Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
When the tide is out you can walk all the way around Mont St-Michel, a distance
of about 1km. Experienced outfits offering guided walks (€6.50) out into - or even
across - the bay include
Découverte de la Baie du Mont-Saint-Michel
( 02 33
89 80 88;
www.cheminsdelabaie.com
, in French)
, both based across the bay from
Mont St-Michel, in Genêts.
Église Abbatiale
The Église Abbatiale (Abbey Church) was built on the rocky tip of the mountain
cone. It's famous for its mix of architectural styles: the nave and south transept
(11th and 12th centuries) are solid Norman Romanesque, while the choir (late 15th
century) is Flamboyant Gothic.
La Merveille
The buildings on the northern side of the Mont are known as La Merveille (The
Marvel). The famous
cloître
(cloister) is surrounded by a double row of delicately
carved arches resting on granite pillars. The early-13th-century, barrel-roofed
ré-
fectoire
(dining hall) is illuminated by a wall of recessed windows - remarkable,
given that the sheer drop precluded the use of flying buttresses. The Gothic
Salle
des Hôtes
(Guest Hall), dating from 1213, has two enormous fireplaces. Look out
for the
promenoire
(ambulatory), with one of the oldest ribbed vaulted ceilings in
Europe, and the
Chapelle de Notre Dame sous Terre
(Underground Chapel of
Our Lady), one of the abbey's oldest rooms, rediscovered in 1903.
Information
Tourist office - Mont St-Michel
( 02 33 60 14 30;
www.ot-montsaintmichel.com
;
9am-12.30pm & 2-6.30pm Mon-Sat, 9am-noon & 2-6pm Sun)
Getting There & Around
Pontorson
, the nearest real town to Mont St-Michel, is 9km to the south.
BUS
Mont St-Michel is linked to Beauvoir (eight minutes) and Pontorson (€2, 13
minutes) by bus 6, operated by
Manéo
( 08 00 15 00 50;
www.mobi50.com
, in
French)
, six to eight times daily (more frequently in July and August).
Les Couriers
Bretons
( 02 99 19 70 80)
links Pontorson with St-Malo (1¼ hours, one round
trip daily); times are coordinated with bus 6.
TRAIN
Destinations from Pontorson:
Bayeux
€21, 1¾ hours, two or three direct daily
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