Travel Tips 24 > Europe > Western Europe > France > Basse-Normandie >
Mont Saint Michel
Mont Saint Michel [1] (often written Mont St Michel, with other variations) is a small UNESCO World Heritage-listed island located just off the coast of the northern French region of Normandie. The island is best known as the site of the spectacular and well-preserved Norman Benedictine Abbey of St Michel at the peak of the rocky island, surrounded by the winding streets and convoluted architecture of the medieval town.
Culture and History
Mont Saint Michel was officially inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1979.
Travel to Mont Saint Michel, visa requirements
By car
Driving is by far and away the most efficient way of visiting Mont Saint Michel. Within the region of Normandie, drive from Caen along the A84 south-west to Pontorson, then continue a few more kilometres to Avranches. Merge with the D43, following the signs to its Mont-St-Michel at its end.
From Paris the total driving time is about 4.5 hours.
By train + bus
There are no direct train services between Paris and Mont St Michel, but rail travel to the island is nonetheless feasible. The best option is the TGV from Gare Montparnasse to Rennes, where a bus run by Les Couriers Bretons (tel. 02-99-19-70-70; www.lescourriersbretons.fr ) provides a 90 minute transfer to the island (there are 2-5 departures from Rennes per day, depending on seasonal demand - most departures are timed to match to the arrival of the TGV in Rennes). The bus station is immediately outside the Rennes train station, at a bus terminal building on your right, after leaving the station by the north exit. The bus costs 10.30 Euro, with a reduction to 8.10 for people under 25. Bus tickets are sold by the driver when boarding the bus, not in advance at the bus terminal.
When returning with the bus, the driver might ask if you have a reservation for the TGV to Paris and give priority to people who have one.
Note: the bus stops at the entrance to the Mont St Michel itself. If you are staying at a hotel/hostel in the neighboring town, you will have no way to get there except to walk!
Another option is to take a TGV train to the Pontorson-Mont St Michel train station, with a stopover in Rennes. The Pontorson train station is no more than 15 minutes from Mont St. Michel. Buses are available several times a day. You can get a schedule from the Pontorson train station.
There are also two buses daily from Saint-Malo to Pontorson (line 17, 1 hour, €2,5), which are timed to connect to buses to Mont St Michel.
By bike
Free parking and beautiful views, takes about 20mins from Pontorson along the causeway.
Get around
The only way around Mont St Michel is on foot, and there are two gates into the walled city. The Porte de l'Avancée, the main gate at the end of the causeway, leads straight to the Grande Rue, which is packed chock-a-block with souvenir shops and tourists. Escape right up the stairs to the ramparts, which are a little less packed and offer great views of the mudflats. The lesser-used Porte Eschaugette, to the left of the main gate, is the quietest route up. All three routes converge at the Abbey on top of the island.
Mont Saint Michel attractions and sightseeing
- Abbey of Mont Saint Michel (L'Abbaye du Mont-Saint-Michel) [2], open 2 May - 30 August 9am-7pm (last admission 6pm), 1 September - 30 April 9:30am-6pm (last admission 5pm), admission (unguided visits): €8 adult, €5 18-25 yrs, closed 1 January, 1 May and 25 December, €4 audio guide (French, English, German, Spanish, Italian). Once a humble little monastery, the island and its fortifications have effectively grown up around this. During the French Revolution, the abbey was used a prison, and an extensive restoration was required to restore it. A few prison-era showpieces, like the human hamster wheel used to lift supplies in and out of the complex, have been kept. Mass is celebrated daily except Monday at 12.15PM.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
The culinary specialities of Mont Saint Michel are omelettes, whipped until frothy and light, and saltmarsh lamb (agneau de Pré Salé) dishes from the sheep that wander around the coast.
The old town at the base of the abbey hosts a wide selection of restaurants, cafés, fast food outlets and other food venues. Note that Mont Saint Michel is more than slightly a tourist trap with regard to refreshments and travellers' needs - check a number of places for the best deal before ordering.
- Du Guesclin, on the ramparts with good views out to the sea, [3]. The menu touristique, including oysters, omelettes and lamb, starts from 17€, which is positively cheap by Mont St Michel standards.
- La Mere Poulard, right at the entrance. World famous for their omelet. They put non-traditional ingredients into it and cook it right in front of the window of the restaurant. Be careful to make reservations ahead of time because it is usually crowded. Also they only sell their world famous omelet at certain times of the day, so when you make reservations, be sure to make them for the right time if you're intending to get an omelet. Expect to pay north of 30€ for the privilege!
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
Mont Saint Michel has a number of small hotels located within the island township. A selection of much larger hotels are available on the mainland opposite the island and in the nearby town of Pontorson, but many visitors choose to daytrip from Rennes or Saint-Malo instead as the island can be comfortably covered in a few hours.
Cope
Information
The local Office de Tourisme is located in the Corps de Garde des Bourgeois (the Old Guard Room of the Bourgeois), at the left of the town gates (tel 02-33-60-14-30). Open daily all year except for Christmas Day and New Years Day.
Stay Safe
Note that the tidal flats surrounding the island are rumored to harbour quicksand - visitors to the island are advised not to attempt crossing the flats by foot. Better safe with a group than sorry exploring on your own. However, if you decide to trek through the tidal flats be prepared to take off your shoes and clean up your feet after since the flats are quite muddy.
China travel tips: Language / pensions culture in Barcelona / cheap youth hostels singapore / hotels and hostels in Trastevere in Rome / Major Morocco tourist attractions / South Africa political attractions / Vancouver visitors guide, culture & youth hostels / Las Vegas hotels, top casinos, tours and shows