One of the most popular tourist attractions in France, second only to the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles, is the abbey island of Mont-Saint-Michel, located on a small island in the Manche department, Basse Normandie region. The uniqueness of the island lies not only in its cultural and historical value and its beautiful medieval Gothic architecture, but also in its location and the ebb and flow of the tides.
Millions of years ago, this was an inland area but was gradually "carved" by the waves into a lonely rocky island in the middle of the bay and is also the smallest island in France with the name Mont Tombe.
The island's history is also shrouded in a mysterious legend. Back in the 8th century, when this place was just a stone fortress in the middle of the sea, Bishop Aubert d'Avranches once dreamed of Saint Michel - the Archangel of God, asking him to build a monastery on the island three times and in 708 he sincerely carried out this wish. Two years later, a small chapel dedicated to Saint Michel was completed and from then on, the island was renamed Mont-Saint-Michel.
For over 1,300 years, the island of Mont-Saint-Michel has experienced many ups and downs in French history. After its construction, it suffered many rebellions and invasions by the Normans, and many of the early structures of this chapel were damaged. Therefore, in 966, the Duke of Normandy, Richard I, rebuilt a Benedictine monastery on the island. But ironically, fate caused it to burn down again in 1203. The French King at that time, Philip Augustus, spent a large sum of his own money to rebuild the church. After the Hundred Years' War between England and France in the 15th century, the new monastery continued to be built with many more Gothic-style structures, the basic architecture of which is still preserved to this day.
More mysteriously, unlike any other island, the rocky island of Mont-Saint-Michel is constantly changing according to the strong tides. Here, the tides change rapidly in just a few hours. When the water recedes, the island is like a solid fortress on land. But when the tide rises, which can reach nearly 13 meters, this place becomes a mysterious, lonely castle in the middle of the vast ocean.
Previously, there was only one bridge connecting the island to the mainland, when the water rose the bridge also disappeared and had to wait for the tide to recede to be able to reach the island by road. However, due to the increasing number of visitors to the island, in 1879, the government built a breakwater. And then, a modern dam was built in 2009 to prevent seawater from flooding the island and also to allow tourists to visit the island at any time.
Since 1979, Mont-Saint-Michel has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage.
how to move
- Plane:
From Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, you can buy a ticket to Rennes Saint Jacques Airport - about 75 km from the island. Currently, Air France has direct flights every day in the morning, noon and evening. From Rennes, visitors can take a bus to the foot of Mont-Saint-Michel Island.
- Train:
The French railway system has been increasingly developed in recent years, thanks to the appearance of the TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse) high-speed train system. To travel from Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel, visitors can go from Montparnasse station in Paris to Pontorson, 10 km from Mont-Saint-Michel. Train passengers can stop at Rennes, Follygny or Dol de Bretage, the journey time is about 3 hours 30 minutes with a ticket price of about 60 - 80 EUR.
There is also an Intercite train from Paris Saint Lazare station to Pontorson, with a stop in Caen. Tickets cost between 40-50 EUR but the journey takes longer, around 4 hours and 30 minutes. From Pontorson, buses take you to Mont-Saint-Michel, costing 2 EUR/one way.
Alternatively, a more economical option is to take the Keolis bus from Rennes (1 hour 30 minutes) or Dol de Bretagne (30 minutes) directly to Mont-Saint-Michel. The fare from Rennes is 6.20 EUR and from Dol de Bretagne is 11.80 EUR for a one-way trip. Children under 12 travel free, with a 25% discount for under 26s and over 60s.
- Car:
Although not the most convenient way to get around the city, cars are the best option to get to other areas such as Mont-Saint-Michel. In particular, in 1879, a floating dike was built connecting the island of Mont-Saint-Michel to the mainland. The journey from Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel takes about 4 hours and 30 minutes. However, parking at the foot of the island is no longer allowed as before, and a new parking lot has been built 2.5 km away. Visitors can visit the island on foot or by bus.
