Sunday 5 September
7:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
What’s Here
About Mont Saint Michel
Visitors who make their way to Mont St Michel make up in numbers what they lack in devotion, with over 2 million visitors to the island every year. Fortunately, since 1879, visitors have had the convenience of a causeway and on many days, the road itself is choked full of cars and shuttle buses during low tide, either driving up to the island itself or parking on the causeway.
In 708 AD, according to the legend, in the little town of Avanches in Normandy, France, the glorious Archangel Michael appeared in the dreams of the Bishop Auvert of the Diocese, and commanded the churchman to build a church on a rocky little island near the town. Despite his acquiescence, the Bishop must surely have questioned the Archangel’s judgment a time or two, for the island which St Michael chose could hardly have been less congenial.
During low tide, the island was surrounded by a vast and flat expanse of sand, but during high tide, the waters rushed swiftly forth and surrounded the island, cutting it off completely from the mainland. The tides of the Bay of Mont St Michel are some of the most dangerous in the world, both in terms of depth and speed. The high tide mark can reach 50 feet above the low tide mark, and the incoming tide is ferociously swift. Medieval writers stated that the tide moved in at the speed of a galloping horse, and modern scientists have clocked it at about 12 miles an hour – more than fast enough to overcome anyone foolish enough to cross the sand beds at the wrong time, let along anyone bringing in heavy building materials.
Fortunately for the Bishop, the Archangel’s choice of locations was (for lack of a better word) inspired. The treacherous tides of the Bay, which have claimed so many lives, are an inextricable part of Mont St Michel’s mystique. It is the tides that transform the abbey from being just another beautiful church (of which France has plenty) into a romantic prize held tantalizingly just out of reach. The incoming waters of the high tide lend the island and the humble oratory the Bishop commissioned an air of isolation, made all the more poignant by the fact that it is only a scant kilometre away from the coastline. Over time, generations of monks and rulers altered and added on to oratory, until today, over a thousand years since that dream, that humble beginning has grown to become the world-famous Abbey of Mont St Michel, the Marvel of the Western World.
Tides
The highest tides take place 36 to 48 hours after the full and new moons. These indications are a rough guide only and can be affected to acertain extent by atmospheric conditions. The highest tides in continental Europe take place at Mont-Saint-Michel, up to 15 metres difference between low and hight water. During top of the spring tides, the sea goes out 15 kilometres from the coast and comes in again very quickly.
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At Mont St Michel , the high tide is at 6:55 a.m. (and 19:15) on the 7th.
The tide table doesn’t show the days before that. It says: “On this calendar, you can read the tides’ schedule, only when the water reach Mont Saint-Michel. When nothing is written, you do not see any difference between the low tides and high tides.”
It also says: “To observe the phenomenon of the rising tide in Mont Saint-Michel, you must be present 2 hours before the times indicated above.” So, 3 a.m. out on the seawall at MSM – dunno if the sun is up that early. http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/horaires_septembre10_gb.htm
The tides come in swiftly changing between low and high tides up to 60 feet, and with a force of over 3 feet per second. Do not try to walk the flats around Mont-Saint-Michel during low tides, it could cost you your life. There are tour guides that lead these walks, and who are well aware of the tides schedule. Only venture out of the flats with a guide. The lower parking lot is submerged during high tide.
The tides: The water starts to rise up two hours before the high tide. The highest tides take place 36 to 48 hours after the full and new moons. These indications are a rough guide only and can be affected to acertain extent by atmospheric conditions. The highest tides in continental Europe take place at Mont-Saint-Michel, up to 15 metres difference between low and hight water. During top of the spring tides, the sea goes out 15 kilometres from the coast and comes in again very quickly.
The height of the tide, the variation in level from when the tide is in or out, is exceptional: more than 16 m in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, whereas the average worldwide is just 2 m. The incoming tide covers a distance of 25 km
RCCI Excursion
Mont Saint Michel – LH07
Port/City: Paris (Le Havre), France
Approximate Duration: 10 hours 30 minutes
Prices starting from: $179.00 USD Adult
Date offered: 05-Sep-2010
When you see for the first time the Mont Saint Michel, you will be fascinated by the beauty of its architecture and its long history, sure that you would like to come back. Once in Mont Saint Michel you will journey uphill through the twisted cobblestone walkways, passing old houses to the top of the rock crowned by the Abbey Church. Legend says there are 365 steps from the bottom to the top of the Mont. Completing this 30-minute walk, you will view the Abbey Church whose spire soars more than 500 feet. The Abbey is a masterpiece of Norman architecture.
