Off the northwest coast of France, there are three rocky islands: Mont Saint-Michel, Mont Dol and Tomblain, of which only one is inhabited - Mont Saint-Michel. In 709 it was founded and consecrated in honor of St. Michael, from where it got its name. At the end of the 19th century, a dam was built for its connection with the mainland, at the same time (in 1874) it was recognized as a historical monument. And since 1979, UNESCO has included it in the World Heritage Fund. With an indigenous population of less than 50 people, it is visited annually by up to 3.5 million tourists and pilgrims. So, during your trip to France, do not miss the opportunity to appreciate the architecture and natural features of this island.
How to get to Mont Saint-Michel from Paris?
There are three ways to get from Paris by rail:
· From Paris Montparnasse by TGV via Rennes (2 hours). Then from Rennes to Pontorson by train, and then by bus to Mont Saint-Michel or by direct bus from Rennes to Mont Saint-Michel.
· From Paris Montparnasse by TGV to Dol de Bretagne (2 hours 40 minutes), and from there by direct bus to Mont Saint-Michel.
· From Paris Saint-Lazare by train to Caen, then by train to Pontorson and from there by bus to Mont Saint-Michel.
Attractions Mont Saint-Michel
After you have reached the island, the whole visit can be called one continuous excursion. At the entrance to this medieval town is the former Burgher’s Guardroom, which now houses the tourist office. Working hours:
July-August: daily from 7.00 to 19.00.
· March-June and September-October: from 9.30 to 18.00 (break 12.30-14.00).
· November-February: from 10.00 to 17.00 (break 12.30-14.00).
After passing through Boulevard Gate and King's Gate, you will find yourself on the main street Grande Rue, where museums, shops and houses are located, the construction of which dates back to the XV-XVI centuries.
· L "archéoscope - talks about the construction and history of Mont Saint Michel;
· Historical Museum - displays of ancient weapons, paintings and sculptures, gives an idea of local prisons and dungeons.
· Museum of the Sea and Ecology - tells about the connection of the city with the sea.
· House of Tiffany (le logis Tiphaine demeure de Bertrand Duguesclin) - a residence built in 1365 by Bertrand Duguesclin for his wife. Tapestries, furniture and paintings from the 14th century can be seen here.
Museum opening hours: daily from 9.30 am to 5 pm. For the winter holidays, all museums, except for the maritime one, are closed. Tickets are sold at the entrance. Visit cost:
· Subscription for 4 museums: for adults, over 25 years old - € 18; for persons 18-25 years old - € 9;
· Entrance to 1 museum for persons over 18 years old - € 9.
· Children under 18 years old admission is free.
· Visitors under 18 years old - free of charge.
Then on the way comes across a small parish church St-Pierre, built at the turn of the XV-XVI centuries in honor of the patron saint of fishermen. Masses are held daily at 11 am and on Saturdays at 6 pm.
To get directly to the monastery, you need to climb the Grand Steps of the Grand Degré. The abbey itself is open to the public every day, except January 1, May 1 and December 25. Working hours:
You can visit it yourself or use the services of a guide (1 hour). Tickets are sold at the entrance to the monastery. Price:
€ 9 - for persons over 25 years old (individual visit);
€ 5.5 - for non-Europeans aged 18-25;
€ 7 - for members of a group of 20 people;
€ 30 - for schoolchildren (35 people + accompanying person);
· Children under 18 years old (when visiting with parents) - free of charge;
· Citizens of European Union countries or citizens of other countries permanently residing in France, under the age of 26 - free of charge.
Masses are held daily at 12.15 (Sunday at 11.30) and are free to attend.
The layout of the island's tourist facilities can be seen on the plan, which you will find in the appendix under our article.
You can purchase a subscription for 4 museums here.
The ebb and flow of Mont Saint-Michel
Also, people come to Mont Saint-Michel to see the largest ebb and flow in Europe. Twice a month, sea waters reach the walls of Saint-Michel. The exact dates of these events are listed at www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/horaires.htm. The water reaches its highest height 36-48 hours after the new moon and full moon, especially in the morning and in the evening. The difference in water levels is 15 meters, covering and exposing 15 km of the territory adjacent to Saint-Michel. Be very careful when planning to leave the car in the parking lot outside the fortress walls at this time - it can be washed off with water. Better to arrive a day or two before the expected tide date and stay at a hotel.
Where to stay in Mont Saint Michel?
