The famous Mont-Saint-Michel is a symbol of Normandy. It is a tidal island with stunning medieval architecture. Around the island, you will find a magnificent bay with the highest tides in continental Europe. UNESCO added the Mont Saint-Michel to its list of World Heritage Sites in 1979. Although it has only 33 inhabitants, it is the most visited site in France after Paris. In 2022, it welcomed nearly 2.8 million visitors.
đź“š According to a legend, the archangel Michael appeared in 708 to the bishop of Avranches, and instructed him to build a church. In 966, a community of Benedictines was established, and the first church was built. A village began to develop. A set of military constructions was built during the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453). Then, at the time of the French Revolution, the abbey was used as a prison. 14,000 prisoners, mostly political, passed through it. In 1863, following requests from writers and artists, the prison closed. Then, the building was restored and opened to the public. In 1966, a religious community returned to the Mount. Since 2001, the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem settled there.
1. Visit the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel
The Abbey has a unique and stunning architecture. To admire it, you will have to climb 350 steps, so be ready. There, you can visit several rooms including the church abbey, the monks’ living quarters, the refectory, the cloister, the guest room, the scriptorium, etc. An audio guide is useful when you don’t have a guide.
Don’t miss its west terrace, which is the ideal place to admire the bay with a panoramic view.
Throughout the year, you can also attend events and classical music concerts. In summer, you can even enjoy night walks in the heart of the abbey.
⏰ From May 1 to August 31 (9 a.m. – 7 p.m) / From September 1 to April 30 (9:30 a.m. – 6 p.m) / Closure of the abbey on January 1st, May 1st, and December 25th.
💰 Individual rate €13 / https://www.abbaye-mont-saint-michel.fr/en/visit/practical-information
2. Walk up the main street and discover the little streets
The “Grande Rue” is the road that climbs up to the abbey. On this road, you will be able to admire the region’s traditional architecture, with its small, stone houses dating from the Middle Ages. There, you can also enter the small shops and buy some souvenirs. But, because it is the most touristy place, you can feel lost in the crowd and want to escape by discovering the little streets. The little streets hide wonders that will be a delight for photographers and others.
3. Walk along the ramparts
Walk along the ramparts that surround Mont Saint-Michel. All along the walls, 7 towers mark interesting stops from where you have a superb view of the bay and the village. At the same time, you can’t miss “La Porte du Roy” which is a wonderful arch-tunnel with a portcullis.
4. Visit the museums of Mont-Saint-Michel
The Maritime Museum focuses on tidal phenomena, as well as the major project to restore the maritime character of Mont Saint-Michel. There is a collection of 250 old boat models.
The Archéoscope is a multimedia show (videos, reproductions of engravings, light shows, etc.) retracing the history of Mont Saint-Michel and its stages of construction.
đź’° Basic price – Adult Full price €9 / Child rate €4.50
Le Logis Tiphaine is a historic 14th-century residence of a medieval knight, Bertrand du Guesclin. Amidst period furniture and tapestries, you can admire the armor of the knight who distinguished himself during the Hundred Years’ War and the astrology cabinet of his wife, Tiphaine De Raguenel.
The Historical Museum retraces the 1300 years of history of Mont Saint Michel through reconstructions (wax figures, dungeons, dungeons, etc.) and a collection of ancient objects (weapons, sculptures, paintings…)
5. Spend the night in the heart of Mont Saint-Michel
To visit the Mont Saint Michel more pleasantly, you can spend the night there by booking a night in a hotel in the heart of the tidal island. This way, you can visit the site early in the morning or the evening, without feeling overwhelmed by the crowd of tourists. This is how the magic of the place will reveal itself entirely to you, especially at sunset.
6. Cross the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel with a guide
The ultimate experience is to cross the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel barefoot or with sea slippers under the tide with a guide. You have to listen carefully to the instructions when you book this tour, it’s a 7 km crossing (14 km with the return).
It takes just 1h30 to 2h for an introduction to the bay’s ecosystem, 3 hours to see the islet of Tombelaine (a granite islet and a unique ornithological reserve); or the day to do the Great Crossing from Bec d’Andaine or Grouin du Sud. From the bay, you will also be able to admire the small Chapel of Saint-Aubert which is not always open for visit.
❗️ Access to the bay is prohibited for tourists without a guide. It can be perilous because of shifting sands and tides. Some tourists who did not respect this prohibition have even died.
7. Admire the high tides
Theater of the highest tides in Europe with an impressive tidal range of nearly 15 meters during spring tides, the bay of Mont Saint-Michel offers many different landscapes.
With the high coefficients, the sea retreats 15km from the coast and rises very quickly. The water then takes over, swallowing the stretches of sand at full speed. This is when you can observe a typical wave that forms during a rising tide. As soon as the tidal coefficient exceeds 110, the Mount becomes an island again, for a few hours. Check online before visiting to choose your day well. You can find out about the tide times on the Tourist Office website. To observe it, the ramparts and the abbey square are the best.
They take place: end of March, end of September, and maybe mid-April, mid-August, and mid-October
8. Walk across the bridge
Most of the tourists take a shuttle that transports them directly to the feet of Mont Saint-Michel. But, you can choose to go there while walking (it’s a long walk of approximately 50 minutes, but it is worth it) and enjoy wonderful views of the island and the bay. Also, between the town and the start of the bridge, there are some great spots for photos.
9. Explore the surroundings of Mont-saint-Michel by bicycle or on foot
The bay of Mont-Saint-Michel is at the crossroads of many hiking and cycling routes.
The mountain is located on 3 major cycle routes in France:
– Vélomaritime from the English Channel to the North Sea (EuroVélo4)
– La Véloscénie, 450km from Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel
– The Véloroute from the landing beaches to Mont-Saint-Michel
On the walking side, there is the famous GR®34, 2000 km long, which goes around Brittany, and its continuation, the GR®223, which goes around the English Channel. These are the two long-distance hiking trails, but there are many other “small” trails to discover for a day or a few days.
10. What to do around?
Alligator Bay: Formerly known as the Reptilarium du Mont Saint-Michel, it is the largest group of alligators in France and Europe. Just 5 minutes from Mont Saint-Michel, you can meet more than 700 animals from 6 continents and across 3 worlds: the alligator greenhouse, the dragon labyrinth, and the turtle farm.
💰 Adult 15€ / Children (3 to 12 years old) 10 €
Musée Scriptorial d’Avranches: discover the secret of the Mont Saint-Michel manuscripts.
⏰ APRIL to SEPTEMBER (10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays)
OCTOBER – NOVEMBER – DECEMBER – FEBRUARY – MARCH (2:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday).
Closed in January, May 1st and November 1st, December 25th
💰 FULL PRICE permanent tour + temporary exhibition: €9