Mont Saint Michel: a personal experience of visiting the wonder of Normandy. Mont Saint-Michel island: the impregnable castle of Mont Saint-Michel France history of creation

Along with the world-famous Eiffel Tower, there is another visiting card of France. This time we are not talking about a separate building, but a whole complex that occupies the territory of a small island. This is one of the most picturesque corners of Normandy, which is rightfully considered a real monument of the history of France - this is the island-monastery of Mont Saint-Michel.

A nice bonus only for our readers - a discount coupon when paying for tours on the site until December 31:

• AF500guruturizma - promo code for 500 rubles for tours from 40,000 rubles
• AFTA2000Guru - promo code for 2,000 rubles. for tours to Thailand from 100,000 rubles.
• AF2000KGuruturizma - promo code for 2,000 rubles. for tours to Cuba from 100,000 rubles.

There is a promo code in the Travelata mobile app - AF600GuruMOB. It gives a discount of 600 rubles for all tours from 50,000 rubles. Download app for and

On the site onlinetours.ru you can buy ANY tour with a discount of up to 3%!

How to get a visa to France on your own read in our life hack.

The impressive island, which is based on millions of tons of granite, is only 930 meters in diameter, and the highest point is located at an altitude of only 92 meters above sea level. It was he who was chosen in the 8th century by the Benedict monks, who became his rightful owners for many centuries, having built a real abbey.

There is a legend according to which the place for the construction of the monastery was not chosen by chance. In a dream, Archangel Michael appeared to Bishop Avranches and ordered to build a monastery on the island to commemorate the battle between the light forces of the heavenly host and the satanic hordes, which appeared in the form of a dragon. According to the vision, it was here, on the granite ledges of the island, that the fateful meeting of two eternal enemies - good and evil - took place.

The construction of the monastery was financed by the Norman dukes, who saw not only a religious significance in its rough outlines, but also a strategic one. It was the island that was to become the first stronghold of the numerous Viking raids that Normandy was systematically subjected to.

The construction of the central building of the abbey lasted for a long 500 years from 1017, when the first stone was laid, to 1520. And by the 12th century the monastery became one of the main religious centers for numerous pilgrims from Europe. The final touches that completed the image of the modern monastery were made until the 17th century, as a result of which a complex complex of buildings and structures began to rise above the island, the architecture of which echoed Gothic and Romanesque styles.

Everyone who sees this masterpiece of human creation for the first time with delight and hope will watch the structures literally climbing steep slopes towards the sun, the crown of which is the elegant church of Marvel. All this creates a truly bewitching landscape, which only the famous creation of Eiffel can compare with. Therefore, it is not at all surprising that this grandiose complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Island crashing into the ocean

Mont Saint-Michel is able to give one of the most vivid and unforgettable experiences in the life of everyone who is lucky enough to be here. It is difficult to find the right words to convey as colorfully and accurately as possible the sensations that you experience every time you sit at a table on the terrace of a restaurant with a tablecloth whitened to a crisp and greedily absorb the boundless expanse of the ocean with your eyes.

And what is the air here! Simply saying that every breath makes you dizzy and your pulse beats faster in your temples will obviously not be enough. He is special here. It is to the local air that such a description as “soaked with age-old dampness” sea air is best suited. The impressions will be especially vivid during high tide, which, like a leopard stalking a prey, is selected silently and imperceptibly.

The island is located in the north-west of France and is part of a group of islands located in the bay of the same name. It is only 2 km from the mainland of the state and at low tide it is not difficult to get to it. Although, due to the local features of the sea weather, the island sometimes seems like an impregnable fort, the path to which is blocked by huge gray-green waves that crash against the rocks below.

It is interesting that, despite such proximity to mainland France, as well as to historical Normandy, Britain repeatedly tried to “redraw” the local borders in its favor and make the island another distant harbor for its numerous ships. This is due to the crazy popularity of this place, with which only one place can compete with this criterion - the French capital. Because of this, the French, who have never been too modest, called these places "the eighth wonder of the world."

How to get there

Of course, after such a vivid description of the local beauties, an image of an old carriage with a forged frame, harnessed to a pair of black horses, appears in my head. It is they who must deliver the real adventurer to the wooden suspension bridge, which, descending with a creak, will reveal its secrets and untold riches that have been preserved here from time immemorial. To complete the image of the ancient castle, there are not enough statues of mythical monsters - chimeras.

