Mont Saint-Michel: A French medieval monastery surrounded by sea

Written on : 04 February 2021
By : Laura Wendy Harders López

On the coast of Normandy close to Brittany, stands a most impressive, ancient superstructure perched on a granite rock and surrounded by a marvellous bay: Mont Saint-Michel. This picturesque construction is a 1300-year-old abbey--which is as astounding as it is intriguing, with an impenetrable fortress and a distinctive silhouette that has become famous all over the world.

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With its feet in the water and its head in the clouds, this imposing masterpiece bears witness to the architectural genius of its construction, sculpted by man over 1300 years.

This stone-built structure has witnessed 13 centuries of historical periods- and is seemingly sitting in an impossible location-- a 600 million-year-old bay which is the scene of the largest tidal waves in Europe. This islet-mountain abbey and its bay, have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. And is known as one of the most extraordinary religious monuments in the world.

The land of the bay surrounding the mountain-islet is completely flat, and there are no buildings around it as far as the eye can reach. Mont Saint-Michel conspicuously stands out impressively from afar on the horizon. The Norman Gothic-style Abbey is perched on top of this mountain, and at the heart of this abbey lies an ancient church, Notre-Dame Sous-Terre, which was unearthed just over a century ago. At the foot of this mountain, is a small village with one main cobbled street and a few small alleys.

Aubert, bishop of Avranches, first established in 708 a sanctuary on Mont-Tombe, to consecrate archangel St Michael. As the legend goes, this archangel appeared in bishop Aubert's dreams and asked him to construct a church in his honour. At first, Aubert overlooked this request but finally complied after the archangel burned a hole in Aubert's skull with his finger. And so Mont Saint Michel was born.

Over the centuries, Mont Saint-Michel became fortified and a symbol of the French resistance, as it was besieged in vain by the English during the Hundred Years' War. However, with the Protestant Reformation, the abbey lost its relevance and in 1791, in the context of the French Revolution, it was turned into a prison, which closed in 1862. At the beginning of the 20th century, a few monks moved back into the abbey, and a few of them still live there today.

Since the Middle Ages, it has been the summit of numerous religious pilgrimages and has drawn millions of visitors enchanted by its intriguing mysteries. Kings and monks would periodically visit Mont Saint-Michel throughout history and have now been listed as a "Pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela", frequented by over 3 million visitors per year.

Whenever you decide to vacation in the area, this attraction is a must-visit on your travel checklist. Not only will you be fascinated with its history and various architectural styles which have influenced the decoration and construction of the abbey, but also by the sheer size of this megastructure and its otherworldly surroundings. What's more, the bay is home to the highest tides in continental Europe-- so be prepared to witness this impressive natural spectacle! The beautiful waves hitting against this majestic islet-structure with its looming gothic-silhouette style abbey will surely make a lasting impression on its visitors.
The bay has many privileged observation points for witnessing the unique phenomenon of the massive tidal waves, such as the Roche Torin in Courtils, in Grouin du Sud, in Vains-Saint-Léonard and Gué de l'Epine in Val-Saint-Père.

Even an entire day exploring this majestic location might not be enough to fully explore this majestic location with all its hidden gems, historical secrets, and mysteries.

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