Mont Saint-Michel

This sacred Mont Saint-Michel, revered by travel enthusiasts as a holy place in the midst of the sea, is a famous attraction in Normandy, France, and is said to be one of the 'must-visit' towns in a lifetime. When I arrived at the town, it was cloudy. I took the free 'Shuttle Bus' to the terminal at the foot of the mountain. The fierce wind carried heavy rain, and after walking about 30 meters, I became a 'drenched chicken'. Despite it being April, the temperature plummeted, and the rain was ice-cold to the bone. I immediately crossed the road to take a ride back to the hotel. In the evening, the rain stopped, and it seemed that the clouds in the sky were a bit sparse. I went to the island mountain again. Mont Saint-Michel is located on a small island in the middle of the sea, and from a distance, it looks like an equilateral triangle with a towering abbey spire in the middle. The abbey, which was founded in 708, is said to have a gold statue of the Archangel Michael, as imagined by Bishop Aubert of Avranches, who is stepping on a conquered dragon. The tidal range of Mont Saint-Michel is very large; during high tide, the causeway is submerged, making it appear as if it is standing alone in the middle of the sea. This is a common image in the works of painters and photographers, and it is also what we see. Due to the blockage of the causeway, the tide slowly accumulates silt, which will turn Mont Saint-Michel into a peninsula, losing its original unique charm. In 2014, a bridge was built to solve the problem of siltation. A monastery was built on the island, and from the entrance to the island, you can see that the entire island's buildings are constructed of thick blocks of stone. The outer defensive facilities include bunkers and high walls, and there is even a drawbridge at the entrance, which was easy to defend but hard to attack in the era of cold weapons. The entrance begins with a commercial street, and it is probably difficult to explain why a commercial street was formed. But the entire narrow street and defensive facilities make you feel as if you have traveled back to the Middle Ages. In 966, Duke Charles I of Normandy gave Mont Saint-Michel to the Benedictine order of the Catholic Church, and later it became a center of learning, eventually becoming a church fortress in the 11th century. During the Hundred Years' War between England and France in the 15th century, the English army could not conquer it, and it became the only place in the northwest of France that did not fall into the hands of the English. Later, it continued to serve as a prison, and in 1966, on the 1000th anniversary of the Mont Saint-Michel Abbey, it was symbolically returned to the Benedictine order. In 1979, Mont Saint-Michel and its bay were listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. I arrived too late, and the abbey had already stopped selling tickets for entry. The weather was also gloomy with occasional light rain. After walking around the accessible areas twice, I decided to eat first. Perhaps touched by my spirit at such an old age, after dinner, in the evening (it gets dark very late), the clouds suddenly dispersed, and the sun appeared, giving me the opportunity to witness the elegance of Mont Saint-Michel. Travel is always like this; you need to have confidence and perseverance, and the scenery will always be with you. Mont Saint-Michel itself is an attraction, and to be precise, the Mont Saint-Michel Abbey is one of the highlights. The ticket is 13 euros, with an additional 5 euros for the audio guide, which includes the abbey church, Merveille. Tips: You can stay on the mountain, but it is quite expensive. There is a parking lot 🅿️ near the visitor center, and accommodations nearby are also quite expensive. In fact, there are many guesthouses within a few kilometers or more than ten kilometers, and it is also possible to drive to the attractions, which is a way to save money. Whether you drive and stay on the mountain or nearby, you will park near the visitor center, where there is a free shuttle bus service.