A Visit to the Mont Saint Michel, France

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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?

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