Mont Saint Michel is the second most visited place in France, only behind París. We met with a site that promised to amaze us, and that did not disappoint. In this post, we will tell you what can be seen in a visit to Mont Saint Michel if you go only for one day.
Mont Saint Michel is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979
Staying for several days or visiting for a few hours?
The answer to this question will always depend on the traveler’s situation: if you do not have much time, you are staying in a nearby city, and you have the possibility to go, do not hesitate. Although, of course, it is better if you can stay for several days to explore the surroundings and step on Mont Saint Michel several times.
What to see at Mont Saint Michel?
The ramparts
The ramparts were built to protect the mountain and its abbey, during the Hundred Years’ War against the English. Taking the path of the wall gives us an excellent view of the bay, and we can see the Tombelaine Island, which today is a refuge for birds.
During the tour, we made several stops to admire the landscape and the seagulls that posed for photos. But warning! We must be careful with the “gifts” that birds leave us. When you put your elbows on the edge, there is a danger of literally getting smeared, and I say it because it happened to me. It was worse for Vincent, the “bird gift” fell from above.
Warning said, the tour is very pleasant. At the end of the walls, we arrive at the abbey. In fact, if you want to get to the abbey, with fewer temptations to stop at the shops, it would be convenient to take the path of the ramparts, although on this path the views will also make us stop.
The restaurant of the “Mère Poulard”
We saw this restaurant just at the beginning of the Mont Saint Michel tour, it is a quite famous place in the area and this is due to the character of Mère Poulard, who was a cook who became a celebrity for her delicious omelettes.
She passed away in 1931 and is buried in Mont Saint Michel, along with her whole family.
And the omelette, no idea if it’s good or not, since due to the pandemic, the restaurant was closed and that’s how it was every time we passed by.
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The main street
In addition to the ramparts, it is also worth walking the main street, along with the parallel streets, but you have to try to find the moment when there are not so many people, since they are so narrow that they can quickly fill up. In the streets we will see several shops and restaurants where you can calm your hunger and, in some cases, eat with a view of the bay.
The church of Saint Peter
Catholic church, founded in the 8th century and is dedicated to Saint Peter, at the entrance we can see a statue of Joan of Arc and inside is the replica of the Archangel Michael’s statue from the main tower of the abbey. The church is small and simple.
The cemetery
It is located right next to the Church of Saint Peter. It has two terraces of tombs and is small.
One of the tombs that caught my attention the most was that of the sculptor Adam Henri-Georges.
The Tower of Gabriel and its gargoyles
This tower is located on the left side of the main entrance and can be admired from the outside, its interior is not to be visited, in addition to its perfect roundness, what most caught my attention were its gargoyles.
The abbey
This is THE monument of Mont Saint Michel, if you come you must not miss it. It is the one that gives its “peaked” shape to the mount. We recommend purchasing your abbey ticket in advance to avoid the queues.
Here we tell you everything that can be seen during your visit to the abbey of Mont Saint Michel.
The views
There are certain points of the route that led us to have views of the roofs and some gardens of Mont Saint Michel. You have to get carried away by the path that can sometimes seem like a labyrinth, but it is not very long either, and you will see what I am talking about. Also, at the time we went, we could see many seagull nests on the horizon, something very curious that does not usually happen when the influx of tourists is normal.
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