Brittany 4: Le Mont Saint Michel, Normandy

Tuesday 14th May 2024

We decided that a full day was appropriate for our exploration of Le Mont Saint Michel, so we booked for two nights at the Camping Car Park aire in Belvoir, about five kilometres away. This is the second time we have visited, the first time in 2018, was with our friends Jeeves and Michelle who stayed on this same aire. The site is linked by a good, off road path along the canal bank, so we were able to cycle to the island.

About a kilometre away from Le Mont Saint Michel, there is a “barrage” on the canal. This impressive structure is clearly a new construction, designed to enable water levels to be regulated.

The Mont comprises of a fortified village around the base of an island hill, with a monastery complex on the top. When the tide is very high, the mount becomes an island and is completely cut-off, despite the causeway and a bridge.

The many small businesses in the village are crammed into every small crevice of the narrow and steep streets. They are mainly souvenir shops, accommodation and cafes. People obviously live here too. The overall effect is one of everything stacked up on top of each other.

The architectural detail is fascinating and on the ramparts, you are often walking alongside the roof of a property built alongside:

Everywhere you go there are steps to climb or descend:

…and some interesting ornamentation on window ledges:

Entry to the abbey is by timed ticket. You have a two-hour window to enter, but there is no limit on how long you take to walk around.

The abbey is thought to date back to 708, when Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, had a sanctuary built on the top of the mount in honour of the Archangel, Michael.

There are three main levels, the lower and middle levels are built around the mount and the upper-most level, on top. There are many places visited on the tour route and it is easy to become completely disorientated.

Maintenance is clearly an ongoing process. On our last visit in 2018, there was major renovation work going on in the cloister area. Today we noticed some workers on the face of the abbey, who were roped and belayed to the building.

Externally, the building has some interesting features:

…and the view from the terrace, outside the front of the church, is breathtaking:

The last time we visited Le Mont Saint Michel in 2018, we were with our friends, Jeeves and Michelle. It was on this terrace that I had a cheese baguette sandwich stolen by a yellow-legged gull which dive-bombed me and took it straight out of my hand as I took a bite, much to the amusement of Alison and our friends. I am sure that the word had got around that I am back, as the gulls all seemed to be hanging around expectantly. They obviously cannot read the signs:

Inside the astonishingly tall church:

Some interesting details inside the church:

In the cloister:

Detail on the inside of the cloister pillars. Every decoration is unique:

Note the double row of pillars:

The refectory …where the monks ate in silence, whilst listening to a reading from the pulpit (the raised platform in the side wall with steps up):

This wheel is a replica of one used to hoist building materials in medieval times. It was installed in 1820, when the abbey was used as a prison, to hoist provisions, which were carried on a sled, up the side of the abbey wall in a track.

In addition to the abbey church, there is a chapel for the villagers, dedicated to Saint Michael Archangel. This is also an active place of worship and many visitors light a candle as an offering to the Archangel’s effigy:

In the village, there are also some garden areas. Some of these have fig trees growing. This year’s fig harvest is set to be good; there are many large figs on the trees already.

As we made our way back down to sea level, just one last view over the bay:

…then the return cycle ride which was all with the wind against us!