Perhaps a couple of centuries ago, this is exactly what the path to the world-famous abbey looked like. But today you can get to the Abbey of Saint-Michel with great comfort. For example, by buying a ticket for a fast train from Paris to Rennes (about 55.8 euros), and then transferring to a regular bus that will take travelers to the foot of the monastery (a little more than 11 euros). There is also a system of discounts, which will be a pleasant surprise for young travelers.

If you want to save money or just prefer to travel with an ascetic bias, we recommend the bus route through Pontorson. The regular bus runs only 6 times a day, but the fare will cost only 5 euros. But such inconveniences will not be a serious obstacle for true adventurers.

You can go to the holy place and by private car. But in order to avoid unpleasant surprises, it is recommended to leave the car in a specially designated place where it will be safe at high tide, and go on foot for the remaining couple of kilometers.

If you decide to go to the island in order to replenish your personal photo album with new pictures, and hearts with vivid impressions, we strongly do not recommend choosing the summer months for your trip. During this period, the influx of tourists to the monastery is simply huge, which will not allow you to fully appreciate the beauty of these places. And, of course, we advise you to purchase a by-catch calendar, using which you can choose the best time for photo hunting and take simply stunning pictures of landscapes that open from the fortress walls.

Do not forget to take into account the peculiarities of the local climate, which obviously will not allow you to defile in a colorful sundress and light sandals. Harsh winds, which feel like full-fledged masters in the local expanses, have a negative attitude towards such equipment for tourists. But the most important accompanying person during the trip should be humility. After all, it is the humble tourists who can count on enlightenment within the walls of this holy place.

Entertainment and excursions

When you get tired of looking at the raging ocean and following the endless cycles of tides, you can go for a walk around the island, during which you will find many more interesting acquaintances and discoveries. But before that, close your eyes for a moment and imagine that the yard is in the heyday of the medieval knightly era, and you are none other than the main character of Dumas's beloved novel from youth. Represented? Then go!

The Royal Gate, a little rough, but created with a medieval taste, lancet stone vaults, as well as a huge knight's hall and a refectory, where several hundred years ago the bass voices of the defenders of the island hummed, as well as numerous streets meandering, as if luring into the depths of the island, all this will require a lot of attention and time from you.

Do you like mystery and different puzzles? There is more than enough of this goodness here! There are many secret passages in the streets that will lead to another part of the monastery, and wooden doors upholstered with iron frames make sounds that are so clearly remembered from the time of watching films about the exploits of knights and medieval castles.

All this, no doubt, will leave an unforgettable mark in the memory of every visitor to these wonderful places, will beckon again and again to plunge into the charm and unique charm of the monastery, which is located on the island of Mont Saint-Michel.

Well, how to get around one of the most mysterious places on the island - a small vaulted room that has the name "Notre Dame underground." There are many legends and legends that reveal the history of this mysterious place from different angles. And you should definitely get to know many of them.

Local kitchen

If you decide to go to the island, you should definitely get acquainted with the local cuisine traditions. The menu of the restaurants located on the island is represented by national dishes of Breton cuisine, the basis of which is lamb dishes. In addition, lovers of seafood, meat dishes and salads will be able to discover a lot of new things.

Before you order a meat steak or other similar dish, remember that the French prefer undercooked, almost raw meat. Depending on the order, you will have to pay from 14 to 35 euros for dinner.

You can stay at one of the local hotels, some of which are located on the first floors of buildings that date back to the 15th-16th century. From the windows hotel rooms you can enjoy marvelous landscapes until dusk, and a good mood in the morning guarantees clean sea air, which in just a couple of nights will saturate your body with useful salts and minerals.

Mont Saint Michel(Mont Saint-Michel) or Mount Archangel Michael is a small rocky island-fortress, on the northwest coast of France. This island is the only inhabited of the three islands of the Bay of Saint-Michel. A city was built on the island, which has existed since 709.

The abbey castle of Mont Saint-Michel is one of the ten!

Plan of Mont Saint-Michel:

• Abbey

• wonder building

• City

• sentinel terrace

The main attraction of the French province of Normandy is Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel towering over a huge sandy bay. From time immemorial, a huge number of pilgrims from all over Europe flocked to this abbey in order to come into contact with the shrines.

The history of the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel began with a chapel, which was erected on a granite rock-island in 708 by the Bishop of Avranches Saint-Aubert.

