Things To Do in Mont-St-Michel

France’s biggest tourist attraction outside of Paris has been undergoing major changes over the past two decades and change. BBefore 2012, the causeway linking the island with the mainland was rammed with parked cars, and the bay was in danger of silting up. To restore Mont-St-Michel to its island status, the authorities built a new approach and banished cars to a parking lot by a visitor center. Free shuttle buses take visitors to the island 2.5km (1.5 miles) away. Parking costs 12€-25€ for 24 hr. (depending on the season), but is free if you stay less than 30 min.

Otherwise it’s a 50-min. hike to the island across the shifting sands. Those with their own bike can pedal over. Once you reach the island, you’ll have a steep climb up Grande Rue, lined with 15th- and 16th-century houses and souvenir shops (and jammed with tourists), to reach its famous abbey (see above; www.mont-saint-michel.fr; tel. 02-33-89-80-00). Ramparts encircle the church and a three-tiered ensemble of 13th-century buildings called La Merveille (The Wonder) that rise up to the abbey’s pointed spire. This terraced complex is one of Europe’s most important Gothic monuments. On the second terrace of La Merveille is one of Mont-St-Michel’s largest and most beautiful spaces, a 13th-century hall known as the Salle des Chevaliers. Crowning the mount’s summit is the spellbinding Eglise Abbatiale church.

The abbey is open daily May to August 9am to 7pm, and September to April 9:30am to 6pm. Entrance includes an English-language group tour when available, but you can also explore on your own. Admission is 11€ adults, free for children 17 and under. Be aware that high tides can delay access to Mont-St-Michel.

Most visitors are content to wander around the medieval ramparts. Those seeking a little more sightseeing may head to the Musée Historique, Logis Saint-Catherine (tel. 02-33-60-07-01), which showcases 1,300 years of the island’s history, through period rooms and waxworks. Another museum worth visiting is the Logis Tiphaine, Grande Rue (tel. 02-33-89-02-02), a 15th-century home originally under the control of the Duguesclin family. Du Guesclin was a knight who built the house to protect his wife, Tiphaine de Raguenel, an astrologer. Both museums are open daily from 9:30am to 5pm (closed Wed and Thurs in Feb), and cost 9€ for adults, free for children 18 and under. You can buy a pass for 18€ that covers the cost of three museums.

For a different perspective of Mont-St-Michel, join one of the guided, English-language walks from the mainland to the island, tracing the original pilgrim route. Chemins de la Baie (www.cheminsdelabaie.com; tel. 02-33-89-80-88) takes groups on various barefoot walks across the sands and mud flats. The crossing costs 15€ and lasts 2 hr., 30 mins. Places should be reserved in advance online.