There is a sufficient number of hotels on the territory of this small island. 7 of them are located a couple of kilometers from the monastery, 9 more - directly on the territory (these hotels). In addition, from February 15 to November 11, visitors can stay in an electrified camping with 48 places.
· Le relais Saint-Michel - 4 stars, outside the walls of the monastery - 39 rooms worth € 270-560;
· La mere Poulard - 3 stars, on the territory of the monastery - 27 rooms worth € 190-550;
Saint Aubert - 2 stars, outside the walls of the monastery - 27 rooms worth € 90-145;
· Lavieille Auberge - 2 stars, on the territory of the monastery - 11 rooms worth € 120-200.
Where to eat in Mont Saint Michel?
On Mont Saint-Michel, you can eat in hotel restaurants or in a dozen cafes and pancakes, almost all of which are located on the territory of the monastery. Various seafood dishes are considered traditional items on the menu, especially mussels (moules de bouchot de la baie de Mont Saint Michel) are often ordered. And a huge omelet "from Mama Pula" baked on the fire of the hearth is exactly what gastronomic tourists come here for. Prepare "La mere Poulard" in the restaurant of the hotel of the same name. The meat of a 3-6 month old "lamb from salty fields" (l'agneau de pré-salé) is incredibly tasty, high in iodine and salt. And in the pancakes you can enjoy not only the usual homemade pancakes, but also buckwheat pancakes. In many catering establishments, the menu has a translation into various languages, including Russian. For all of the above, be sure to check out
· Traditional pancake La Cloche;
· Cafe Mere Poulard;
· Restaurant Le Saint-Michel;
· Le tripot diner.
The best time to visit Mont Saint Michel is July-August.
Have a nice rest!
Castle and Abbey of Mont Saint Michel (Normandy region)
Château Saint-Michel is one of the most charming attractions France. Once Mont-Saint-Michel was the center of pilgrimage for monks who dreamed of being here in order to worship Saint Michael.
However, not all righteous pilgrims-monks managed to get to the majestic 80-meter rock, separated from the land by water at high tide.
Medieval pilgrims were threatened with death in quicksand or death from the rising tide. The natural disaster claimed many lives. The first buildings appeared here in the 8th century. According to legend, Bishop Avranches Aubert in 708, at the behest of the Archangel Michael, erected a chapel on a rock, which later collapsed.
In the 10th century, a Benedictine abbey was founded here, and in the 11th century, work began on the construction of a new Romanesque church. Gradually new buildings were erected around it. Over the centuries, they were repeatedly rebuilt in Romanesque and Gothic styles, and a fortification system was created around the abbey.
This religious site, before the Revolution, when the abbey buildings were requisitioned and turned into a prison, never had more than 40 monks. In 1966, exactly one thousand years after the founding of the Benedictine Monastery by Duke Richard I, the monks returned to Mont Saint Michel. And today a small monastic community lives here, which follows the traditions established by the Benedictines in 966.
For many years now chateau Saint-Michel(mountain) is not an island in the literal sense of the word. Today Mont Saint-Michel is connected to the mainland by a dam, along which an asphalt road passes. Due to the dam preventing the waves from rising, the bay began to gradually become polluted. In the near future, it is planned to destroy the dam, which will be replaced by a pedestrian bridge. This will make it possible not only to easily control the number of tourists, but also help prevent pollution of the bay, while Mont Saint-Michel will become, as before, an island.
Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel
The Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is an architectural ensemble, at the head of which is a church crowned with a spire with a figurine of the Archangel Michael and a Gothic monastery complex known since 1228 as "La Merville" (hall of knights, refectory, covered arcade and cellars). It can be seen from all points of the strait, but as soon as you get closer, it begins to inspire fear.
Here is what Maupassant wrote about this: “I reached a large rock on which stands a small town with an outstanding church. Walking up a steep narrow street, I entered the most wonderful Gothic building ever made for God on this earth. The building is as vast as the city, full of rooms with low ceilings and high galleries supported by pillars.
I found myself in an amazing gigantic room of granite, which is so skillfully made that it resembles lace work. Towers and slender bell towers, crowned with chimeras, devils, fantastic animals and monstrous flowers, and interconnected by an intricate network of arches, direct their summits high into the sky. "
The highest point of the mountain (castle) Saint-Michel is below what is now the transept of the church, where the transition from Gothic to Romanesque is particularly evident in the naves. To create a church in the traditional form of a cross, with crypts, it had to be built on a hillside, and the entire structure of granite from the island of Chose had to fully correspond to the relief. Space was limited, but the building has grown over the centuries with an architectural ingenuity that is particularly surprising for its geometry. The construction of the monastery began with the gloomy Great Hall.
