Experience the Enchantment of Mont-Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel is one of the most mesmerizing places to visit in France. Nestled in the bay between Brittany and Normandy, this mystical island and its abbey will take you back in time. Below is everything you need to know about visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Book Your Visit

Tickets are available a month in advance of your visit. There are a few options to choose from when booking, but no matter what, you need to know what time you will be there. Keep in mind there are a lot of parking spaces if you are driving, but I'd imagine they'd book up fast in the busy months.

How To Get There

There are a variety of ways to get to the holy island. Personally, we flew into Paris and rented a car as we planned on visiting the WWII sites in Normandy afterwards on our own. I don't recommend driving immediately after you land if you have not slept, but it is an easy way to get there! Keep in mind if you are renting a car and you are not from France, you must have an international driver's license. If you do not plan to drive to Mont-Saint-Michel, there are plenty of day trips from Paris and beyond that you can find on sites like Trip Advisor. There is also a way to do this by train, but it would take you a long time!

Once you decide how you are getting there, the other question I had when visiting was how I actually got to the island. The answer: You can choose to either walk from where you parked (but it is quite the journey) or you can take a complimentary bus that comes back and forth every so often. We opted for the bus and it was very easy to navigate!

While You Are There

Take in all the beauty! There are plenty of stairs and hills to get your steps in (unfortunately, I don't think this site is very accessible, but I haven't looked into that too much). Explore all the ins and outs of every corner to learn more about one of Europe's major pilgrimage sites and how Bishop Aubert built the church that eventually led the island to become a well-known Christian pilgrimage site. You can learn more about the history here.

There are plenty of places to eat, drink, and shop. It can definitely get crowded, so plan accordingly. One of my favorite things to do when visiting new places is to try their beer. The one I'm pictured with was very tasty after a long day of walking! I read a few social media and blog posts that people didn't care too much about the food while in Mont-Saint-Michel's abbey, but I think the overall ambience of the entire place still makes a visit worthwhile, and there are a lot of food choices, so you are bound to find something if you are picky.

Lastly, I HIGHLY suggest staying for the sunset. I am certainly no professional photographer, but this photo does not do justice for what an amazing experience this was. We walked down the bridge a bit and jumped down to the grassy area (which, fun fact, is sometimes underwater depending on the tides). Everyone was doing this to catch the sunset. It's so peaceful and calming to sit, watch, and listen to the waves. It does get very dark once the sun is down, so definitely make sure you use your cell phone flashlight to get back, if needed. It's also important to remember the sunset is a lot later than other places in the world. This one was almost 10 p.m. by the time it came. You can view my video of it on our Instagram page.

Where To Stay

If you decide you want to stay before or after your visit to Mont-Saint-Michel (and I suggest you do), it's possible to stay right on the island. We thought of this a bit too late and everything was booked, so we actually stayed at the Best Western Hôtel Montgomery located in Pontorson. This hotel was only a 10-minute drive to where you park to get to Mont-Saint-Michel and the town of Pontorson is charming with a lot of options for food and drinks nearby. I should also add the drive from Pontorson to Mont-Saint-Michel had a lot of great places to stop and eat/drink along the way. Be sure to take a pit stop at one of the local cider joints!

Here are photos from our stay at the Best Western Hôtel Montgomery in Pontorson. The last photo you can see Mont-Saint-Michel from a distance on our drive there! It looks and feels so surreal.

Have any questions? Don't hesitate to leave a comment. I hope get to experience this enchanting journey someday! I'll leave you with my video of my visit to the a song from Bridgerton.