Mont-Saint-Michel: History

You've probably heard of Mont Saint Michel , but you don't know exactly where it is or what it really hides! So, are you curious to know more about this famous place? We're going to tell you all about this wonderful place in this article.

As history buffs, we're going to share this information about Mont Saint Michel with you so you can get to know it better before you go.

Mont-Saint-Michel is unique in that it sits on a rocky islet between Normandy and Brittany. It is surrounded by an exceptional bay, home to the highest tides in continental Europe. This site is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is also one of the most visited sites in France.

This article is designed to help you learn more about Mont Saint Michel. It will help you discover:

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

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What exactly is Mont Saint Michel?

Located more precisely between Granville and Cancale in the Manche department, Mont Saint Michel is a small islet adorned with a historic 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 walk there.

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

On this hill 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 were erected on this site and the whole became a site par excellence overlooking the immensity of the bay. The abbey, however, represents the highlight of the visit.

The geography of Mont-Saint-Michel

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

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 sinks beneath 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. All these elements have made it an essential monument, the most popular in its region.

The legend of the Bishop of Avranche

It was in 708 that the construction of the Mount 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 more 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 put Benedictine monks to live there. It was these monks who then built the pre-Romanesque church of 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 erected at the tip of the rock, leaning on a set of crypts.

Mont-Saint-Michel quickly became an important pilgrimage destination. It also became a center of medieval culture. Benedictine monasteries and relics of Saint Michael can still be found there. They contributed to the spiritual and economic development of the 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 mid-12th century that Normandy was annexed by the French King Philip Augustus. The king's allies, consisting of the Bretons of Guy de Thouars, raised an army to attack the inhabitants of Mont-Saint-Michel. The villagers were killed and the mountain was burned. To make up for this dramatic period, Philip Augustus ordered the construction of the Merveille. It consists of two three-story buildings, dominated by a cloister and a refectory. The work was completed in 1228. It represents the most attractive architectural feature of the abbey. 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 seven towers and three gates was erected. This protected the Mount 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 Mount became even more famous. Pilgrims increasingly visited the site to honor the Archangel Saint Michael, who had become the defender of the kingdom. The war, however, left its mark on the Mount. In 1421, the church 's Romanesque choir collapsed, and several years later, it was replaced by an illustrious Gothic choir.

When the abbey turned into a prison

As the years passed, Louis XI became King of France. He personally appointed a new abbot to administer the Mount. It gradually lost its religious significance, and the number of pilgrims coming 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 former beauty. They were then used as a prison by several French kings. The "Bastille of the Seas" was built.

Driven out by the Revolution, which declared the Church's properties "national property," in 1791, the Benedictines abandoned the site. 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 fires, the site fell completely 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 of its bells were destroyed except for 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 mainland, 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 abbey spire. It is, in fact, a lightning rod. Emmanuel Frémiet built it.

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 services 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 shows no signs of slowing down. Over the years, the site has undergone several restorations, despite the ravages of time. To save it, the Centre des Monuments Nationaux has dedicated €20 million to renovations since 2007. One of the most significant projects was the restoration of the archangel statue in 2016. Currently, work is still underway to restore the cloister.

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

This area has shops and restaurants that are open to visitors. Among the most famous establishments in this area is the Auberge de la Mère Poulard. This restaurant is world-renowned for its famous omelet. The history of this hotel-restaurant is linked to the history of the mountain itself.

Take a tour of Mont Saint Michel

When visiting the Manche department in Normandy, it would be a shame not to visit Mont Saint Michel. It's a legendary site well worth a visit. Visible from afar, the majestic monument impresses and attracts. But to experience 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 troubled history .

Guided tours and lecture tours are offered. By choosing some of these, it is possible to access areas that are usually closed to the public. This is the case with the Lacy 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 is open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. between May and August and from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. between September and April.

Regarding admission prices, the full price is 10 euros and the reduced price is 8 euros. Anyone under the age of 26 is free.

To access the mountain, you must walk across the footbridge. Your car must be left in the parking lot, which is 2.5 kilometers from the site. From this parking lot, free shuttle buses provide transport for visitors. They drop passengers off 400 meters from Mont Saint Michel . It is also possible to take pedestrian paths.

A visit to Mont Saint Michel requires a full day. 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 information you need about Mont Saint Michel. You've also seen that it's a site rich in history and well worth exploring thanks to the article we wrote.

We now invite you to visit this place to see all the hidden wonders of Mont Saint Michel up close. You'll enjoy places of worship, various resting spots, viewpoints offering views of the bay, and delicious dishes carefully prepared by the local restaurateurs.