It is not surprising that the building of the monastery is not particularly smooth: the church, choir, nave and tower were being completed and altered. Along with architecture, the style of decoration also changed. V the middle ages the walls of public spaces, such as the refectory, were decorated with tapestries and frescoes, but now you will see bare walls. To get an idea of the history of the development of the abbey, take a look at its curious models at the entrance, which depict four different eras.
The rest of the island of Saint-Michel
For the fortifications of the abbey, you can penetrate through the Royal Gate, which leads to the street Grand Rue. Souvenir shops with overpriced goods are scattered on its sides, which is a continuation of the ancient tradition of leaving pilgrims without money.
Grand Rue rests on a wide staircase with steep steps leading up. On a memorial plaque next to the stairs, it is written that Jacques Cartier was introduced to Francis I on May 8, 1532, and he was entrusted with the study of the Canadian coast. In the Maritime Museum, you will get acquainted with the underwater flora and fauna of the Bay of Saint-Michel, while in the "Archeoscope" you can make a journey through space and time in 15 minutes.
Behind the 11th century St. Peter's Basilica is the Grevin Museum. Its expositions are dedicated to the history of the monastery. Here you can see scenes from the life of the past, recreated using wax figures. Both museums are open from February to mid-November. Huge crowds gather every day at the North Tower to view the strait. Flocks of seagulls, despite the late time, mince on the sand, but soon they will have to fly upward, fleeing the arriving water.
Useful information about the castle and abbey of Saint-Michel
On Mount Saint-Michel, at the bottom of the entrance to the monastery, there is a tourist office. Regular bus service connects Mont Saint-Michel with Pontorson train stations, Rena and Saint-Malo... Despite the fact that the island has an amazing number of hotels and restaurants, they are still not enough to cope with the real influx of tourists. Obviously, most of these establishments offer expensive services, however, almost every hotel still has cheap rooms.
Most famous hotel La Mare Poulard. The legendary omelets that Leon Trotsky and Margaret Thatcher enjoyed (at different times) are prepared here, which they justify their extortionate prices. The cheapest option is Du Guesclin, where every room has a TV, and Crois Blanche and Mouton Blanc are of a high standard. Sad but restaurants it is worse here than anywhere else in France, and therefore difficult to recommend.
In addition, it is worth noting that along the D-976 highway, closest to the island, there are large hotels and motels, each of which has Cafe or a restaurant. Among them are Motel Vert, Hotel Formule Verte and Hotel de la Digue. There is even a three-star Camping Mont Saint Michel, which is also on the mainland just off the road.
Most visitors to the mountain (castle) Saint-Michel stop at Pontorson, which is 6 kilometers from the island and where the nearest train station is located, from where regular buses leave to Mont Saint-Michel. The hotels here are not very special, but, for example, in Montgomery, which occupies the building of an old ivy-covered mansion (13 rue du Couesnon), and in Bretagne (59 rue du Couesnon), there are very good restaurants. The recently renovated guesthouse is located near the cathedral, 1 kilometer west of the station, in the Center Dugueclin (21 rue du General Patton).
Visiting the Château Saint-Michel
Access to the Ile Saint-Michel is free and unlimited. There is a 5 € charge for parking either on the track or in an area that is under water at high tide. If you come here by car in the summer, it is better to leave your car on the mainland somewhere near Saint-Michel and enjoy the walk (this way you can avoid possible traffic jams).
The Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is open daily: May-September 9.00-19.00, entrance until 18.00; October-April 9.30-18.00, entrance until 17.00. Closed: December 25, January 1 and May 1. A standard ticket (9 €, for persons from 18 to 25 years old - 6 €, for persons under 18 years old - a free ticket) gives you the right to visit all available places on the island and join one of the excursions, which are conducted in various languages (mid-June - mid-September excursion lasts 45 minutes, mid-September - mid-June - 1 hour).
Daily excursion schedules are posted at the entrance. There are also more detailed guided tours that last two whole hours, but only in French (July and August daily 10.30, 11.30, 14.00 and 16.00; September-June Saturday and Sunday 10.30 and 14.00; 5 € extra).
