A
causeway - to be replaced in time by a bridge, allowing the bay waters
to circulate freely - links Mont St-Michel to the mainland. Leave your
car in the parking lot (2,50 Euros) along the causeway, outside the
main gate. Just inside you'll find the tourist office, to the left, and
a pair of old cannons (with cannonballs) to the right. If you're
staying the night on Mont-St-Michel, take what you need in a small
suitcase, you cannot gain access to your hotel by car.
The climb to
the abbey is hard going - by the time you have mounted the celebrated
Escalier de Dentelle (Lace Staircase) to the gallery around the roof of
the abbey church, you will have climbed no fewer than 900 steps - but
it's worth it. Stop off halfway up Grande-Rue at the medieval parish
church of St-Pierre to admire the richly carved side chapel with
its dramatic statue of St.Michael slaying the Dragon. The Grand
Degré, a steep, narrow staircase, leads to the abbey entrance,
from which a wider flight os stone steps climbs to the Saut Gautier
Terrace (named after a prisoner who jumped to his death from it)
outside the sober, dignified church.
After visiting the arcaded cloisters alongside,
which offer vertiginous views of the bay, you can wander at
leisure, and probably get lost, among the maze of rooms, staircases,
and vaulted halls that make up the abbey. In July and August, evening
concerts are held here during the Heures Musicales, and you can a
make an eerie lamplight visit during the Songes de Nuit. The island
village, which its steep, narrow streets, is best visited out of
season, from September to June. In summer, the hordes of tourists and
souvenir sellers can be stifling. Give yourself at least half a day
here, and follow your nose. The mount is full of nooks, crannies, and
little gardens, and there are fine views from along the ramparts.
Best of all, when the day-trippers depart, the centuries-old peace and
quiet of the mount return, and you can truly appreciate the frightening
grandeur of this solitary spot. With this in mind, consider an
overnight stay here, even though the hotels have somewhat
inflated prices. If possible, time your visit a couple of days after
the full moon - then the sunsets over this part of Atlantic can be
incredible beauty.