It currently has about a hundred inhabitants. In 1879, the island was connected by a dam 2 km long to the mainland. Mount Saint-Michel b is a granite formation with a diameter of 930 m and a height of 92 m, which is located at the mouth of the Kyusnon River. Every 24 hours and 50 minutes, high and low tides are observed in the bay, the strongest in Europe. Water can depart from Saint-Michel for 18 km, and spread up to 20 km inland. At high tide, the island is completely surrounded by water, and at low tide, sand surrounds the mountain. The height of the tide reaches 14 meters.

Mount Saint-Michel is a granite formation with a diameter of 930 m and a height of 92 m located at the mouth of the Kyusnon River. Here is the highest tide in Europe, up to. 14 m. At high tide, the island is completely surrounded by water, rising under the very walls. At low tide, sands surround the mountain.

On the south side, the lower part of the mountain is occupied by a city surrounded by a fortress wall of the 15th century.

The entrance to the city is protected by a system of gates and barbicans. Through the outer gate, the incoming enters the outer barbican, then through the Boulevard Gate into the next barbican, which bears the name Boulevard. Further beyond the moat is the large King's Gate with an arched passage and a drawbridge. Next to the main gate is a narrow gate, which has its own drawbridge. The bridge is lifted by a lever-type mechanism. Flanking the King's Gate is the round King's Tower, the first tower of the outer wall. The outer wall, flanked by nine towers, rises up the mountainside to the abbey, completed by the Claudine tower.

Inside the wall on the slope is a city consisting of almost one narrow street.

In front of the entrance to the abbey there is a barbican protecting them, surrounded by a battlement with two gates. Some gates are located on the side of the city road, others open onto the narrow Sentinel Terrace, which goes around the monastery from the north and ends with access to the road through a narrow door in the Claudine tower.

The barbican is dominated by the tall, multi-faceted Tower of the Ravens and the twin round towers of the abbey's main gate. Behind the gate is a large vaulted Hall of the Guard, from which the Grand Staircase leads to the upper terrace, passing between the lower floors of the temple building and the living quarters of the abbey.

The core of the abbey consists of two parts - the temple with the premises located under it, and the so-called. Miracle, a three-story tower reinforced with buttresses, adjacent to the temple from the north side.

The temple is mostly Romanesque, but the choir was built only in the 16th century. on the site of the one that collapsed in 1421. So that it would not repeat the fate of its predecessor, the Crypt of the Great Columns was built at the base. Its 10 columns with a diameter of 5 m hold the new choir.

The upper floor of the Miracle is occupied by a courtyard with a colonnade running along the perimeter and a vaulted refectory.

Under the refectory there is a large guest room with two huge fireplaces at the end of the hall and another fireplace in the center of the inner wall. Notable visitors were received in this hall. Next to it, under the courtyard, is the so-called. Knight's Hall, which received this name for its magnificence. The castle is decorated with numerous carved columns. This hall served as a place of work for the monks, they were engaged in the correspondence of texts.

Under the Guest Hall there was an almshouse, and the Knights' - storage rooms. Under the temple are numerous crypts and chapels. The total number of rooms of the abbey exceeds 50. They are interconnected by numerous staircases and corridors.

History of the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel

In 966, with the permission of the Pope, the Benedictine monks founded an abbey here and built a monastery with the money of Richard I, Duke of Normandy. In 1017 Abbot Gilderbert II began the construction of the central monastery building, the construction of which was fully completed only five centuries later.

Thanks to the work and faith of the Benedictine monks, a simple chapel over this long time has turned into a majestic abbey built from granite mined on the Shoze islands.

At the beginning of the 12th century, Abbot Roger II was building a tower on the northern slope, which now includes the Knights' Hall and the Refectory. At this time, the abbey is already one of the pilgrimage centers in Europe. The influence of the monastery is growing. The abbey receives the English and French kings, he was granted several possessions in England.

In 1204 King Philip Augustus of France captured Normandy. Guy de Tours, an ally of the French king, captured and burned the settlement near the monastery, as a result, the monastery itself was seriously damaged by fire. Philip Augustus, in order to atone for his guilt, donates a huge amount to the abbey, and also finances the construction of a structure on the northern slope, later called the Miracle. In 1128 the construction of the Miracle was completed.

Until the XIV century the monastery did not change. Abbots, succeeding each other, gradually built up the island. The Hundred Years War, which broke out between England and France, leads to the fact that the abbey is deprived of income from its English possessions.

In 1356, the British attempted to take the monastery, but the siege was unsuccessful. In 1386, the abbot of the monastery, Pierre Roy, for security reasons, significantly strengthens the entrance to the monastery, and also builds three towers. In the future, Abbe Robber Jolivet, who replaced Roy, erected fortress walls at the foot of the monastery.

