St Mick's hill

In 708AD the Bishop of Avranches must have got the shock of his life when the Archangel Michael appeared and said he just had to build a church on a rocky islet on the coast of Normandy. Thus began a long history of ecclesiastical construction on what is now known as Mont St Michel. It weathered many storms, wars and neglect. At one stage during the French revolution the abbey was closed and it was used as a prison. It was only through the hard work of influential French people such as Victor Hugo (who also helped save many other national building treasures such as Notre Dame in Paris) that it was restored. The prison was closed in 1863 and it was declared a national monument in 1874.

It's an easy drive through narrow Brittany and Normandy country roads and cute villages to arrive at the causeway. Park on the higher areas to avoid the flooding tide. Meander up through the medieval lower village (avoid the world's most expensive omelette restaurant - madame ... we nevair put cheese in our omelettes!!!) to arrive at the spectacular higher buildings.

Go out of tourist season and the crowds are bearably thin....     J

the classic view from the main road

medieval street through the lower village

a wonderfully organic procession of spaces leading up to the citadel/abbey area

you start at the main courtyard at the top in front
of the Romanesque 11th Century church

to the rear the main apse was rebuilt in the
13th Century in the Gothic style after a fire
during one of the many sieges by the English

lovely patina in vertically dominated spaces

offset by the horizontality of the wonderful 13th century cloisters

simple but beautiful landscaping is a break from all the stonework

lobby to the refectory

giant refectory fire places ... you could live in there!!!

Romanesque refectory. You can almost hear the chants before supper.....