Mont-Saint-Michel: History

You have probably already heard of Mont Saint Michel but you don't know exactly where it is and what it really hides! So you are curious to have more information about this famous place? We are going to tell you about this wonderful place through this article.

Passionate about history, we are going to share with you this information about Mont Saint Michel so that you can get to know it better before going there.

Mont-Saint-Michel has the particularity of being installed on a rocky islet, located between Normandy and Brittany. It is surrounded by an exceptional bay, scene of the largest tides in continental Europe. This place is part of the list of world heritage sites classified by UNESCO. It is also one of the most visited sites in France.

This article is intended to make you know Mont Saint Michel even better. Thanks to this, you will discover:

Without further ado, let's get to reading the article!

In addition to this article, we offer several articles on archangels that you can discover from our site just below:

• How to invoke Archangel Michael?
• Who is Archangel Michael?
• Who are the archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael ?

And if you want to wear a sacred symbol of the archangels, we share with you all the pieces exclusively available in the jewelry store by clicking just below:

What exactly is Mont Saint Michel?

Located more precisely between Granville and Cancale in the Manche, Mont Saint Michel is a small islet decorated with a historical monument and surrounded by a bay. When it is the high marsh, it is surrounded by water and during the low marsh periods, it is possible to go there on foot.

It should be noted that this bay is also a natural site par excellence. Several species of marine plants and animals live there.

On this mountain sits an abbey, which is a true masterpiece testifying to the architectural know-how of the medieval period. It is also one of the most prestigious religious buildings in France. It was the home of medieval monks who were attracted by the maritime environment. It was Aubert, a bishop of Avranches, who is said to have founded a sanctuary on Mont-Tombe in 708 following three successive apparitions of the archangel Saint Michael . Over the centuries, buildings have been erected on this site and the whole has become a site par excellence which overlooks the immensity of the bay. The abbey, however, represents the highlight of the visit.

The geography of the Mount

Mont Saint Michel is a rocky islet that transforms into a small rocky island during the period of high marshes. It is located in the Avranchin region, east of the mouth of the Couesnon.

This granite point has a circumference of 960 meters and an altitude of 92 meters above a sandy plain.

According to Edouard Le Héricher, Mont Saint Michel is a sort of circular mountain which collapses under the monumental pyramid which crowns it.

Mont Saint Michel: 13 centuries of history!

Mont Saint Michel, in addition to being a particularly interesting tourist site, is also a place of history and legend . It now accumulates 13 centuries of history. The life of this place is marked mainly by legends, wars and the talent of its architects. So many elements that have made it an essential monument, the most popular in its region.

The legend of the Bishop of Avranches

It was in 708 that the construction of the Mont began. According to legend, Aubert, the Bishop of Avranches, had visions of the Archangel Saint Michael . The latter ordered Aubert to build a building in his honor. The Bishop did nothing until the Archangel reappeared to him on two other occasions. He even drew a hole in the Bishop's skull to show him his power. It was after this that the Bishop began to build an oratory on the place called Mont Tombe. The place was not yet inhabited until 966, the year in which the Duke of Normandy Richard I brought Benedictine monks to live there. It was these monks who then built the pre-Romanesque church Notre Dame Sous Terre shortly before the year 1000. The sanctuary was then transformed into an abbey and in the 11th century, the abbey church was built at the tip of the rock, resting on a set of crypts.

Very quickly, Mont-Saint-Michel became an important destination for pilgrimages. It also became a high place of medieval culture. It is still possible to find the works of Benedictines and the relics of Saint-Michel there. They contributed to the spiritual and economic development of this site.

When the abbey was transformed into a fortress

In the heart of the Middle Ages, wars broke out all over France. It was more precisely in the middle of the 12th century that Normandy was annexed by the King of France, Philippe Auguste. The king's allies, the Bretons of Guy de Thouars, raised an army to attack the inhabitants of Mont-Saint-Michel. The villagers were killed and the Mont was burned. To make up for this dramatic period, Philippe Auguste ordered the construction of the Merveille. It consists of two three-storey buildings, dominated by a cloister and a refectory. The work was completed in 1228. It represents the most attractive ornament of the abbey's architecture. As it is built on difficult terrain, it attests to the genius of the builders of the time.

At the start of the Hundred Years' War between the French and the English in the 14th century, Mont Saint Michel became the fortress of the Duchy of Normandy. A wall consisting of 7 towers and 3 gates was erected. This allowed the protection of the Mont when in 1415, the English decimated the French army and annexed Normandy. Their attacks were in vain. Thanks to this victory, the legend of the Mont became even more famous. Pilgrims increasingly visited the place to honor the Archangel Saint Michael who had become the defender of the kingdom. The war still left its mark on the Mont. In 1421, the Romanesque choir of the church fell and several years later, it was replaced by an illustrious Gothic choir.

