Mont Saint-Michel

Two and a half hours on the TGV from Paris to Rennes, a smooth transfer to the bus for an hour and a half trip to Mont Saint-Michel. It was a grey day, misty with rain - the perfect atmosphere in which to arrive at the rocky pyramid on which the abbey Mont Saint-Michel is built.

The original abbey buildings were first constructed prior to the year 1000 in honour of the archangel Michael following, the story tells, three dreams of Saint Aubert, bishop of Avranches. The Mont became a site of pilgrimage and in the 10th century the Benedictine monks settled in the abbey and the community grew, extending the village to the foot of the rock. After the Revolution and until 1863 the abbey was used as a prison. It then underwent restoration work and is now listed as a world heritage site.

There is one street on the Mont, Cour de l'Avancee, which is now lined with small hotels, eating places and souvenir shops. From this street cobbled passageways and stone steps lead up and around the Mont to the abbey. The rocky islet rises to about 80 metres above sea level and is about one kilometre in circumference. Although small, there is a lot to explore, following the stone stairs into narrow passageways and hidden gardens.

The site is very touristy during the day with dozens of tour buses arriving from about 10.30 am and the narrow Cour de l'Avancee sometimes comes to a virtual standstill. We had booked a room for the night at Le Mouton Blanc hotel and were able to wander freely once the tour buses had departed by about 5.30 pm. It was wonderful as evening fell, standing in the chill air at the ramparts sensing the history of the sea and the stone. Staying overnight allowed us also to explore the Mont in the morning without the crowds - it was un bonne idee to sleep over!

And then it was back on the bus to Rennes to connect with our TGV home to Paris.