Visiting Le Mont Saint Michel, France: 11 Best Tips

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Welcome to Le Mont Saint Michel, a mesmerizing and magical island that sits on the north coast of France. Visiting le Mont Saint Michel is on many people’s wish list. This breathtaking destination is an architectural marvel and a UNESCO World Heritage site that attracts millions of visitors each year. With its striking gothic-style abbey, quaint cobbled streets, and stunning views of the surrounding ocean, Le Mont Saint Michel is truly a sight to behold.

Majestically Le Mont Saint Michel rises from the surrounding tidal bay, making your heart leap upon sight. It soars determinedly as a beacon honouring faith and French resistance. The island has a rich and fascinating history, having served as a strategic military stronghold, a place of pilgrimage, and a centre of learning throughout the centuries.

Visiting Le Mont Saint Michel: 11 Best Tips

1. Where Is Mont Saint Michel?

Mont Saint Michel is in Normandy, France right at the border between Normandy and Brittany. It is situated on a tidal island in the middle of a vast bay that separates Normandy from Brittany and is connected to the mainland by a causeway.

The nearest town to le Mont Saint Michel is Pontorson, which is about 5.5 miles (9 kilometres) away, while the larger city of Rennes is approximately 43 miles (70 kilometres) to the south. It is 221 miles (357 kilometres)and about a four-hour drive southwest of Paris. The train trip from Paris takes about three hours.

2. Best Time Of Year To Visit Le Mont Saint Michel

Mont Saint Michel gets about 2.5 million visitors a year and is the second most visited tourist destination in France after Paris. Try visiting le Mont Saint Michel in the off-season. July and August are peak seasons and the narrow streets get extremely crowded. If summer is the best time for you, arrive early in the morning or stay in the village overnight to enjoy the evening when most tourists have left.

I visited le Mont Saint Michel in January and although a bit chilly if the wind was blowing, there were few other tourists.

Consider the Tides: Another consideration when visiting Mont Saint Michel, is the tides. Do you want to walk on the tide floor with a guide?

3. Visiting Le Mont Saint Michel: How To Get There

Visiting Mont Saint Michel From Paris:

Mont Saint Michel is easily accessible by car and is in an ideal location for a road trip in Normandy and/or Brittany. Click Here to Book a Car Rental

By Train To Rennes, France:

Take the train from Paris Montparnasse to Rennes, France. The journey is about 1.5 hours. A connecting bus for le Mont Saint Michel will leave shortly after the train arrives. The bus ride is approximately one hour. Click Here To Book A Train Ticket

By Train To Pontorson, France:

Pontorson is the closest train station to Mont-Saint-Michel. There are shuttle buses that run between the town and Mont-Saint-Michel. Click Here To Book A Train Ticket

By Bicycle From Pontorson To Mont-Saint-Michel:

You can rent a bike, or use a bicycle touring company to ride the 5.5 miles (12 km) from Pontorson to Mont-Saint-Michel along the designated bike path. Imagine riding with Mont Saint Michel in view! There are designated places to park and lock your bicycles.

Mont Saint Michel: The Parking

There is lots of parking at le Mont Saint Michel. Find a spot in the designated parking lots and then either take the shuttle or walk across the bridge to the island. The bridge has magnificent views as you approach le Mont Saint Michel.

The parking lots, and available spaces, are well-marked as you approach Mont-Saint-Michel. In 2023, the rates are 17€ for 3 to 6 hours and 20€ for 6 to 24 hours.

In the summer months, the rates increase to 21€ for 3 to 6 hours and 25€ for 6 to 24 hours.

The Tourist Information Centre: Make sure you pop in here. The Tourist Information Centre can answer all your questions about your visit – tours, tidal bores, discovering the abbey at night. Great bathrooms too!

The Shuttle/ The “Navette” To Mont Saint Michel

Once you have parked, you can either walk about 50 minutes on the footbridge or take the free shuttle (about 12 minutes) which picks you up in front of the Tourist Information Centre. The shuttle to le Mont Saint Michel is called “le Passeur” and runs every 15 minutes every day of the year. “Le Passeur” drops you off on the bridge just in front of Mont-Saint-Michel. This is also where you will find it for the return trip to the parking area.

The navette is a reversible bus. There are driving controls at both ends of the bus. The driver gets to the destination, gets out and drives away in the other direction.

