I first moved to France as a student, and the first place I wanted to visit was Mont Saint Michel. It became my dream destination. However, there were no direct trips via bus or train then, and I was still new, so it wasn’t easy to make it happen. Since then, whenever I plan a trip, I always think of Mont Saint Michel; somehow, I couldn’t make it happen. If you have never heard of Mont Saint Michel, it is built on a rocky islet, surrounded by a magnificent bay, the scene of the highest tides in continental Europe.
In addition, the Mont and its bay are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is situated between Normandy and Brittany (my two favorite regions in France). This incredible site is located 3 hours and 30 minutes from Paris, and is one of the most visited monuments in France. I discovered this place by coincidence while planning my first winter break with my friend in 2018, when I was finishing my first semester during my master’s studies in Paris.
A Random Search Led to Finding My Dream Destination
When it comes to planning trips, I am the type who plans a trip based on initial research on the map. This may not be the case for everyone, but I find it fun and discover interesting places. When I found Mont Saint Michel, I was curious to see this little island off the Northern coast of France, even though my trip was closer toward the Swiss-French border to Annecy. Since then, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. It is unusual for me; I don’t often obsess over or long to visit a specific place. Mont Saint-Michel has always been on my mind whenever I travel. I’ve promised myself that I need to make the trip soon, even alone. I believe the best times to visit are in Spring or Summer, and I prefer Spring, as it’s not too hot yet.
A few months ago, I found out that there is a bus that takes you to Saint Michel. Also, a train arrives close to Mont Saint Michel, and you can take the bus after the train. After checking the available options, I decided to use the bus. It was a journey of four and a half hours from La Defense to Mont Saint Michel. I was over the moon when I saw the news and started to check when I could make it happen. Another solo trip unlocked! In this article, I want to share some advice and recommendations for visiting Mont Saint Michel.
Making the Dream Trip a Reality
After confirming the means of transportation, I booked my ticket through BlaBlaCar. After that, I decided to spend the day at Mont Saint Michel. To prepare for my visit, I checked the available hotels on the island. Fortunately, I found a hotel with a reasonable price and good reviews. Only a few hotels exist since Mont Saint Michel is not very large. The one I found seemed to be the most suitable option. I wanted to make my stay special, so I looked for excellent options.
Most hotels had similar reviews and were not very fancy, except for La Mere Poulard, which had no available rooms on my visit date. Ultimately, I stayed at Le Mouton Blanc. It is a hotel with medieval architecture, only a few minutes from the entrance of the area. After confirming the transportation and hotel arrangements, I felt very excited because I had a long weekend ahead. I was extremely busy, but I looked forward to the trip.
Usually, tourists would spend a day in Mont Saint Michel from the morning and leave before sunset. This planning is possible since Mont Saint Michel doesn’t need an extended stay to be able to see everything. You can simply see everything on the same day. Many tourists visit by car, so visiting and leaving on the same day is the best option if you have your car and are not bound to catch the bus or the train.
In this case,
I think this option is good if you arrive at around 9 am or so. Then you will have a long day to visit the Abbey, eat in restaurants, and walk around the Mont since the tide is low. However, if you want to take your time and have a bus or train to catch, I advise you to sleep the night before and have a full day the next day. I suggest considering the option of spending the night if you will take, like me, transportation such as a bus or a train. If you plan to go from Paris, take the earliest bus, which arrives at Mont Saint Michel around 11 am.
The same-day visit and departure could help you spend the day sightseeing, eating, checking the Abbey, and getting souvenirs before leaving. I wanted to take my time since I arrived around 3:30 pm and was tired. Upon arriving, I had quite some time to do my hotel check-in, walk around to discover the area, and grab something to eat with a scenic view before calling it a day.
Visiting the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel
The next day, I was up early in the morning, enjoying the city’s serenity before tourists arrived. It gets extremely crowded with tourists. Another note to remember is to visit the Abbey, a crucial landmark in Mont Saint Michel, which was used in the past as a prison. Luckily, I bought my ticket to the Abbey the day before at the Information Centre of Mont Saint Michel when I arrived before taking the free shuttle to the Mont.
This helped me save time by passing the queue and spending time inside the Abbey. Additionally, I visited the Abbey first thing in the morning when it opened to the public at around 9:30 am. I spent over two hours in the Abbey. Although it was gloomy in the morning, I enjoyed the beautiful views from the top of the Abbey. I got to watch the beautiful surroundings. I didn’t expect it to be full of details and many areas to check, but it was worth the visit.
The Food Experience
Visiting Mont Saint Michel was a dream come true. I feel incredibly grateful to have experienced it in my lifetime, even if I visited alone. It is also a family-friendly destination, and I hope to return someday with my own family. I never imagined this thought would cross my mind, but I have started picturing taking my future kids to such destinations and creating wonderful memories with them. I don’t know if it will ever happen, but for now, I will continue making beautiful memories on my own.
Dear readers, I hope you find this article helpful, especially if you plan to visit Mont Saint Michel. Before I forget, I will share a video of my visit on my YouTube channel soon; stay tuned.