During the Hundred Years' War in 1424, the British again besieged the monastery. For ten years, suffering huge losses, they unsuccessfully tried to get beyond the walls of the castle. But the French defended the abbey. The British never managed to take the island, but they completely destroyed the town that had formed over the past centuries at the base of the monastery. In 1450, the English are defeated at the Battle of Formigny and driven out of Normandy.

In 1469, the French King Louis XI established the order of St. Michael in the abbey. In 1523, the construction of the Gothic choir begins. This year the monks are deprived of the right to choose the abbot of the monastery. Now only the king has this right. Appointed by the king and not by the clergy, the so-called "abbots" are completely devoid of spirituality. This leads to the fact that the treasury of the monastery is spent for other purposes. All this deprives the monks of the desire to live in a monastery. The flow of pilgrims Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel gradually dries up. By 1580, only 13 monks lived in the monastery. Fourteen years later, the bell tower is completely destroyed by a lightning strike. Due to the small number of monks, the temple has remained dilapidated for decades. In 1662, in the abbey, which had fallen into decay, the monks were replaced by nine Benedictines from the congregation of Saint-Maur.

In 1176, a fire happens again, which destroys the Romanesque entrance to the temple. The current system of choosing the abbots of the monastery continued to have its destructive effect until 1870. During the French Revolution, the abbey was closed and turned into a prison. The monks are expelled, and all things from the monastery are sold.

With the advent of Napoleon III Mont Saint Michel returns to its former glory, the prison is abolished, and the monastery is declared a national treasure of France. Work is underway to restore it.

The middle of the 20th century is marked by the return of the monks to the rocky island. In 1979, the abbey was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The French themselves consider Mont Saint Michel"the eighth wonder of the world". Active and currently Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, which has become a real fortress, surprisingly combining military and religious architecture, rightfully deserves this title.

Today, this ancient abbey, stunning in its grandeur and the splendor of the surrounding nature, receives about three million tourists a year.

In modern art, Mont Saint-Michel served as the prototype of the fortress of Minas Tirith in the cult trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" by Peter Jackson based on the book by Professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The famous English composer M. Olfrid, fascinated by the gloomy beauty of the island, dedicated the composition of the same name to him in the album Voyager. It was this island that the swindlers from the French comedy "Incorrigible" tried to save from their enemies.

The famous abbey of Mont Saint-Michel embodies the entire medieval history of France. After the French Revolution, the Benedictine abbey served as a prison, and today it is visited by tens of thousands of tourists. Nestled on a small rocky island on the northwest coast of France and connected by a causeway to the mainland, Mont Saint Michel since 1979 it has been recognized as a monument of world importance.

Crowned by the spire of the abbey, the islet strikes with grandeur. At high tide (and here is the highest tide in Europe - up to 10 m), the water arrives at a speed of 20 km / h, and the fortress erected on a high rock (78 m) can only be reached by boat. At low tide, you can simply walk on dry land without even getting your feet wet. Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel- this is one of the main attractions of France and the real pride of the province of Normandy.

By attendance Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel can compete with the Eiffel Tower itself - more than 3.5 million people visit it every year. Small - only a kilometer in diameter and eighty meters above sea level - the island is connected to the mainland at low tide, and at high tide, perhaps the highest in the world, completely surrounded by the sea.

At low tide, pilgrims traveled to the abbey along the seabed. Now, for convenience, a dam has been built - surrealistically thin, like a stretched string. How else, if in a tiny town where only 138 people live at the foot of a Gothic monastery, many thousands seek to get into. To tirelessly wander among the unreal, vertically inclined stone labyrinth of museums and temples, looking for more and more delightful corners.

The legend says that the Archangel Michael himself appeared in a dream to Bishop Oberth of Avranches and ordered to build a church on a rocky island. The skeptical cleric was not inclined to trust his dreams, and then the angry Archangel touched the monk with his finger (the relics of Aubert are still kept in Avranches, they say, the dent in the skull is very solid). The incentive worked. In the place where the bishop discovered a grotto on the mountain, he ordered the construction of a basilica.

In the X century on Mont Saint Michel Benedictines moved from Saint-Vandria. And until the 16th century, they built, built, built. There were funds - the island of the Miracle of St. Michael became one of the most popular places of pilgrimage. It remains so to this day.