Take a pilgrimage through the Normandy countryside to explore the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage site, built on a rock perched above the ocean. Connected to the mainland by a permanent causeway, Mont Saint Michel became a holy place of pilgrimage and worship in the Middle Ages following the appearance of Archangel Saint Michel to the bishop of the region in his dreams.
You will pass through Normandy’s fertile dairy country before arriving in the region of Brittany, and the Bay of Mont Saint Michel. The Bay is well known for its spectacular tidal variance. You will return to the ship via the same route. Restroom stops will be made en route to and from Mont Saint Michel.
Once in Mont Saint Michel you will journey uphill through the twisted cobblestone walkways, passing old houses to the top of the rock crowned by the Abbey Church. Legend says there are 365 steps from the bottom to the top of the Mont! Completing this 30-minute walk, you will view the Abbey Church whose spire soars more than 500 feet. The Abbey is a masterpiece of Norman architecture. Inside you’ll discover the ways of the monks by visiting their famous dining hall, and the beautiful gothic cloister, which appears to be suspended between sky and sea.
After the guided portion of the tour, you will have free time in the charming village of Mont Saint Michel to explore the twisted passageways, old houses, and shops. Lunch with French Sauvignon and Bordeaux wines will be served at a restaurant offering a panoramic view of the Mont Saint Michel Abbey.
Note: Guests must be able to walk approximately 1 mile over even and cobblestone surfaces with 365 steps to reach the Abbey. Driving time from Le Havre to Mont St. Michel is 3 hours each way, dependent upon traffic conditions. A strict dress code is enforced in the Abbey Church. Short pants and tank tops are not acceptable. Flash photography is also not permitted inside the Abbey.
Mont Saint Michel is one of the greatest religious buildings in Europe, fit to rank with St Peters, Chartres and Durham. The current structure represents some 500 years of work, from the 11th to the 16th centuries. The first abbey was built after the archangel Michael appeared to Aubert, then bishop of Avranches. The abbey stands at the summit of a huge rock 250 ft above the sea, and dates from the heyday of Norman power and influence in the world. Technically, Mont Saint Michel is in Brittany, but actually it is at the point where Brittany confronts Normandy. The abbey makes its strongest impression when seen from a distance, as you approach the almost 5 mile long causeway at Pontorson where Mont St Michel is linked to the mainland.
Take the twisted passageway lined by old houses where you can climb up to the top of the rock crowned by the Abbey Church, with its spire rising more than 500 feet. The abbey is considered as a masterpiece of Norman architecture. After having passed time in this charming village, you will have a very nice lunch before re-board your coach for the return to Cherbourg.
Driving time from Cherbourg to Mont St. Michel is 2.25 hours each way, dependent upon traffic conditions.
Watching The Tide Rush In
Watching the tide come in is a popular activity, and is a breathtaking and awesome experience. Many visitors watch the tides come in from the mainland, after they’ve moved their cars from the causeway, but easily the best way to appreciate it is from the island itself. On really good days, the island will be almost deserted as the other visitors rush off the island before the high tide.
From a high vantage point, a viewer can see far into the distance, perhaps even to the ocean itself some seven miles distant. Then, as the tide grows nearer, a thin white line appears on the horizon. The line closes in with astonishing speed, and as it moves nearer, the sound rushes with it – a great whoosh of cascading water as the waves sweep in and cover the sands. The speed of the incoming tide is frightening at the best of times, but during the fierce gales of the autumn and winter, they are even swifter, and even a horse would not help any man unlucky enough to be caught far from shore.
