Mont Saint Michel

The Mont Saint Michel is  tidal island on the border of Brittany and Normandy.

The tides are massive in this area and can go out up to 14 km from shore. You'd think that you would be able to see it coming back from a mile away, but every year it claims a few lives. Victor Hugo was quoted as saying that the tides here come in like a galloping horse. The tides aren't the only danger here either...there are quick sands to watch out for too. The sand becomes so engorged with water that, although it still looks solid, it can not bear any weight. So it just sucks you in and the more you struggle the faster you go down. What a terrifying death!



The Cloister



On the island is a abby that has taken hundreds of years to complete. Legend has it that the Archangel Michael appeared to Bishop Aubert in 709 and ordered him to build a church on the island. Aubert finally got around to it and so it all started with 2 small buildings.

Over the years it slowly grew until in the 11th century Italian architect Volpiano was commisioned to build something big. He designed a massive Romanesque church and abbey complete with underground crypts and chapels to underpin the massive structure.

In 1204 part of it was burned during a battle and then rebuilt in classic gothis style. A refectory and cloister were also added at this time.



Throught the years, a town also began growing on this small island. The place has the narrow cobbled streets and the tall crowded buildings of a medieval town. Although today there are only gift shops, restaurants and hotels, after wandering the narrow alleys, climbing the steep stairs and discovering the hidden gardens, it becomes easy to fall under the spell of this place beyond the tourist trappings. I can understand why millions come here every year.

During the French Revolution this place of peace and harmony was used as a prison for enemies of the king. One such prisoner was later freed and became mayor of Paris.





The green patch on the left is part of the salt plain



Over the years and tides, silt has deposited along the shore, creating salt plains that are now used for grazing sheep at low tide. Because of this the shoreline has slowly been creeping closer to the Mont Saint Michel: 20 hectares a year they reckon. Man has also played a large part in this by building a causeway in 1918 to facilitate visitors and pilgrims to the site. In later years big parking lots were added. If left unchecked these changes will mean that the Mont Saint Michel will become part of the mainland by 2025.  So, in 2006 they decided to rectify the situation. There are currently massive works going on; the building of a bridge and a dam, as well as the removal of the causeway and parking lots. The dams will slow the waters coming in and in theory this will help slow the silt deposits right down.



Archangel Michael slaying the dragon -
this statue in bronze tops the catheral



Now, this being France, it wouldn't be right if there wasn't a strike right? Well the workers that administer the Mont Saint Michel Abbey were on strike. They were protesting that it costs too much to park, takes too long to get here with the free shuttle service from the expensive parking lots and that the tourists have too far to walk from the place that the shuttle bus drops you off (this will get closer as the bridge they're building is completed).

All of the construction that is going on to preserve this UNESCO world heritage site is scheduled to be completed by 2016...it's sad that people can't wait a few years to see the results.