Le Mont St. Michel

Location:

West coast of the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy

Perched on a rocky islet in the midst of vast sandbanks exposed to powerful tides between Normandy and Brittany stands, Le mont Michel, emerging out of the sea and mist. A Gothic-style Benedictine abbey dedicated to the archangel St Michael, and the village that grew up in the shadow of its great walls. Built between the 11th and 16th centuries, the abbey is a technical and artistic tour de force, having had to adapt to the problems posed by this unique natural site."Inscription as a 'World Heritage Site'– UNESCO

The creative current which emerged from this place gave immortal Artworks such as " The Angelus " or " Les Glaneuses ". In their work "Solomon Lever " in 1967, the Goncourt brothers, in addition inhabitants of the place, describe the atmosphere and the life of the village at the time. The character of the Crescent painter is moreover non-openly inspired by the painter Jean-François Millet.

Mont-Saint-Michel is an amazing site, the rocky island topped by its fortified Abbey and enveloped in mist looms out of the flat, surrounding bay. A sense of mystery surrounds all. According to Bishop Aubert, he was ordered to build the church by the Archangel Michel in the 8th century, it then became a Benedictine monastery and renowned as a center of medieval learning.

Pilgrims have been coming here for a thousand years, and today’s tourist follow the same narrow walkway to the Abbey, but once inside the church there is a sense of monastic serenity. There is still a small Benedictine community living in the abbey. There are many things to see and do: the main street with its shops, the museums, the walk around the ramparts with views out over the sands of the bay, as well as the spectacle of the sea rushing in to surround the Mont at each high tide. The Abbey can also be visited at night when it is lit up. Autumn is a lovely time to visit.