Interestingly enough, despite the dangers of the sand, every year a few daredevils make their way to Mont St Michel the traditional way – across the sands. Fortunately, in recent years, that hasn’t been as dangerous an undertaking as it 
once was. The causeway has not only brought a greater flow of people to the island, but has also stopped the flow of water around it. Today, this part of the bay is silted up and the tide rarely comes in twice a day as was the norm – twice a month is now more the norm, and the island is rapidly turning into a peninsula. Given the island’s status as a National Treasure and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the French government aren’t taking the matter lightly and have put into place an engineering program to replace the causeway with a pedestrian bridge that will allow the waters to once again surround the island.
Links to Info
- Mont Saint Michel
- Project to replace the causeway (click on British flag to get English pages)
Large pictures
- Picture 1
- Picture 1
- Picture 1
- Large interior map (
2.8 MB)
Getting 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.
I’ve driven a few times to Mont-SM and from memory I’m sure that the journey from LeHavre is about 110 miles and takes about 2hrs 30mins and the journey from Mont-SM to Cherbourg is about 140 miles and will take about 2hrs 45mins. The roads are like the typical English roads with speed restrictions due to the nature of the environment, ie hills, narrow roads, villages etc…
Rates:
The Abbey: 8.50 euros
1 museum: 4 euros (The maritime museum that tells about the bay and its tides. Here one can also find out everything about how the island status of Le Mont Saint Michel, will be returned after completing a huge project.)
What to See
Mont-Saint-Michel is connected to the mainland via a thin natural land bridge, which before modernization was covered at high tide and revealed at low tide, giving the mount a mystical quality.
However, the insular character of the mount has been compromised by several developments. The Couesnon River has been canalized, reducing the flow of water and thereby encouraging a silting-up of the bay. In 1879, the land bridge was fortified into a true causeway. This prevented the tide from scouring the silt round the mount. Now there are plans to remove the causeway and replace it with a bridge and shuttle.
The tides in the area shift quickly, and has been described by Victor Hugo as à la vitesse d’un cheval au galop, “as swiftly as a galloping horse.” The tide actually comes in at 1 meter per second. Popularly nicknamed “St. Michael in Peril of the Sea” by medieval pilgrims making their way across the tidal flats, the mount can still pose dangers for visitors who avoid the causeway and attempt the hazardous walk across the sands from the neighboring coast. The dangers from the tides and quick sands continue to claim lives.
The climb to the abbey is hard – by the time you have mounted the celebrated Escalier de Dentelle (Lace Staircase) to the gallery around the roof of the abbey church, you will have climbed no fewer than 900 steps – but it’s worth it. Halfway up Grande-Rue is the medieval parish church of St-Pierre, which features a richly carved side chapel with its dramatic statue of St. Michael slaying the dragon.
The Grand Degré, a steep, narrow staircase, leads to the abbey entrance, from which a wider flight of stone steps climbs to the Saut Gautier Terrace (named after a prisoner who jumped to his death from here) outside the sober, dignified church.
After visiting the arcaded cloisters alongside, which offer vertiginous views of the bay, you can wander at leisure, and probably get lost, among the maze of rooms, staircases, and vaulted halls that make up the abbey.
Masses : Mass is celebrated every day except Monday at 12.15, on Sunday at 11.30; no entrance fee. You have to be at the entrance of the abbey at 12.00 and on Sunday at 11.15. Other masses at 07.00am during the week (08.00am on Saturday and Sunday) and 6.30pm.You have to be 10 minutes before at the entrance of the abbey. No mass on Sunday afternoon and on Monday.
Maritime and Ecology Museum : to discover the tides, the bay and the massive building site to restore the maritime character of the Mont Saint-Michel.
Today, the village’s 30 full-time residents continue to live solely for its visitors. Saint Michael, whose gilded statue decorates the top of the abbey’s spire, was the patron saint of many French kings, making this a favored sight for French royalty through the ages.
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. The tide here is one of the fastest in europe. You should NEVER attempt any walks on the sands without checking the tide tables. It is advised only to attempt any kind of crossing using a qualified guide.
Walking on the Mont Saint Michel, you should be very careful, and if you have children, watch them closely. The person writing this was almost the victim of a fatal accident, when a young child just above me, moved on top of the steps, just before ticket sale, and almost fell. Afterwards, I heard that a man was taken away somewhere else on the Mont, black and blue from a fall. And an older man fell two steps from the stairs, but luckily got hold of something. The steps are good and wide enough though.