Only in July and August, the Abbey of Saint-Michel is open in the evenings. During this time, visitors can take a walk in the gardens (Monday-Sunday 7.00-21.00; admission is free if you have a basic ticket purchased at any other time of the day). Also, when music and video equipment is reinstalled in the abbey, you can stay here until midnight (Monday-Saturday 21.00-00.00, entrance up to 10 €, for persons 13-24 years old - 7 €).
In the distant era of the Gauls and Romans, the territory of the modern Gulf of Saint-Michel was covered with 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 cataclysm of the 7th century changed places of water and land, lowering the ancient forest to the seabed. Only Grave Mountain remained on the surface. In 709, Bishop Aubert, after the Archangel Michael appeared 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 Ober, on the right - the construction of a church
Growing, gaining influence and fame, Mont-Saint-Michel remained a tidbit for the Normans, the British and the French for a long time. The complex was repeatedly sieged, 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 were the monks allowed to return to the monastery, and 11 years later Mont Saint Michel was recognized as a historical monument. Today, the walled island is part of the Channel Department in Normandy, in the northwest.
How to get to Mont Saint-Michel castle
The most convenient way to get to the island is 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 road (25 km distance to Cricqueville-en-Auge). Turning off the A13 at 350 meters, follow the A84 towards the N175 (distance 132 km). The route ends with the 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 the A29, A13 and A84 in the direction of the N175 (distance 194 km, there are paid sections). Continue on the N175 for another 15 km to the final point of the road.
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 structures in the Romano-Gothic style. The steep staircase of Grand Degre leads to its gate, ending at the entrance to the Hall of Alms.
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 Cloister Garden, lost at the height, will be the perfect place for solitary prayer.
The main temple of Mont Saint Michel was founded in the 11th century. Today, the passage of time stops here, and several Benedictine monks perform daily services, to which both city parishioners and tourists are admitted.
Town
On the southern slope of the impregnable cliff of Mont Saint-Michel, a unique city is lost, which arose at the beginning of the 13th century. Its only and main street is called Grande Rue and is no more than 2 meters wide. Along it there are souvenir shops, local cafes and restaurants, as well as mini-hotels for the overnight stay of numerous tourists. In some places Grande Rue is crossed by the so-called lanes, in which sometimes you have to move sideways so as not to get stuck between buildings. The indigenous population of the town is 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 must purchase a ticket, the price is about 10 EUR ( ~ 700 RUB ).
Sightseeing times vary from season to season:
July and August(Haute saison) - maximum number of tourists.
- Daily from 09:30 to 19:00.
April to June as well as September(Moyenne saison) - Average attendance.
- Monday - Saturday from 09:30 to 18:30;
- Sunday - 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 - 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 working schedule, as well as the cost of tickets to individual museums (Historical, Maritime, House of the Constable, etc.) are presented at 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 the tiny town, tourists do not ignore the local post office. A modest building with a colorful old sign arouses genuine interest, as if inviting you to visit inside. A pleasant surprise awaits everyone who accepts this unusual invitation. Using the postal services of Mont Saint Michel, you can send your friends, family or even yourself a unique postcard from the castle with an original medieval stamp.
- Legend. In 708 the Norman Bishop Aubert had a vision: Archangel Michael ordered to build a church on the Mount of Grave. The minister did not fully understand the sign, therefore he was in no hurry with the start of construction. The bishop also hesitated after the second coming of God's messenger. For the third time, the angry Archangel descended to Auber, and for persuasiveness he knocked the rebellious bishop on the head with his finger. After such explicit instructions in 709, a minister of the church ordered the monks to begin construction on the rocky island.
- Fact. The river Couenon ran the border of Normandy and Brittany - two neighboring French regions. According to this division, Mont-Saint-Michel geographically belonged to Brittany. Later, in order to preserve the monument, the support dam had to be destroyed, replacing it with a bridge, and the riverbed had to be divided. As a result of these geographical changes, the island came under the administrative control of Normandy. The Bretons, having lost such an important attraction, have added the proverb "the river does not know what it is doing."
- Legend. On the territory of Mont Saint-Michel, there is a tiny green garden Cloister, located according to legend "between earth and sky." The monks claim that prayers offered up in the garden will surely be heard by God. The cherished desires made here will certainly come true.
- Fact. For many visitors, the distant outlines of the castle on the cliff seem all too familiar. There is a quite logical explanation for this: it was the fortress of Mont Saint-Michel that became the prototype of the famous Minas Tirith in the movie "The Lord of the Rings".
