Mont Saint-Michel in July 2012

The Normandy Coast is just a few hours drive from the West Coast of Brittany where we spend our summer vacations. We’ve talked many times about seeing Mont Saint-Michel and this time we were determined to make it part of our plans.

We packed a lunch of white asparagus, baguette sandwiches of jamón serrano and butter, a couple of flatto peaches and a few bottles of Badoit sparkling water. There’s nothing quite like a French packed lunch.

Arriving at Mont Saint-Michel

A few kilometers before arriving at Mont Saint-Michel, the remarkable fortress Abbey comes into view. Its steeple rises 150 m (500 ft) in the air, made more distinct by the fact that the entire structure sits on a granite ‘island’ in the middle of an enormous bay. In ancient times, it was cut off from the mainland at high tide. Even if you’ve seen the pictures, the sudden appearance of something so large and so architecturally stunning comes as a surprise.

Architecture

The Abbey at Mont Saint-Michel is incredibly old, dating back to 708, but the newest touches like the statue of St. Michael on the spire were added in 1897. Everything else falls somewhere in between and the mix of norman, gothic and romanesque styles somehow works incredibly well together. What makes it truly distinct is how light was designed into the structure and the fact that it has multiple levels of crypts below the main structure to allow it to sit on the top of the island. That fact also explains the many tiny to large staircases that are everywhere, both inside and out.

Location, location, location

Mont Saint-Michel didn’t survive and thrive simply because it was a religious site. It sits in a very strategic place at the border of Brittany and Normandy, which were both powerful kingdoms in the past. It also faces the South Coast of England and therefore was at the crossroads of history. Despite its importance, it has never fallen to an attacking enemy (including the British…), making it a symbolic place in French history. It is no surprise that various kings and dukes poured money into this site throughout its history.

Saint-Malo

If Mont Saint-Michel’s grandeur isn’t enough, it sits an hour away from the port at Saint-Malo, a fortress city inside Brittany. We’ve used Saint-Malo as our gateway to France in the past by taking the overnight ferry from Portsmouth, England. It made an excellent stop for dinner away from the high prices for the more touristic Mont Saint-Michel.

We’ve visited many cathedrals and other religious sites from Asia to Europe and few come close to the remarkable history and architectural beauty Mont Saint-Michel. It shouldn’t be missed.