Mont Saint-Michel is of course a small rocky island with a circumference of less than a kilometre, but you don't have to worry about being bored there as there are so many things to see and do.
What to do there?
Mont Saint-Michel is one of the towns on the edge of the Normandy Straits, about 70 kilometres from Rennes. It is famous for its small island, where there is a magnificent 80m high monastery of Mont Saint Michel. Its bays and buildings make it a unique tourist destination popular with French and foreign tourists. The abbey and other buildings have been listed as historic monuments, and its bay and town have been listed as a World Heritage Site since 1979 by UNESCO. Since the 9th century, Mont Saint-Michel has received many pilgrims from all over the north, from France and from Brittany in Europe. When you climb to the top of the monastery and see the famous statue of St. Michael, 150 m above the coast, you can enjoy a magnificent view.
Museum of the Sea, Ecology and the Tiphaine House
After observation. In order to better understand the phenomenon of tides and the silting up of the mountain, which threatens the mountain and causes a lot of work, it is necessary to make a diversion to the Marine and Ecological Museum. Lovers of old ship models will also find something to their liking. Trade, fishing and yachting... 250 models show the economic activities of the region since the Middle Ages. Walking through the streets is like travelling through time and space. To complete the immersion, go to the Tiphaine house located at the top of the rue Principale. This house was built in the 14th century for his wife Tiphaine de Raguenel. It still has the furniture of the time, the armour of the knight Bertrand.
Admire the spectacle of the high tides and the view from the new bridge
The bay of Mont Saint-Michel is the largest and most beautiful tidal area in France and Europe. When the moon and the sun combine their forces of attraction, the tidal coefficient can exceed 90, which increases the amplitude of the tides. The difference between high and low tide, and the speed at which the water rises, is very important. So we say high tide! When the sea bed is flat, as in the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, the spectacle is even more impressive. The tidal range can reach 14 metres and low tide is about 15 kilometres. The old embankment road has disappeared forever. The rock has been connected to the mainland by a pedestrian bridge since the end of 2014, which has a diving spot 300 metres from the mountain. This work is part of an extensive project undertaken for over 10 years to restore the oceanic features of the rocks.