The marvel of the western world

Mont-Saint-Michel is synonymous above all with its world-renowned silhouette, which can be seen in the bay from miles around. The abbey, which made it famous, is located at the summit, forcing visitors and pilgrims to climb the crowded street that leads to the Grand Degré, to the Le Gouffre staircase and, finally, at the top, to the large terrace facing west. The abbey is a challenge to be conquered, and from the top, the view over the Couesnon River is so beautiful!

Tours begin here, close to the sky, starting with the abbey church, whose Romanesque power contrasts with the adjoining cloisters, a Gothic jewel inundated with light. It is quite a “Marvel”, with its soaring architecture in the refectory and the guest room, before one descends into the entrails of the Mount and goes back in time to the moving Carolingian crypt of Notre-Dame-sous-Terre.

An important religious site since Antiquity, the Mount became a Christian sanctuary founded by Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, in the 8th century, after he had had a dream of the Archangel Michael. The Benedictine abbey was founded in the 10th century and became a prestigious centre for the copying of manuscripts. After the French Revolution, Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey was used as a prison until the 1860s. With more than 20 rooms to visit, an amazing view of the bay and a range of possible tours, the abbey, managed by France’s Centre of National Monuments, today opens its doors to visitors from the world over.

Featured!

2023: Millennium of the abbey church

2024: The Wonder Rediscovered