4. Visiting Le Mont Saint Michel: Hotels

Staying at a hotel right in the little village has its pros and cons. The best part is enjoying le Mont Saint Michel when the day tourists are gone. The downside is that many of the hotels right in the village are quite basic and have many stairs to climb. If this appeals to you, why not try: La Mère Poulard which is in a historical building and has fabulous views over the bay. Les Terasses Poulard is also in a historical building and offers magnificent views. Auberge Saint Pierre is in a 14th-century half-timbered house!

Mercure Mont Saint Michel is just 2 kilometres away from le Mont Saint Michel and gets solid reviews. It is within walking distance and there is also a free shuttle. La Jacotière is in a renovated farmhouse just 3 kilometres from le Mont Saint Michel.

Here is a look at accommodation available in Rennes, France and in Saint-Malo.

5. Visiting Le Mont Saint Michel: Origins

As the story goes, Saint Aubert, a bishop in the nearby town of Avranches, had a vision from Archangel Michael to build a church on a pinnacle of rock. Saint Aubert ignored the first sign. Archangel Michael allegedly poked a hole in the bishop’s skull to emphasize the importance of the request. Who could discount that invitation? Saint Aubert initiated the building of Mont-Saint-Michel. The year was 708.

Thirteen hundred and fifteen years later, Mont-Saint-Michel with its remarkable abbey church, ancient town and sweeping views of the sea cannot help but stir your soul.

6. Le Mont Saint Michel And The French Resistance

Make your way up the ramparts, high above the sea and be transported back to a time gone by when this sanctuary was under siege. For twenty-five years, in the Hundred Years War, the British attacked. I stared out across the bay and visualized monks, scanning the tide’s reach, defending their holy place. Le Mont Saint Michel has never been seized and to this day stands as a symbol of French resistance.

7. Mont Saint Michel: The Village

After crossing the footbridge, the medieval town rises before you. Be aware that when visiting le Mont Saint Michel there is a lot of uphill walking. Be prepared to climb up narrow staircases and wander upwards through cobbled alleys. Pilgrims, prisoners, ordinary folk, and tradespeople have travelled in these same footsteps. The sense of history is palpable. The past beckons, full of tales and remarkable humans.

As you explore the winding streets and alleys of Le Mont Saint Michel, you’ll discover charming shops and restaurants, historic landmarks, and stunning panoramic views of the surrounding bay. Whether you’re interested in history, architecture, or simply want to take in the stunning natural beauty of this unique destination, Le Mont Saint Michel is an experience you won’t forget.

8. Mont Saint Michel: The Abbey Church

The iconic Mont Saint Michel Abbey, which dates back to the 8th century, is the crowning jewel of the island, and its soaring spires and intricate Gothic architecture will leave you in awe.

For centuries, the Abbey has been a pilgrimage site welcoming pilgrims that walked great distances to arrive at this sacred Benedictine abbey dedicated to the Archangel Micheal. It is a statue of him that is perched at the very pinnacle of the spire. Explore the magnificent Abbey, sitting on a pinnacle of rock, with its crypts, cloisters, chapels and monks’ quarters.

The Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel was surprisingly a place where prisoners worked. Mont Saint Michel was a prison of the sea – “Le Bastille de Mer” from 1793 to 1863. Thousands of prisoners toiled inside the Abbey making goods to sell in town. The narrow streets of this village have been lined with shops for pilgrims and visitors since the middle ages.

Prisoners also operated the massive wheel which transferred 2 tons of stones and building supplies from the sea to the summit.

A highlight from every visit to Mont Saint Michel is the stupendous, sweeping views from the Abbey and the narrow cobbled roads. Gaze across La Baie at the open sea. Here, you bear witness to the highest and most powerful tides in Europe.

Visit Mont Saint Michel Abbey:

Admission to the Abbey in 2023 is €11. It is well worth going into the church. The English tour I had was excellent. I was the only person! Oh, January… (it was also freezing!)

Admission to the Abbey is free on the first Sunday of every month from November to March.

Audio guides are available for 4.50€

Opening Hours 2023:

Open every day except January 1, May 1 and December 25

January 2 – April 30 from 9:30 – 18:00

May 2 – August 31 from  9:00 – 19:00

September 1 – December  31  from 9:30 – 18:00

9. Le Mont Saint Michel: Walk On La Baie

The bay surrounding Mont-Saint-Michel, which stretches into both Brittany and Normandy, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Exploring the bay with a guide is a unique experience to learn about the fragility of the ecosystem. It is mandatory to have a guide when exploring at low tide.

Pictures of bare-footed explorers crossing the Baie grace all the brochures. It is mandatory to cross with a guide and on the day I am booked to go, the threat of a lightning storm cancels the walk.

I called all the organizations listed in the guidebook for another day’s crossing. Nothing was available. It was low season and many guides were away.

