and farmers have pretty much departed, leaving in their place merchants and retailers. However, the commune’s medieval architecture and stunning tidal landscapes continue to create a truly magical experience.
After descending from the abbey, we chose outside dining at La Nouvelle Terrasse. When on the sea, eat seafood. We enjoyed a plate of mussels and an interesting serving of bulots.
Bulots are sea snails that are found in the waters of Normandy. Accompanied with a mayo/garlic sauce, one uses a narrow pick to dig them from their conical shells. These were cold. Tasty but I don’t prefer them cold and they are no substitute for escargot.
Refreshed by wonderful food and drink, we ride the shuttle back to the parking lot. Having a rental, it took some time to locate our little car, noting I must pay more attention to where I park. The car does everything technically possible but send up smoke signals as to location.
It is but a short drive to our lodging in Saint-Malo.
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