France / Normandy, Mont-Saint-Michel & Saint-Malo / Mont-Saint-MichelMont-Saint-Michel
The Abbey on a Rock in the Tidal Bay
A medieval abbey and village on a granite island in a bay with some of the biggest tides in Europe, joined to the mainland by a footbridge. Park or get off the bus at the mainland car park and take the free shuttle (Le Passeur) or walk the 2.5 km causeway; the abbey sits at the top of steep steps. Stay a night, on the island or in the hotels at La Caserne on the mainland, to see it lit up and empty after the day tours leave. Guided walks across the sand at low tide are spectacular but must be done with a licensed guide: the tide comes in fast and there is quicksand. No train reaches it; the usual way is the TGV to Rennes and a 70-minute coach.
Highlights
- The abbey and its cloister
- Night view of the floodlit Mont
- Tide rising over the bay
- Guided barefoot walk across the sand
- Ramparts walk
- La Mère Poulard's omelettes
- Saint-Malo's walled city
- Cancale oysters
Things to do
- Abbey visit (timed ticket) and the cloisterMorning · 2h 30m
- Grande Rue and the rampartsAfternoon · 1h 30m
- Guided bay walk at low tideAfternoon · 3h
- Floodlit Mont from the footbridgeEvening · 1h
Tours & tickets
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When to go
Best time: April – June, September – October
Worth knowing
Spring Tides Round the Mont
The bay's biggest tides come round the March and September equinoxes: at the highest the sea surrounds the Mont and covers the approaches, a sight people come for, but the shuttle stops short and paths close for an hour or two. Check the tide times (horaires des marées) and never walk on the sand without a licensed guide: the tide comes in fast and there is quicksand.
Heads up
Check the Tides Before a Bay Walk
The tide in the bay can rise very fast across flat sand with quicksand patches. Walk out onto the bay only on a guided crossing, and check the tide times for the best views of the Mont surrounded by water.