Sometimes when I am reading through books, magazines or websites there are places in the world that I see and I say, “I would love to go there, but I’ll never make it”. The Mont Saint Michel in Normandy, France was one of those places. Why was it so difficult? Simply because it is far from Paris and removed from the normal tourist route. In order to visit the Abbey travelers must board a train to nowhere. Arriving in a little town called Pontorson, they must board a city bus to the Mont Saint Michel. The logistics of timing it all turn off many. With a risky spirit and some luck, Brian and I took the chance for a once in a lifetime moment.

The Mont Saint Michel is ancient. It was built in the 8th century. Think about that for a moment. It is over a millenia old. It makes the historical sights in the United States seem pretty insignificant. When the U.S. was “born” the Mont Saint Michel was marking 1,000 years of existence. Visiting this French Landmark is like taking a trip in a time machine. Old-timey shops (like the sandwich maker sign on Sunday), line cobblestone streets, barely wide enough for my little Hyundai Elantra to drive through.

The most striking element of the Mont Saint Michel is it’s proximity to land. It is located on a pseudo-island, surrounding by Mud Flats and the ocean. When the tide is low, travelers can visit the rocky island and tour the medieval shops and cathedrals scattered on the island. Brian and I took a guided tour to truly appreciate the majesty and beauty of this landmark. Remember how I said this is a difficult place to reach? This became strikingly apparent during our walk on the island.

Most backpackers elect not to visit the Mont Saint Michel because it is well off the beaten path. If you would like to visit it, your best bet is to take a join a tour group. Tourists on most of these tour groups are about 65-70 years of age. Good for them for fulfilling their dreams to explore France! I guess what I am saying is don’t expect to find a companion to share that sleeper cabin with on your way back to Paris. That’s what Amsterdam is for.

When the tide is high, water completely surrounds the island. In fact, there are signs in the parking lot warning you not to park your car there after a particular time because the high tides will drown it. In fact, visiting hours are sometimes scheduled around the tides because the road to the island becomes impassable. Here you can see how how far removed the island is from society. Pontorson is way off in the distance.

The island’s church is still active. Priests and nuns still live on the island and hold services. I’d venture to say that this place is perhaps more amazing of a church than Notre Dame just because of it’s setting.

The return to Paris was slightly different than the way there. Since there are only a few trains to the city each day, we had to take a bus for about an hour to another itty bitty town to catch the last train back to Paris. Timing is critical. If you miss your train you’re sleeping on the platform – seriously. At the end of the day, it’s well worth the effort to see one of the most eye-catching landmarks in all of France.

Where would you like to go that’s impossible? And more importantly, what are you doing to get there?

It’s a sandwich, calm down. Find out where it’s hanging (the sign) later this week.

A few years back I broke one of my cardinal rules of traveling. Since most trips are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, I believe that it is worth saving the few extra dollars ahead of time to indulge while you are on your vacation. Skip dining out Friday night, cook something instead and put that $40 into your vacation savings account (you do have a vacation savings account, right?)

Leaving a country saying, “I wish I had done…” is not a fond memory to have. Don’t be cheap. Such was the case on a trip in 2005 to Notre Dame Cathedral. Brian wanted to climb up to the top, but I suggested we save our cash to keep expenses down. He was slightly disappointed, but we moved on. Boy was that a mistake. Four years later we were still talking about how we wished we would have spent the measly 10 bucks and climbed to the top.

Last year we returned to Paris after a business trip I took out there. We had a few days to explore the city and correct the mistakes we made in the past. Believe it or not, the first thing we did to ensure we did not miss it, was climb to the top of Notre Dame.

Notre Dame is ancient. There is a somewhat surreal feeling climbing the spiral staircase to the top of the bell towers. The stone steps are worn in the middle from thousands upon thousands of feet walking on them for centuries of history. I can only imagine the stories this church could tell if it could talk. It must have been witness to so many historically significant events from Medieval Europe.

The protectors of the church are the stone gargoyles that decorate nearly every opportune space along the church walls. For the photographer in me, this was magic. Just look at this pensive creature…

My favorite is this one. If you look closely, you can see the Eiffel Tower in the background.

The trip to the top of Notre Dame Cathedral was only a few dollars and worth the trip. The best times to go are in the early morning or late evening. The lines are not as long and the lighting is more conducive to taking great shots. More photos can be found at my Flickr site.

Visiting Europe is like taking a trip through time. We all know and say that the United States is a young country. But to truly understand how young we are, Paris will put it all in perspective for you.

Whenever I travel I take a lot of photographs, more than the average person I would say. Photography is a hobby of mine. And while I’m not quite the professional I want to be, I have gotten better.

This photo here is one of my favorites. Everyone who visits Paris has the necessary “I was here”, shot directly in front of the Eiffel Tower. I have several of those myself too. But this photo tells a different story.

There are several elements that I like about this photo. The first is it’s use of color. The blue sky and red awning are bold and make the photo “pop out”.

The second element is the placement of the tower. The sides of the nearby buildings draw the eye towards the center where the tower is located.This photo was taken after having walked through the city on our way to the tower for lunch. Sometimes wandering off the beaten path has it’s surprises and this was one of them.

After making our way around a corner the Eiffel Tower just popped into view amidst the hustle and bustle of ordinary, daily life of the Parisians. I think this photo shows a different perspective of the Eiffel Tower than we are used to seeing. It’s no longer the landmark that tourists from around the globe flock to, but rather a piece of the skyline that is as commonplace as the Pharmacy and Hotel signs dotting the road.

The next time you are photographing landmarks, consider straying a few blocks and compose your photo within a different context. You’ll have a unique, one-of-a-kind photo and you might discover a hidden treasure in the city! We found a delightful shop that provided us with bread, meats and cheese for our picnic at the base of the tower.

Someday I will get around to selling my photos. I haven’t quite figured out a decent, cost effective business model for it. But until then, if you copy or print this photo for your own use, consider donating to the site by clicking the donate button on the left.

What do you think of this photo? Comment below. Au Revoir.