Song of the Day: Swamp Song – Tool
Distance Travelled: 102.6 miles
Its not everyday day you get awestruck by something; today held the first moment for this trip. You know the feeling, when you see something that is truly spectacular for the first time, and you say ‘holy crap’ involuntarily. That’s what happened when we first laid eyes on le Mont-Saint-Michel.
Le Mont-Saint-Michel is the most visited site (as opposed to landmark) in France. It is a fortified village on a granite outcrop rising from the sea. It is accessible only by a thin strip of land that links it to shore. Its tides differ by up to 50 feet, and when out, it leaves the island surrounded by 10 miles of sea floor. The Benedictine Abbey that sits 500 feet up on the top of the island is just breathtaking when viewed from the shore.
When on the island it feels like ‘Venice on Rock’ (Quoting myself there. Quite poetic I thought), as you wander through a tight alley way surrounded by tourists and tourist shops. The Abbey is beautiful in its simplicity (for those that don’t know, Laurie and I love churches. We visit them just to look, all the time), with the stone and lots of light windows making for a beautiful space. The views from here back to the mainland and out to sea (the tide was out for us) were quite spectacular.
Although, my lack of French did almost cost me a shoe (as I tried to go across the flats which are like quicksand when exposed; there was a sign, I just missed it), it was a price I would have happily paid after seeing the views of the island. This is a place I would recommend people visit, for religious (Michael the Archangel is said to have appeared here in 708 AD) and non-religious (it is breathtaking to behold, and very photogenic) reasons.
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