I lucked out eventually and met my guide, Jacques. Two Parisienne families and I headed out with Jacques on the low tide. We walked for 2 hours on the seafloor close to Mont-Saint-Michel. Jacques was full of stories, local history, and information about the ecosystem.

Book A Tour of the Bay of Mont Saint Michel:

This was a highlight of my visit to Mont Saint Michel. Book your tour here.

Visiting le Mont Saint Michel Tip: The high tide can create a unique and beautiful atmosphere around Mont Saint Michel, as the island appears to be surrounded by water, creating a stunning visual effect. However, it is important to always follow the local guidelines and warnings regarding the tide schedule, as it can change quickly and without warning, and be dangerous for those who are not familiar with the area. The tides at Mont Saint Michel come in faster than a galloping horse.

10. Viewpoints Of Mont-St-Michel

I became a little obsessed with le Mont Saint Michel! Driving around Normandy and Brittany I found myself on a mission to discover viewpoints where I could bear witness to the beacon rising towards the heavens.

Head to the Normandy side of the bay to “Les Falaises” (the cliffs). Here there is a lovely faraway sighting of le Mont Saint Michel. Take your time. Wander down a long road to the sea. Dreamily sit at low tide watching locals pick mussels and oysters as seabirds squawk overhead. The vista of Mont-Saint-Michel reaching for the heavens is heavenly!

The locals I met were friendly and curious about a nomadic Canadian on the shores of the bay.  I am gladdened to hear that the key ingredients for a classic Normandy life are eating mussels, and my favourite Camembert cheese accompanied by a locally crafted cider. Ahhh.. life in France!

11. Mont Saint Michel: Where To Eat

Mont Saint Michel is known for its many restaurants and cafes that offer traditional French cuisine and local specialities. Here are a few options to consider:

1. La Mère Poulard: This famous restaurant is known for its omelettes and other traditional dishes. They have been serving their famous fluffy omelettes (a secret recipe) since 1888 and still serve up a whopper today! The restaurant also offers a bakery and a tea room. Their biscuits are delicious.
2. Le Relais Saint Michel: Located just outside the Mont Saint Michel walls, this restaurant offers stunning views of the bay and serves contemporary French cuisine.
3. Le Pre Salé: This restaurant specializes in seafood and is located inside the Mont Saint Michel walls. It offers beautiful views of the bay and the surrounding area.
4. Auberge de la Baie: This restaurant is located in the nearby town of Le Val-Saint-Père and offers a range of seafood and local specialities.

It’s always a good idea to make a reservation in advance, especially during peak tourist season, as the restaurants in Mont Saint Michel can get quite busy.

Frequently Asked Questions: Visiting le Mont Saint Michel

Is it worth visiting Mont Saint Michel?

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is unforgettable. How they ever built the church on the pinnacle of rock is astounding. Le Mont Saint Michel is a pilgrimage site and receives millions of visitors every year.

Do I need a ticket to enter le Mont Saint Michel?

The village of Mont Saint Michel is free to enter and explore. You will need to purchase a ticket to enter the Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel. The ticket office is in front of the Abbey.

Can I Get To le Mont Saint Michel at high tide?

Yes, it is still possible to visit Mont Saint Michel during high tide. However, it is important to note that during high tide, the causeway that connects the mainland to the island may be flooded and inaccessible to vehicles and pedestrians for a few hours. During this time, visitors can use the free shuttle bus service provided by the local authorities or walk along the boardwalks that are built above the water level.

There is something about visiting le Mont Saint Michel. Perhaps it is my squelching oversized rubber boots sinking into the mucky sand that makes me feel connected to something larger. Is it the sight of golden Saint Michael peering down from the pinnacle of the Abbey’s spire that is making my spirit soar?

I was lucky to visit le Mont-Saint-Michel three times: at low tide, high tide and on the bay. I leave, with one final glance over my shoulder. Le Mont Saint Michel is a sight that will never fail to mesmerize.

“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”

Gustave Flaubert

France Travel Info

If you’re loving France ( I mean who doesn’t?!), here is some more reading for you:

Brittany:

Dinan – a fabulous medieval town to visit (maybe one of my favourites!) Read more about Dinan, France.

Normandy: 19 Wonderful Things to do in Normandy

Etretat – the stunning white cliffs and if you are an Arsène Lupin fan… exactly where the series ends ( Season 1). Read more about Etretat.

Giverny– another fabulous day trip from Paris. Claude Monet’s house and gardens inspired his gorgeous water lily paintings. Learn more about visiting Giverny.

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