One of the special places in Christianity is the image of St. Michael. This is not just an archangel, but a warrior and intercessor. He accompanies the souls of the righteous to Heavenly Jerusalem, helps them on their way and protects them from lurking demons. In addition, it is he, according to the Apocalypse, who must stand at the head of the heavenly host in the last battle between good and evil. According to biblical tradition, the Archangel Michael fought with Satan in the form of a dragon and plunged him into the abyss of waters. The battle ended on the mountain, which later received the name of Mount St. Michael. This is probably why temples high in the mountains are traditionally dedicated to St. Michael. The famous abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel was built on the same principle, which is located on a small (about 900 meters in circumference) rocky island of the same name and which was destined to become one of the main pilgrimage centers of medieval Europe.

A beautiful legend is connected with the emergence of the abbey. In 708, the city of Avrange, located in the north of Brittany, near its border with Normandy, was ruled by Bishop Aubert. One night, the bishop heard the voice of St. Michael, who demanded that a rock-island be dedicated to him, located next to the city and separated from it by the sea strait.

Aubert did nothing, believing he had been deluded by his visions. The archangel appeared to the bishop several times, predicting miracles that he would perform in order to strengthen Christians in their faith and convince the bishop. For example, one of the miraculous deeds of the archangel was a flying bull seen by people, which was then found on top of a rock. The archangel was impatient with the inaction of the bishop and on his next visit he plunged his finger into the skull of Auber, finally convincing him (the bishop's skull with a regular rounded hole is still kept in a glass cube in the abbey).

After that, Bishop Ober, as Michael demanded, sent his people to Italy, to Monte Gorgano - since it was believed that the Holy Angel in Rome and Mount Monte Gorgano on a rocky island in the Adriatic are the traditional places for the appearance of the archangel. They returned and brought sacred relics - a piece of red robe that was on the archangel during one of his appearances and a fragment of the sacrificial stone on which he placed his foot.

Upon their return, Aubert began the construction of a chapel on Mont Tomb (the original name of the island). The work of people was facilitated by the intervention of divine forces - for example, a large stone that interfered with construction was turned out with a light touch of a child; there was a lack of drinking water on the mountain - a miracle helped to find a source of life-giving moisture, which was then called the fountain of St. Aubert. Thus, Aubert settled on a rocky islet, which gradually became known as Mount St. Michael, in order to devote himself to the service of God and his archangel.

In 966, the Duke of Normandy gave the island to the order of the Benedictine monks, who founded Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel. Construction on the island was carried out until the 19th century, gradually turning the island into a small town. The wonderful Gothic architectural ensemble of the abbey is crowned by a beautiful church located on the top of the island, at an altitude of about 90 meters above sea level. It was erected on three crypts, the oldest of which dates back to the time of the Carolingians.

The impressive nave of the building was built in the 11th century in the Romanesque style, and its eastern altar part (choir) was rebuilt in the flamboyant Gothic style in 1450-1521. The floor of the church is on the same level with the third floor of the monastery buildings adjacent to it, which gives the building the appearance of a harsh and impregnable stronghold. The tower and spire topped with a statue of Saint Michael belong to a later period - they were built in the 19th century.

The outer walls of the beautiful Gothic monastery of La Merville, which means "Miracle" (13th century), combine the power of the fortress and the simplicity of church architecture. The monastery is decorated with double rows of columns supporting lancet arches with a wonderful floral ornament, a huge number of sculptures. The most remarkable part of the building is the refectory with tall narrow windows and the romantic Hall of the Knights, where the proud defenders of the fortress gathered. Below the monastic buildings, residential buildings are grouped, some of which date back to the 15th century. The only street that exists here passes through the island, and most of the buildings are interconnected by complex internal passages and steep stairs.

Extremely difficult to access due to its insular position, the monastery in the 13th century was additionally surrounded on the southern and eastern sides by powerful defensive walls with round towers and ledges and with a single fortress gate.

Thanks to this, the abbey successfully withstood sieges during the Hundred Years War between England and France in the 14th and 15th centuries and during the French Wars of Religion in the second half of the 16th century.

In the 18th century the abbey fell into disrepair and was closed during the French Revolution. From the time of Napoleon I to 1863 Mont Saint Michel was a state prison, and then was declared a historical monument and restored. Now Mont Saint Michel is one of the main tourist centers of France.