Eating
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. However, none of the eateries on the island are particularly good (but they are all vastly overpriced), so if you are planning on staying on the Mont itself be aware that you might prefer eating in a town in the surrounding countryside.
Polderisation and occasional flooding created salt marsh meadows that were found to be ideally suited to grazing sheep. The well-flavoured meat that results from the diet of the sheep in the pré salé (salt meadow) makes agneau de pré-salé (salt meadow lamb), a local specialty that may be found on the menus of restaurants that depend on income from the many visitors to the mount.
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. Even then, do not rely on good service.
Reviews
Mont St-Michel is a small rocky island just off the coast of Normandy, close to the border with Brittany. This tiny, tidal island is linked to the mainland by a 2km long causeway. One day in the future the causeway (built in 1879) will be replaced with a bridge… but this has been in the planning for a number of years, so who knows when it will be built.
The rocky island is only around one kilometre in circumference, and rises to a height of 80 metres (not including the height of the buildings on it). The majestic Abbey of Mont St-Michel sits atop, and is visible from many miles away.
Entrance to the island is via the small gateway, the Porte de’ l’Avancée. On the left, as you enter, you can visit the tourist office and buy an expensive map of the island. Take a walk along the islands only street, Grande Rue, bypassing the endless souvenir shops and over-priced restaurants, until you get to one of the vantage points to check out the fabulous views across the bay.
Keep walking to the top of the island and you can visit the Abbey. It is quite a steep walk, with plenty of stairs, which helps to justify some ice cream after your visit!
Cherbourg: This port in France was the closest to the Normandy beaches. My dh and I elected to do an excursion through celebrity to Mt. St. Michael. It is an Abbey approximately 2.5 hours from the ship. It is the second most visited site in France, with the Eiffel Tower being #1. My dh and I were awed by its majesty and being able to walk on a structure that was more than a Century old. It is not for those who have limited mobility, as it is quite a good hike up the 300 or so steps and many people were tired out and straggling behind. If you are unable to do the hike, they will leave you in the village at the beginning of the mount. Which seems a lot of money to just see it! They did stop for a lunch, which was just ok. The explanations on the bus about the countryside and history along with the narration about the abbey, were terrific. I can now spot a Normandy cow! And Canola is grown there and is in fields of bright yellow!
Renovations
Future appearance when the flood plain is returned to normal.
For many years, the Mont has not, strictly speaking, been an island – the causeway (digue) that leads to it is never submerged, and is continuing to silt up to either side. Current plans envisage that the causeway will soon be cut away and replaced by a bridge, with a tram service to spare visitors the two-kilometre walk from the mainland. Currently scheduled for completion in 2010, this should not only make tourist numbers easier to control but also enable the sea to wash away much of the accumulated silt.
Pix and Maps
(Local Name: Abbaye du Mont-Saint-Michel) The magnificent abbey of St-Michel on the highest point of the island was mainly built, in spite of great technical difficulties, between the 11th and 13th centuries. The neo-Gothic facade dates from 1780, and the 87.5m/287ft high spire of the church, crowned by a figure of the Archangel Michael (by Emmanuel Frémiet, late 19th century), reaches a height of 155.5m/510ft above the sea.
From the mainland a causeway 1.8km/1mi long, constructed in 1879, leads to the foot of the rock, where there is a parking lot (parking fee; beware of high tide!). From here we pass through the outer walls at the Porte du Roi and continue up the Grande Rue, the island’+s only street, running parallel to the Chemin des Remparts (the wall-walk). The street is lined by closely packed houses of the 15th and 16th centuries, now occupied by souvenir shops, snack bars, cafes, restaurants and hotels. The parish church (15th-16th century) contains 17th century tomb slabs. The history of Mont St- Michel is related in the Musée Grevin (a wax museum) and the Archéoscope (a multi-media show). The street ends at the Grand Degré, a flight of steps leading to the entrance to the abbey.
