On a rocky island opposite the coastal town of Pontorson, connected to the mainland by a narrow causeway, the sky-scraping turrets of the abbey of Mont St-Michel ( www.monuments-nationaux.fr; adult/child incl guided tour €9/free; h9am-7pm, last entry 1hr before closing) provide one of France's iconic sights. The surrounding bay is notorious for its fast-rising tides: at low tide, the Mont is surrounded by bare sand for miles around; at high tide, just six hours later, the bay is submerged.
From the tourist office ( www.ot-montsaintmichel.com; h9am-12.30pm & 2-6pm Sep-Jun, 9am-7pm Jul & Aug), at the base of Mont St-Michel, a cobbled street winds up to the Église Abbatiale (Abbey Church), incorporating elements of both Norman and Gothic architecture. Other notable sights include the arched cloître (cloister), the barrel-roofedréfectoire (dining hall), and the Gothic Salle des Hôtes (Guest Hall), dating from 1213. A one-hour tour is included with admission; English tours run hourly in summer, twice daily (11am and 3pm) in winter. In July and August, Monday to Saturday, there are illuminated nocturnes (night-time visits) with music from 7pm to midnight.
If you'd like to stay in the Mont itself, Hôtel Du Guesclin ( www.hotelduguesclin.com; Grande Rue, Mont St-Michel; d €80-95; hclosed Wed night & Thu Apr-Jun & Oct–mid-Nov, hotel closed mid-Nov–Mar) is your best bet, with five of the 10 rooms offering stupendous views of the bay. Much better value and with magical views of the Mont is Vent des Grèves, a lovely B&B 1km east of La Caserne.
Getting There & Away
Transdev bus 1 links the Mont St-Michel La Caserne parking lot (2.5km from the Mont itself, which you access by free shuttle) with Pontorson (€3, 18 minutes), the nearest train station. From Pontorson, there are two to three daily trains to/from Bayeux (€23.90, 1¾ hours) and Caen (€26.10, 1¾ hours).
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