Over the past centuries, the sea has receded and now most of the time Mont Saint Michel surrounded by loose sands, and only at high tides does it become an island. Such tides are observed here during the autumn and spring equinoxes - the water level rises by 10 meters per day - these are the strongest tides in France, and at low tide the sea moves away from the coast by 25 kilometers. Now a dam has been built and a highway connects the island with the mainland, making it convenient for visiting.

And as a result of a change in the shape of the coast, vast areas appeared, which the water left completely. This soil, salted with sea water, gradually overgrown with grass, which was very to the taste of the sheep. The meat of the sheep bred here contains an excess of salt and has a special taste - it is almost immediately ready for consumption, their wool also has special properties - things made from this wool turn out to be very fluffy.

• In 1874, Mont Saint Michel was recognized as a State Historic Monument.
• In 1972, UNESCO added Mont Saint Michel to the World Heritage List.
• The French consider Mont Saint-Michel and its bay "the eighth wonder of the world", and the Europeans - "the wonder of Western Europe."
• When the tide is low, you can go around Mount Saint-Michel, but you need to be careful not to go far from the foot of the mountain - there is a high chance of getting into quicksand.
• The island-castle of Mont Saint-Michel was the inspiration for the fortress of Minas Tirith in the popular film The Lord of the Rings.
• Nowadays Mont Saint Michel becomes an island only 2 times a year. This happens due to the fact that over the past centuries the sea has receded - now most of the time the castle is surrounded by sand, but 2 times a year (during the autumn and spring equinoxes) during strong tides it becomes

The abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is an architectural wonder of France. This site is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. A unique monument of nature and architecture is a city built on a rock, which is located in a small bay. During high tides, Mont Saint-Michel is cut off from the mainland.

Ancient architecture has been preserved on the island, despite the numerous sieges that he had to endure over the 1500 years of his existence. Chapels and fortress walls are of great interest not only from a historical, but also from an engineering point of view. After all, impregnable rocks in the Middle Ages were almost always cut off from the land by high sea waves, so the ancient builders had to overcome nature itself and show miracles of ingenuity in order to build this unique complex.

Expert opinion

Knyazeva Victoria

Guide to Paris and France

Ask an expert

Today, France considers the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel one of the country's main tourist sites. It is the second most visited city in the state after Paris. Its population is less than 100 people, but up to 3.5 million tourists from all over the world visit the monastery and surrounding areas every year.

general information

The island of Mont Saint-Michel is easy to find on the map. It is located 285 km northwest of Paris, in the province of Normandy, almost on the border with Breton. The city on the rock is surrounded by a small bay, against which it rises more than 70 m. The bay seems to encircle the mountain from 2 sides, cutting it off from the flat land.

Twice in a lunar day, which is 24 hours 50 minutes, you can observe a wonderful picture, like sea ​​water recedes, exposing the foot of the mountain and creating a natural passage to the island along the sandy bottom, and then floods it again.

However, walking in these places on your own is strictly not recommended. This is possible only when accompanied by a certified guide. Such strict rules are explained by the fact that the bay has an unstable bottom. In some places it is formed by quicksand.

In addition, you should carefully study the schedule of high and low tides. Indeed, after a few hours, the water will begin to arrive at the rocks at the speed of a horse that gallops. At the same time, the height of the waves can reach 14 m. In the area of ​​​​the castle of Mont Saint-Michel, the tide is considered the most powerful in all of Europe. Therefore, it is better to watch this amazing a natural phenomenon at a safe distance.

In the distant era of the Gauls and Romans, the territory of the modern Gulf of Saint-Michel was covered with a dense forest. Among the thickets, ascetic hermit monks stumbled upon a lonely rocky hill, which became a place for prayers and rituals. The bodies of the deceased ascetics were also buried here. A natural disaster in the 7th century swapped water and land, sinking an ancient forest to the seabed. Only Grave Hill remained on the surface. In 709 Bishop Ober, after the appearance of the Archangel Michael to him, erected the first church on the mountain, which later received the status of a monastery.

Image from a 16th century manuscript: on the left, Saint Michael appears in a dream to Bishop Auber, on the right, the construction of a church

Growing, gaining influence and fame, Mont Saint-Michel has long remained a "tidbit" for the Normans, the British and the French. The complex was repeatedly subjected to sieges, changed flags and crowned owners, turned into ruins and again rose from the ashes. During the French Revolution, the famous abbey served as a prison for political prisoners. Only in 1866 the monks were allowed to return to the monastery, after another 11 years, Mont Saint-Michel was recognized as a historical monument. Today, the fortress island is part of the Manche department in Normandy, in the northwest.

