Arriving
Anyone arriving by car, is piloted on a fee-collecting parking lot. Free shuttle buses from the parking lot take you to the city gate of Mount St. Michel. If you want to walk, it is about 2.5 km (45 min.) from the parking lot.
Walk through the tidal flats
To reach the Mont-Saint-Michel you can also walk barefoot through the tidal flats. As the tide comes very fast and quicksand might swallow you up, it is recomended to walk only with a guided tour.
Porte l'Avancée
The main access to the "Mont Saint Michel" is via the old city gate "Porte l'Avancée". Turn right you will walk up the "Grande Rue", which leads to the summit of the rock.
Grande Rue
The "Grande Rue" is the main street of the Mont St Michel. Annually 3 million tourists from all over the world squeeze through this medieval road. In summer it can be very tight. If you need a break from the hustle and bustle, you can seek refuge in the numerous souvenir shops and restaurants along the "Grande Rue". If you look up, you will discover the beauty of the historic houses.
Stairs
If you like climbing stairs, the Mont-Saint-Michel is a great place. But it is not as bad as it looks, the mountain is only 92 meters high.
Abbaye St Michel
In 708, Archangel Michael appeared to Bishop Aubert of Avranches and commissioned him to build a chapel on the rock. In 709 the rock was separated by a storm surge from the mainland. In 1017 the construction of the Abbaye St Michel was startet.
Bastion
In the Hundred Years War (1337-1453) between France and England, the Mont St Michel was fortified by a city wall with powerful bastions. Today the bastions serve as popular vantage points.
Citywall
From the wall you can see the town from above. Some restaurants have rooftop terraces built above the walkway, there are also shops that have an access into the citywall.
Hotels
If you want to experience the tide change, you can stay in a hotel on the island.
La Mère Poulard www.merepoulard.com
Not on the island but nearby is the Hôtel Vert. www.hotelvert-montsaintmichel.com
Mont St-Michel
You will have the best view of the Mont Saint Michel from the sea. But beware of quicksand and the fast incoming tide.
Map of Mont Saint Michel
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France Sights
Welcome to Mont-Saint-Michel
The monastery mountain in the sea is one of the most famous sights in France. Mont-Saint-Michel has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1997. Millions of tourists flock to the small rock island every year.
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