Virtual tour of the castle of Mont Saint-Michel
Mont Saint-Michel, a unique masterpiece of the joint creation of man and nature, has been a place of pilgrimage for hundreds of thousands of believers for many years. Today, the complex continues to inspire 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, rapid tides and equally fleeting ebbs. Time stops on the territory of the abbey, allowing every traveler to capture important moments not only on photographic film, but also in the storeroom of his own memory. To supplement the baggage of impressions from the rest, it is possible to go on an excursion to the ancient capital of the 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 Etretat village 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.
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 one inhabited of the three islands in the Bay of Saint-Michel. A city has been built on the island, which has existed since 709.
The castle of the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is one of ten!
Plan of Mont Saint-Michel:
- Abbey
- Miracle construction
- Town
- Sentinel terrace
The main attraction of the French province of Normandy is abbey of Mont Saint-Michel overlooking a huge sandy bay. From time immemorial, a huge number of pilgrims from all over Europe flocked to this abbey in order to get in touch 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 with 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, the bay experiences ebb and flow, the strongest in Europe. Water can extend 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, the mountain is surrounded by sands. The tide height 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, before. 14 m. At high tide, the island is completely surrounded by water coming under the very walls. At low tide, the mountain is surrounded by sands.
On the southern 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 gates, the person entering 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 Royal Gate with an arched passage and a drawbridge. Near the main gate there is a narrow gate with its own drawbridge. The bridge is lifted by a lever-type mechanism. The Royal Gate is flanked by the round Royal Tower, the first tower of the outer wall. The outer wall, flanked by nine towers, rises up the side of the mountain to the abbey, topped off by the Claudine Tower.
Inside the wall, on a slope, there is a city that consists 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 a narrow Watchtower terrace, which bends around the monastery from the north and ends with an exit to the road through a narrow door in the Claudine tower.
The barbican is dominated by the high, multifaceted Tower of the Ravens and the twin round towers of the abbey's main gate. Behind the gate is a large, vaulted Guardian Hall, from which a Great Staircase leads to the upper terrace, which runs between the lower floors of the temple building and the abbey's living quarters.
The core of the abbey consists of two parts - the temple with the premises located underneath, and the so-called. Miracle, a three-story tower reinforced with buttresses, adjacent to the temple on 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. To prevent it from repeating the fate of its predecessor, the Crypt of Large Columns was built at the base. Its 10 columns, 5 m in diameter, 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 is a large Guest Room with two huge fireplaces at the end of the room and another fireplace in the center of the inner wall. Noble visitors were received in this hall. Next to it, under the courtyard, is the so-called. The Knights' Hall, which received this name for its splendor. The castle is decorated with numerous carved columns. This hall served as a place of work for monks, here they were engaged in the correspondence of texts.
There was an almshouse under the Guest Hall, and the Knights Hall was a warehouse. There are numerous crypts and chapels under the temple. The total number of abbey premises exceeds 50. They are connected by numerous staircases and corridors.
History of the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel
In 966, the Benedictine monks, with the permission of the Pope, founded an abbey here and, with the money of the Duke of Normandy, Richard I, they built a monastery. In 1017, Abbot Hilderbert 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, this simple chapel has for a long time turned into a majestic abbey, built from granite quarried on the islands of Chause.
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 was already one of the pilgrimage centers in Europe. The influence of the monastery is growing. The abbey receives English and French kings, and has been granted several possessions in England.
In 1204, the King of France Philip Augustus captures Normandy. An ally of the French king, Guy de Tour, the settlement near the monastery was seized and burned, as a result of which 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. Successive abbots gradually built up the island. A hundred years of war, which broke out between England and France, leads to the fact that the abbey is deprived of the income from its English possessions.
In 1356 the British made an attempt to take the monastery, but the siege was unsuccessful. In 1386, the abbot of the monastery Pierre Roy, for security purposes, significantly strengthens the entrance to the monastery, and also erects three towers. Later, Abbot Robbert Jolivet, who replaced Roy, erects fortified 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 tried in vain to get outside the castle walls. But the French defended the abbey. The British did not manage 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 British are defeated at the Battle of Formigny and driven from Normandy.