How to get to Mont Saint-Michel

It is most convenient to get to the island from nearby cities along well-established routes.

The exact address: Le Mont-Saint-Michel, 50170, France.

From(distance 283 km):

From Deauville(distance 173 km):

Option 1

Automobile: via D278, D27 and D400 to the A13 toll motorway (distance 25 km to Cricqueville-en-Auge). Turning off the A13 at 350 meters, follow the A84 towards the N175 (distance 132 km). The route ends with section N175 (distance 16 km).

From Le Havre(distance 218 km):

Option 1

Automobile: along the N282 (distance 9 km) to the A29. Further along A29, A13 and A84 in the direction of N175 (distance 194 km, there are paid sections). Continue on the N175 for another 15 km until the end of the journey.

Castle of Mont Saint-Michel on the map

Abbey

The main element of the historical and natural ensemble of Le Mont-Saint-Michel is the abbey belonging to the Benedictine order. The monastery is a complex of well-fortified buildings in the Romanesque-Gothic style. The steep staircase of the Grand Degre leads to its gates, ending at the entrance to the Alms Hall.

The next amazing building of the complex is Notre-Dame-sous-Terre, a small church dating back to the 10th century. The crypt of the Great Pillars will point to the monastery cemetery, and the amazing garden of the Cloister, lost on a height, will be an ideal place for solitary prayer.

The main temple of Mont Saint-Michel was founded in the 11th century. Today, the flow of time stops here, and several Benedictine monks perform a daily service, to which both city parishioners and tourists are admitted.

City

On the southern slope of the impregnable rock of Mont Saint-Michel, a unique city was lost, which arose at the beginning of the 13th century. Its only and main street is called Grande Rue and has a width of no more than 2 meters. Along it are souvenir shops, local cafes and restaurants, as well as mini-hotels for overnight stays for numerous tourists. In places, Grande Rue is crossed by the so-called alleys, in which you sometimes have to move sideways so as not to get stuck between buildings. The indigenous population of the town has no more than 30 people, including the mayor. All residents are employed in the maintenance of the castle and have rather modest agricultural land.

Opening hours and ticket prices

The island itself, as well as the city of Mont Saint-Michel, can be visited completely free of charge.

To enter the monastery complex, you should purchase a ticket, the price is about 10 EUR ( ~700 rub. ).

Visiting times vary by season:

July and August(Haute saison) - the maximum number of tourists.

• Daily from 09:30 to 19:00.

April to June and also September(Moyenne saison) - average attendance.

• Monday - Saturday from 09:30 to 18:30;
• Sunday - from 09:30 to 18:00.

March and October(Moyenne saison) - it is also customary to refer to the middle season, however, the time spent by visitors on the territory is reduced by half an hour:

• Monday - Saturday from 09:30 to 18:00;
• Sunday - from 09:30 to 17:30.

Sometimes at the end of October the complex is closed even earlier - at 17:30 and 17:00, respectively, tourists are certainly warned about this.

November to February(Basse saison) - the influx of people is minimal.

• Monday - Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00;
• Sunday - from 10:00 to 12:30.

A more detailed schedule of work, as well as the cost of tickets to individual museums (Historical, Maritime, House of the Constable, etc.) are presented on Mont Saint-Michel.

Such an amazing historical and natural monument is full of legends and unusual facts. Here are the most notable ones:

• Fact. Walking along the main street of a tiny town, tourists do not disregard the local post office. A modest building with a colorful old sign is of genuine interest, as if offering to visit inside. Everyone who accepts this unusual invitation is in for a pleasant surprise. Using the mail services of Mont Saint-Michel, you can send friends, family or even yourself a unique postcard from the castle with an original medieval stamp.

• Legend. The Norman Bishop Ober had a vision in 708: the Archangel Michael ordered the construction of a church on the Grave Hill. The minister did not fully understand the sign, so he was in no hurry to start construction. The bishop hesitated even after the second coming of God's messenger. For the third time, the angry Archangel descended to Ober, and for persuasiveness he tapped the rebellious bishop on the head with his finger. After such explicit instructions, in 709 the minister of the church ordered the monks to start building on a rocky island.

• Fact. The Couesnon River was the border between Normandy and Brittany, two neighboring French regions. According to this division, Mont-Saint-Michel territorially belonged to Brittany. Later, in order to preserve the monument, the supporting dam had to be destroyed, replacing it with a bridge, and the river bed had to be divided. As a result of such geographical changes, the island passed into the administrative subordination of Normandy. The Bretons, having lost such an important attraction, formed the proverb "the river does not know what it does."

