Mont St. Michel, Normandy, France

While we were staying in Bayeux, France, we took a day trip to see Mont St. Michel. It was about a two hour drive from Bayeux through the Normandy countryside. One we arrived, we were "turned loose" so to speak, to make our own way into the abbey, and, if one had the energy, to walk to the very top.

The abbey was built over several centuries. Everything used to build it had to be literally brought over to the island while the tide was out, and then lifted through the use of a pulley system to the construction site. Once the abbey was completed, the lift was used to bring supplies, such as food, up to the abbey.

As you can see from the pictures below, it was quite a climb to reach the vary top.

Neither of the photos above were taken from the very top. I think the one at the left will give a better idea of how far up I was.

Mont St. Michel used to be a tidal island, which means that when the tide came in, the area you see with the cars and buses would be under water.

When any enemy attempted to attack the Abbey they had to be aware of the tidal schedule. If they had not breeched the doors by a certain time, they had to give up and head back to the mainland in order not to drown.

The abbey is still in use today, and our guide indicated there were at least seven nuns still living there.

The photo to the right shows one of the few remaining working drawbridges in Europe.

If you focus on the bridge, you can imagine a knight in shining armor galloping over the bridge in his quest to save his lady fair at the last second before it was raised and he would be left to the ravages of the tide.

There are only two times a year when Mont St. Michel is again an island, and those are during the winter and summer equinox. Then, if one looked out at the island, all the green shown at the bottom of the photo would be under water.

The fields surrounding the island are used for grazing by sheep farmers in the area. As you can see, the countryside is quite beautiful, and makes one think of a Renaissance style painting.

There is a ten year project that will soon get

under way to restore the island to its previous

state, namely, an island. A bridge will be built for

access to the island, and tourist hotels are planned

for the landward side of the bridge.

Mont St. Michel was one of the main places I wanted to visit when we went to France that time, and we did! It was well worth the cost and the drive just to be able to see such an amazing structure and the beautiful countryside.