Mont-Saint-Michel

An abbey island in the tidal bay, with a thousand-year-old Gothic abbey and spectacular spring tides; combine it with Saint-Malo, Dinan and Cancale oysters in Brittany.

Mont-Saint-Michel lies in the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel in northwestern France, on the border between Normandy and Brittany, and administratively belongs to the Manche department in Normandy. The bay has one of the largest tidal ranges in Europe, up to about 14 m during spring tides, and when the tide comes in the water sweeps across the sands very quickly and turns the mount into an island. A thousand-year-old Benedictine abbey crowns the summit, and in 1979 the mount and its bay were inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The climate is mild and maritime, and April–October is the best time to visit. In summer the crowds are heavy during the day, so we suggest staying on the island or in a hotel on the opposite shore and visiting in the early morning and evening. The spring tides around the spring and autumn equinoxes are the most spectacular; in winter there are few visitors and it is windy, damp and cold. Centered on Mont-Saint-Michel, there are three routes: the bay route (the dam viewing bridge, a barefoot guided crossing of the bay, the Manuscripts Museum in Avranches, Granville and the Chausey Islands); the Brittany coast route (Cancale oysters, Pointe du Grouin, the ramparts and tidal islands of Saint-Malo, the resort town of Dinard, Cap Fréhel); and the inland old-towns route (medieval Dinan, Fougères Castle, Combourg and Dol Mountain). Getting there: from Paris take the TGV to Rennes, then a direct bus (about 1 hour 10 minutes), or take the train to Pontorson and change to a bus; if driving, park in the mainland car park and then take the free shuttle bus or walk to the island. The surrounding sights are spread out, so driving is recommended, with a stay of 2–3 days. Note: the sand exposed at low tide contains quicksand and the tide comes in quickly, so never go out onto the flats on your own; check the tide table before setting out, and the tidal island at Saint-Malo can only be reached on foot at low tide.

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