• Legend. On the territory of Mont-Saint-Michel there is a tiny green garden Clouter, located according to legend "between earth and sky." The monks claim that prayers offered in the garden will surely be heard by God. The cherished desires made here will certainly come true.

• Fact. For many visitors, the distant outline of the castle on the rock seems all too familiar. There is a completely logical explanation for this: it was the fortress of Mont Saint-Michel that became the prototype of the famous Minas Tirith in the film The Lord of the Rings.

Virtual tour of Mont Saint-Michel

The unique masterpiece of the joint creation of man and nature - Mont Saint-Michel - has been a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of thousands of believers for many years. Today, the complex continues to awe in the hearts of visitors and is the third most important (after and) monument in France. Having been here once, it is easy to understand the harmony of indestructible rock and pliable sand, massive columns and figured arched vaults, swift tides and equally fleeting low tides. Time stops on the territory of the abbey, allowing each traveler to capture important moments not only on film, but also in the pantry of his own memory. It is possible to supplement the baggage of impressions from the rest by going on an excursion to the ancient capital of pirates - the port city of Saint-Malo. It is on the way from Paris to the castle, just 70 km from Mont Saint-Michel. Another attraction in the vicinity of the castle is the famous village of Etretat on the snow-white alabaster coast. The unusual structure of stepped rocks and arches will greatly enhance the impression of the beauty and uniqueness of distant Normandy.

One of the most popular attractions in France is the castle of Mont Saint-Michel.
How often have you seen a monastery on a rock sticking out of the water abyss.
It looks stunning.

The city on the island has existed since 709. It currently has 80 inhabitants. Since 1879, the island has been linked to the mainland by a causeway. The island is a granite formation approximately 930 m in diameter and 92 m above sea level. Mont Saint-Michel is famous for its Benedictine abbey built between the 11th and 14th centuries.

At the very top of the cliff, at a height of almost 80 meters, the walls of an ancient abbey rise to the sky, and at the end of its spire, located at an altitude of 155.5 meters above sea level, there is a golden figure of an archangel with a pointed sword. Mont Saint-Michel is protected by the sea from all sides and only a 2 km long dam connects the mainland with the island

Victor Hugo was so impressed with Mont Saint-Michel that he nicknamed it "The Pyramid in the Ocean"
The abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is the most visited corner in France after Paris. Because of the territorial affiliation of this unique corner, two regions argue - Brittany and Normandy.

Nevertheless, it is generally accepted that the border between them is drawn along the river Couenon running in the coastal sands, which is not in favor of Brittany. There is even a French proverb about this: “Couenon went mad, so Mont Saint-Michel ended up in Normandy.”

The entrance to the castle originates at the Royal Gate. From here, the only street extends into the interior of the island - Grande Rue. In tiny, almost toy houses of the 15th-16th centuries, huddled together on two sides of the street, cafes, restaurants, hotels and tents with a variety of souvenirs now operate.

A huge number of legends are associated with the castle of Mont Saint-Michel. According to one of them, in 708 the Archangel Michael came to Archbishop Ober in a dream. The archangel ordered the bishop to dedicate to him then already almost completely covered by the sea rock. Aubert did not comply with this order, in fear of becoming a victim of his own imagination. The same vision was repeated many times in the future.

Then the archangel could not bear such disobedience and plunged his finger into Aubert's head. In order to finally convince the bishop and other Christians, he created many miracles here. By the way, the legend is a legend, but in the skull of Ober, scientists actually found a hole) It could be caused, for example, by a combat wound or trepanation during brain surgery.

The monastery of St. Michael was built for a very long time - from the 11th to the 16th century. The Vikings settled here, from here William the Conqueror went to England, many kings lived here. During the Hundred Years' War between France and England, Mont Saint-Michel was the last French stronghold in Normandy, never captured by the enemy ... It was never conquered, once surviving even a 30-year siege - in history it remained an impregnable castle. The castle was conquered only by tourists - today it is visited by more than 3 million tourists every year - only Paris and Versailles are more popular

The monastery of Mont Saint-Michel was closed a very long time ago - back in 1790! A few decades later, ironically, the most dangerous criminals and scoundrels were imprisoned here - the castle turned into a state prison for half a century. Because of this, it is popularly called the “provincial Bastille”. Only in 1863, after a major restoration, he opened his Royal doors again, but for tourists.