From the Catholic Encyclopedia
A Benedictine Abbey, in the Diocese of Avranches, Normandy, France. It is unquestionably the finest example both of French medieval architecture and of a fortified abbey. The buildings of the monastery are piled round a conical mass of rock which rises abruptly out of the waters of the Atlantic to the height of 300 feet, on the summit of which stands the great church. This rock is nearly a mile from the shore, but in 1880 a causeway was built across the dangerous quicksand that occupies this space and is exposed at low water, so that there is now no danger in approaching the abbey. The monastery was founded about the year 708 by St. Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, and according to the legend, by direct command of the Archangel Michael himself, who appeared to the bishop in a dream on three separate occasions.
About 966, Richard the Fearless, third Duke of Normandy, finding the community in a relaxed condition, installed Benedictines from Monte Cassino at Mont-St-Michel. A few years later, in 1017, Abbot Hildebert II began the colossal scheme of buildings all round the rock which should form a huge platform level with the summit, on which the abbey church might stand. In spite of the enormous difficulties involved in the design, difficulties increased by fire and the collapse of portions of the edifice, the great scheme was persevered in during five centuries and crowned by the completion of the flamboyant choir in 1520. Even among religious communities, such an instance of steadfast purpose and continuity of plan stands unrivalled; but the completion was only just in time. In 1523 the abbey was granted in commendam to Cardinal Le Veneur and the series of commendatory Abbots continued until 1622 when the abbey, its community reduced almost to the vanishing point, was united to the famous Congregation of St-Maur.
At the French Revolution the Maurist monks were ejected and the splendid building became a prison for political offenders while, with unconscious irony, the name of the place was changed from Mont St-Michel to Mont Libre. In 1863 the prison was closed and for a few years the abbey was leased to the Bishop of Avranches, but in 1872 the French Government took it over as a national monument and undertook, none too soon, the task of restoration. The work has gone on almost continually ever since, and the restorers must be praised for the skill with which the great pile has beensaved from ruin, and the good taste with which the whole has been done.
This vast group of buildings has been the subject of several important monographs. Speaking generally, the monastic buildings consist of three main stories. Of these, the two lower take the form of vast irregular rings completely enclosing the natural rock, which forms a core to the whole edifice. The third story rests partly on the two lower stories and partly on the apex of the rock which is found immediately beneath the pavement of thechurch . The most remarkable part of all is the mass of buildings known as “la merveille” (the marvel) on the north side of the rock facing the ocean. This vast structure, half military, halfmonastic , is built wholly of granite quarried on the mainland, and was entirely constructed between the years 1203 and 1228. Its foundations are one hundred and sixty feet above the sea level, and it consists of three stories of which two are vaulted. The lowest contains thealmonry and cellar; above these come the refectory and “hall of the knights,” on which again rest the dormitory and the cloister. The last named building, which is perhaps the finest gem of all, has a double arcade so planned that the columns in one row are opposite the centre of the arches in the other – a unique arrangement of wonderful beauty. The church is cruciform with a Norman nave which was formerly seven bays in length, but the three western bays were destroyed in 1776. The central tower has lately been restored and crowned with a copper-covered spire surmounted by a gilded statue of St. Michael by M. Frémiet. The choir is apsidal and has a chevet of chapels with a crypt or lower church beneath.
The position of the abbey rendered it of the highest strategic importance especially during the wars with England, and both it and the little town that had grown up at the foot of the rock on the land side, were enclosed by strong fortifications during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. So impregnable was the rock made in this way that, although frequently attacked by superior forces, it was never captured. The abbot was also commandant of the place by appointment of the King of France, and he was empowered to bestow feoffs on the nobles of the province who bound themselves in return to guard the abbey in time of war. In 1469 King Louis XI founded the Order of St. Michael, and held the first chapter of its knights in the “salle des chevaliers.” It is said that the cockle shell, horn, and staff, which became the recognized insignia of a pilgrim from the thirteenth century onwards, take their origin from Mont-St-Michel. The staff was used to test the path across the treacherous quicksand, the horn served to summon aid should tide or fog surprise the pilgrim; while the cockle shell was fixed in the hat as a souvenir to show that the pilgrim had accomplished his journey in safety. The abbey bore as its arms a cockle shell and fleurs-de-lis with the significant motto “Tremor immensi Oceani.”
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