In 1469, the knightly order of St. Michael was established in the abbey by the French king Louis XI. In 1523, the construction of the Gothic choir began. 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, 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 in abbey of Mont Saint-Michel gradually dries up. By 1580, only 13 monks lived in the monastery. Fourteen years later, from a lightning strike, the bell tower is completely destroyed. Due to the small number of monks, the temple remains dilapidated for decades. In 1662, in the decayed abbey, the monks were replaced by nine Benedictines from the Saint-Maur congregation.
In 1176, a fire breaks out again, which destroys the Romanesque entrance to the temple. The current system for the selection of abbots of the monastery continues to have its destructive effect until 1870. During the French Revolution, the abbey was closed and turned into a prison. Monks are expelled, and all things from the monastery are sold out.
With the arrival of Napoleon III Mont Saint-Michel regains its former glory, the prison is abolished, and the monastery is declared a national treasure of France. Work begins 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 believe Mont Saint-Michel"The eighth wonder of the world." Active and now abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, which has become a real fortress, amazingly combining military and religious architecture, rightfully deserves this title.
Today, this ancient abbey, stunning with its grandeur and splendor of the surrounding nature, receives about three million tourists a year.
In contemporary art, Mont-Saint-Michel served as the prototype for the fortress of Minas Tirith in the cult trilogy "The Lord of the Rings" by Peter Jackson, based on the book by Professor JRR Tolkien. The famous English composer M. Alfried, 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 scammers from the French comedy "The 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 islet on the northwestern coast of France and connected by a dam to the mainland, Mont Saint-Michel since 1979 it has been recognized as a monument of world importance.
The islet, crowned with the spire of the abbey, is striking in its grandeur. At high tide (and here the highest tide in Europe - up to 10 m), water arrives at a speed of 20 km / h, and the fortress erected on a high cliff (78 m) can only be reached by boats. At low tide, you can simply walk on land without 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 rival the Eiffel Tower itself - more than 3.5 million people visit it annually. Small - only a kilometer in diameter and eighty meters above sea level - the island connects to the mainland at low tide, and at high tide, perhaps the highest in the world, is completely surrounded by the sea.
At low tide, the pilgrims reached 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 are striving to get. To wander tirelessly among the unreal, vertically inclined stone labyrinth of museums and temples, looking for new delightful corners.
Tradition says that the Archangel Michael himself appeared in a dream to Bishop Obert of Avranch 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 Obert are still kept in Avranches, they say that the dent in the skull is very solid). The stimulus worked. In the place where the bishop found a grotto on the mountain, he ordered the construction of a basilica.
In the X century on Mont Saint-Michel the Benedictines moved from Saint-Vandrius. And until the 16th century they built, built, built. The funds were - the island of the Miracle of St. Michael became one of the most popular places of pilgrimage. This is still the case.
One of the special places in Christianity is occupied by the image of St. Michael. This is not just an archangel, but a warrior and intercessor. He accompanies the souls of the righteous to the Heavenly Jerusalem, helps them on their way and protects them from trapping demons. In addition, it is he, according to the Apocalypse, who must stand at the head of the heavenly army 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 churches high in the mountains are traditionally dedicated to Saint 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 associated 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 near the city and separated from it by the sea strait.
Aubert did nothing, believing that he had been deceived 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 the top of a cliff. The archangel was impatient with the bishop's inaction and on his next visit plunged his finger into Aubert's skull, finally convincing him (the bishop's skull with the correct rounded hole is still kept in a glass cube in the abbey).
After that, Bishop Aubert, 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 of the appearance of the archangel. They returned and brought sacred relics - a piece of a red robe that was on the archangel during one of his apparitions and a fragment of a sacrificial stone, on which he put his foot.
Upon their return, Aubert began building 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 by 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 Saint Aubert. Thus, Aubert settled down 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 handed over the island to the Benedictine order of monks who founded abbey of Mont Saint-Michel... Construction on the island continued until the 19th century, gradually turning the island into a small town. The remarkable 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 built 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 Romanesque style, and its eastern altar section (choir) was rebuilt in the fiery Gothic style in 1450-1521. The floor of the church is on the same level with the third floor of the adjacent monastery buildings, which gives the structure the appearance of a harsh and impregnable stronghold. The tower and spire, crowned with the statue of St. Michael, are from 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 a fortress and the simplicity of church architecture. The monastery is decorated with double rows of columns supporting pointed arches with wonderful floral designs and a huge number of sculptures. The most remarkable part of the building is the refectory with high narrow windows and the romantic Hall of the Knights, in which the proud defenders of the fortress gathered. Below the monastery buildings are residential buildings, 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 connected by intricate internal passages and steep staircases.
