Le Mont-Saint-Michel

Honouring Michael,
Le Mont rises heavenward
A place for pilgrims

We could see it coming for days - as we drew closer around the bay, we saw it from various angles, in sunshine and mists.

The original chapel was built on top of a mountain in the sea, surrounded by a shallow bay that has the second fastest tides on the planet - can be up 21km/hr. We just missed the spring tide, but the speed the tide came in while we were there was completely amazing.

The construction on the chapel began in 708 and went on for another 1300 years, with the addition of an abbey, a town around the base, as well as fortifications. It's an interesting mix of styles - some parts Gothic extravagance, some parts Norman simplicity. If you have any interest in architecture, it's most definitely worth checking out.

Enjoy the photos...

Looking upwards towards the Abbey

A view from the ramparts out over part of the bay

Back the other way - you can see how far the sand extends in the bay... all of this will be covered in water in a matter of hours

Decoration on in the Abbey's cloister

One of the massive pillars - 5m circumference - helping to hold up the place - there are four different crypts with these pillars all through it on the different sides of the Mont to create a level platform for the Abbey

After the revolution, the Abbey was used as a prison - the Alcatraz of France. Up to five prisoners were made to walk in this giant wheel, hamster-like, to work a rope that dragged a sled up the side of the Mont. Sometimes with up to two tons of granite in it...

They bay, now complete with water

Looking from the outside of the Abbey, you can see the sled and its path up to the giant wheel

Obligatory self-photo upon completion of a hard morning's touristing

That afternoon, the mist rolled in from the sea (just like the Mull of Kintyre) and completely enveloped the Mont.

Le Mont by night, looking very Disney-ish

** Words by Neil, pics by both of us