When the abbey turned into a prison

The years passed and it was Louis XI who was the King of France. He personally appointed the new abbot who would have to administer the Mount. It gradually lost its religious interest and the number of pilgrims who came there decreased. It was only in 1622 that monastic activity was revived by the arrival of Benedictines from the congregation of Saint Maur . But due to lack of maintenance, the buildings lost their beautiful appearance of yesteryear. They were then used as a prison by several kings of France. It was built "Bastille des mers".

Driven out by the Revolution, which declared the Church's properties to be "national property", in 1791, the Benedictines abandoned the place. Mont Saint Michel then took the name "Mont Libre". It became a place to intern refractory priests before becoming a prison. After falling into disrepair despite the fires, the place completely sank into oblivion around 1863.

When the abbey rises from its ashes

Mont Saint Michel has undergone a very slow renaissance. It should be noted that all its bells have been destroyed except one, the "mist bell". At the time, it served as a guide for fishermen.

In 1874, President Mac Mahon decreed its renovation and it was classified as a Historic Monument . At the end of the 19th century, the site underwent major restoration work. And to facilitate access from the continent, the road dike was built in 1879.

We had to wait until 1897 to see the famous statue of the Archangel Saint Michael. slaying the dragon. It is much more than a simple decorative element placed on the spire of the abbey. It is, in fact, a lightning rod. It was built by Emmanuel Frémiet .

In 1966, a small community of monks under the direction of Father Bruno de Senneville, a monk from Bec-Hellouin, resumed life on the Mount.

In 1969, worship was restored in the abbey church and from 2001, the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem took over the management of worship times after the departure of the Benedictine community. Their vocation is "in the heart of cities, in the heart of God".

The mountain so far!

The history of Mont Saint Michel does not seem to want to stop. Over the years, this site has been the subject of several restorations despite the ravages of time that are wreaking havoc there. To save it, the Centre des Monuments Nationaux has devoted the sum of 20 million euros to carry out work there since 2007. One of the most important works was the restoration of the statue of the archangel in 2016. Currently, a construction site is still underway to restore the cloister.

Threatening the bay despite its silting up, the dike leading to the Mont was transformed into a footbridge in 2015. Cars cannot pass there to protect the maritime character of the Mont.

This place has shops and restaurants that are open to visitors. Among the most famous establishments in this place is the Auberge de la Mère Poulard. This restaurant has a worldwide reputation thanks to its famous omelette. The history of this hotel-restaurant is linked to the history of the Mont itself.

Take a tour of Mont Saint Michel

When passing through the Manche department in Normandy, it would be too sad not to take a trip to Mont Saint Michel. It is a mythical place that is well worth a visit. Visible from afar, the majestic monument impresses and attracts. But to feel and see the genius of its architecture even more closely, a visit to its interior is a must. This also allows you to better understand its extraordinarily rich and tormented history .

Guided tours and lecture tours are offered there. By opting for some of them, it is possible to have access to parts that are usually closed to the public. This is the case of the lace staircase which allows you to reach the heights of the Mount, near the Archangel or even Notre-Dame-Sous-Terre.

Practical information about Mont Saint Michel

The Abbey of Mont Saint Michel has its own address at 50 170 Le Mont Saint Michel. The site is open to visitors all year round except for a few dates including January ^1st , May ^1st and Christmas . It opens its doors from 9 am to 7 pm between May and August and from 9:30 am to 6 pm between September and April.

Regarding the entrance fees, the full price is 10 euros and the reduced price is 8 euros. All persons under 26 years old do not pay any entrance fee.

To access the Mont, you have to walk by taking the footbridge. The car must be left in the car park which is 2.5 kilometers from the site. From this car park, free transport shuttles provide transport for visitors. They drop off passengers 400 meters from Mont Saint Michel . It is also possible to take pedestrian paths.

You should plan a whole day to visit Mont Saint Michel. Some tourists even decide to spend the night there and continue their visit the next day.

Mont Saint Michel, an exceptional site to discover without moderation!

Now you have all the necessary information about Mont Saint Michel. You have also noticed that it is a site rich in history and that it is well worth discovering thanks to the article we have written.

We now invite you to come and see this place to see up close all the hidden wonders of Mont Saint Michel. You will appreciate places of worship, various resting places, viewpoints allowing you to admire the bay but also good little dishes carefully concocted by the restaurateurs of the place.