Extremely inaccessible 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 14-15th centuries and during the French wars of religion in the second half of the 16th century.
In the 18th century, the abbey fell into decay 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 in France.
Over the past centuries, the sea receded and now most of the time Mont Saint-Michel surrounded by free-flowing sands, and only during high tides does it become an island. Such tides are observed here during the autumn and spring equinox - during the day the water level rises by 10 meters - these are the strongest tides in France, and at low tide the sea moves 25 kilometers from the coast. Now a dam has been built and the island is connected to the mainland by a highway, making it convenient for visits.
And as a result of the change in the outlines of the coast, vast areas appeared, which the water finally left. This soil, salted with sea water, was gradually overgrown with grass, which was very much to the taste of the sheep. The meat of the sheep raised here contains an excess of salt and has a special taste - it is almost immediately usable, their wool also has special properties - things made from this wool are very fluffy.
- In 1874 Mont Saint Michel was declared a State Historic Monument.
- In 1972, UNESCO inscribed Mont Saint Michel on the List of World Heritage Sites.
- The French consider Mont Saint-Michel and its bay to be the "eighth wonder of the world", while the Europeans regard it as "the wonder of Western Europe."
- When the tide comes, you can go around Mount Saint-Michel, but you need to be careful and do not go far from the foot of the mountain - there is a high probability of getting into quicksand.
- The castle island of Mont Saint Michel was the inspiration for the fortress of Minas Tirith in the popular Lord of the Rings movie.
- 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 moved away - 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
Castle of Mont Saint-Michel located on an island bordering two French provinces, which to this day dispute the right to the castle. The abbey, built on a rock protruding from the sea, is rightfully considered a wonder of the world.
Surrounded by granite rocks and the sea, at an altitude of about 80 meters is one of the most famous and memorable castles in Normandy, which has been protected by UNESCO since 1979. According to ancient legends, the island turned into a monastery after the Archangel Michael appeared to Bishop Ober in 708 and ordered to build a chapel here, a place where people could make pilgrimages and where they could ask for peace of mind.
In 2015, a tide, later called the "tide of the century", destroyed the levee and Mont Saint Michel restored the island's title. Today, you can get to the monastery only via a pedestrian bridge, which only at first glance seems to be an inconvenience. In fact, this walking tour gives tourists the chance to experience the spirit of pilgrimage.
The monastery itself is more like the castles of Normandy than with churches. Even after repeated renovations, the buildings of the abbey have retained their Romanesque spirit. Pointed spiers, massive vaults, high towers, rounded arches - all this takes you many centuries back, allowing you to plunge into the ancient atmosphere.
According to the Bible, Michael is not just an archangel, but a warrior-protector, and it was he who, in the event of the Apocalypse, was supposed to lead the Lord's army. To this day, there are legends about the constant patronage of Michael over the island, because during the entire period of its existence, the monastery has never been captured by anyone. The monks repeatedly had to defend their lands from the constant raids of the Vikings, as a result of which the walls of the abbey grew up and fortified, overgrown with loopholes and turned into a mysterious fortress surrounded by natural sea and man-made walls. On the highest tower, at a height of more than 150 meters, there is a figure of Mikhail covered in gold, holding a naked sword in his hands.
The bay of Mont Saint-Michel provides tourists with the opportunity to observe the ebb and flow, twice a day the water level completely cuts off the fortress from the mainland. You can check the tide schedule in advance by customizing your trip. If at this moment you are on the terrace of the abbey or on the footbridge, you will remember this delightful sight for the rest of your life.
Before planning your trip to the spiritual heart of Normandy , make sure not to miss the view of the castle of Mont Saint Michel at night, so spectacularly lit in the dark. Most travel companies offer a day trip to the island, but you won't regret it if you decide to stay in the local hotels for at least one night. You can see all the sights of the monastery and the surrounding areas, taste the local cuisine and spend an unforgettable time at the walls of the legendary monastery. On average, about 3 million visitors come here annually, and there are only a little more than a hundred permanent residents, including monks. On the territory of the island, in addition to church buildings, there are many shops, hotels and restaurants. Local residents care about the development of tourism on the island, and all the proceeds go to the restoration of the abbey's architecture.
Mont Saint Michel Castle in France is a must visit at least once in your life!