Mont-St-Michel

Mont-St-Michel has attracted pilgrims since medieval times—including several kings from France and England. With the development of a Benedictine abbey, it became a renowned center for learning, and many manuscripts were produced there.

Swept Away by Mont-St-Michel

The origins of this mesmerizing French island are steeped in dreams and legends

By Tim Johnson

Rising from the sea like something from a fairy tale, MontSaint-Michel challenges your sense of reality. An island that’s sometimes not an island. A geological wonder that’s also a geographic oddity. A fortress and an abbey and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At high tide, the whole place seems to hover over the water, and when it’s out, the seemingly impregnable surroundings become a sandy stretch explored by the curious and the brave. But one thing is certain: When you arrive and see it for the first time— ramparts, stonework, and buildings that seem to grow right out of the granite, all crowned by a soaring steeple capped by an angel—you won’t quite believe your eyes.

Situated in the English Channel just off France’s Normandy coast, a visit here will take you back

115

The three-tiered Marveille rises

115 feet. On the lowest layer is the chaplaincy. On the second, a dining hall. On top, the cloisters and the monks’ refectory. some 1,300 years. It’s currently home to fewer than 50 people, mostly monks and nuns who reside in the abbey. Once you arrive, go wander (and maybe get lost). Enter through the King’s Gate and make your way through the shops and cafes along the Grande Rue. Sit and soak up the haunting sound of a hymn in the abbey. Be still, and watch the transformation created by the tides.

And it all started with a dream—actually, three—or so the legend goes. They say that back in the early eighth century, the archangel Michael (Michel, in French) appeared to Aubert, the bishop of Avranches, in his sleep. Twice, Michael told the man to establish a sanctuary in his name on what was then known as Monte-Tombe. The third time, he drove home the point, poking his finger into the bishop’s skull. Aubert responded, sending messengers to bring back the relics of the archangel from Italy, then dedicated the sanctuary in the year 709. (As a side trip, it’s worth checking out the Church of Saint-Gervais in Avranches,

which has preserved the skull of Aubert, complete with its hole.)

Pilgrims followed, and layer upon layer, the place grew. In 966, the Duke of Normandy established a commune of Benedictine monks. By 1000, they had built the Church of NotreDame-sous-Terre, now under the nave of the current abbey, and a place you can still visit. Kings of both France and England came here. The Gothic Merveille was created by medieval builders in the 13th century. Le Mont was a bastion, never captured during the Hundred Years War (1337–1453), repelling invaders with just a handful of knights on hand during furious sieges. And it was a prison, too, from the 17th to the 19th century.

Now it’s a place to explore, starting with a closer examination of shifting worlds created by those tides. At low tide, the water recedes out to sea, meaning you can actually walk over, and all around, on dry land. But while predictable, they can also be treacherous—anyone on the island will readily tell you stories about overzealous adventurers who didn’t watch their time and ended up in a bad spot. Some of Europe’s most dramatic tides, rushing in at 200 feet per minute and rising as much as 45 feet, also create pools of quicksand that can trap the unwary. Fortunately, you can book a walking tour with a guide who

Inside the mount, you’ll marvel at the Merveille, a three-layered gothic crown jewel of the abbey that was built in 13th-century Normandy.

Lower Normandy

FRANCE

Mont-Saint-Michel is located in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy, France.

is well aware of all the factors at play. Doing so is a cool opportunity to get a new perspective on the island, looking up from its base, over the ramparts, to the golden figure of Michael, at more than 300 feet high, triumphing over a dragon.

Mont-St-Michel is also home to some worthwhile museums, including one dedicated to local maritime culture and ecology, and an “archeoscope,” a multimedia show based on the histo-

During a siege in 1421,

the abbey’s Romanesque chancel collapsed; it was rebuilt in flamboyant Gothic style. ry and whimsical stories here. It’s also a great spot for souvenir hunting, a tradition that dates back to the days of the pilgrims. And make sure to take your time when you visit the abbey.

Make your way along the winding streets in town to the top of the mount, proceeding inside after paying the entrance fee of 10 euros (about $12). A walk-through will take you through the centuries of construction, blending a wide spectrum of styles. But you’ll marvel at the Merveille. A gothic wonder that includes three layered levels and 16 buttresses, this crown jewel of the abbey was built during the power and prosperity of 13th-century Normandy. This section took 17 years to construct and rises 115 feet. Each floor serves a unique purpose—on the lowest, the chaplaincy met weary pilgrims arriving at their destination. On the second, a dining hall where fireplaces once warded off the chilly night air. On top, the cloisters and the monks’ refectory.

You can tarry, inspecting the fine handiwork, the result of centuries of painstaking labor to achieve this masterpiece. And when at last you must go, be careful. Shifting sands and rising tides may accompany your departure from MontSt-Michel.

IF YOU GO When to Go:

Summer is high season; visit from March to October for good weather. Safety: Keep watch on some of Europe's most dramatic tides, which while predictable, can be treacherous. There is the option of booking a walking tour with a guide. Getting There: Fly to Paris, where you can rent a car or take a 4-hour train ride to Saint-Malo.

Accommodations:

The seaside city offers everything from budget B&Bs to the regal Le Grand Hotel des Thermes.

If You Go

Driving east from Paris, the trip will take a little more than four hours by car, or hop on the TGV, France’s fast train, and ride as far as Saint-Malo, perhaps your best option for accommodations options. The seaside city offers everything from budget B&Bs to the regal Le Grand Hotel des Thermes, as well as many small restaurants offering top-notch seafood. But make sure to enjoy at least one meal on the mount itself, and make it the famous, fluffy omelette at La Mère Poulard.

Toronto-based writer Tim Johnson has visited 140 countries across all seven continents. He contributes to some of North America’s largest publications, including CNN Travel, Bloomberg, and The Globe and Mail.

Summer’s Last Hurrah

WHILE THERE’S NO LAW that says you can’t enjoy a stout such as Guinness in the warmer days, the truth is, beer drinkers gravitate toward lighter, more refreshing styles when the heat’s on, and craft brewers meet the demand. (As much as they also make the demand—if you brew it, they will drink.) Many of these brews offer a lower percentage ABV, which also makes for easy drinking. Before the season ends, here are some recommendations for when you need a cold one.

By Kevin Revolinski

SUMMIT BREWING TRIUMPHANT SESSION IPA

A modest touch of bitterness is balanced with fruity notes that recall pineapples and apricot. This year-round offering hits the low-cal mark of under 100 calories and an ABV of 4 percent. SIERRA NEVADA SUMMER BREAK SESSION HAZY IPA

More drinkable than typical hazy IPAs, this sessionable brew has 4.6 percent ABV and lands toward the medium side of lightbodied. A mild malt presence is coupled with passionfruit and mango fruitiness, in a straw-colored and cloudy pour with a thin white head. SURLY BREWING GRAPEFRUIT SUPREME

Featuring pilsner malt and some unmalted wheat in its grain bill, this 4.5 percent ABV brew is refreshing without being sour, but you can’t miss the grapefruit— and that’s not a bad thing DOGFISH HEAD SEA QUENCH SESSION SOUR ALE

With its lime tartness and a touch of salt, one can’t help think of a margarita without the punch: At 4.9 percent ABV, you can stay sharp for competitive rounds of cornhole, horseshoes, or whatever you’re throwing in your corner of the beer garden. REVOLUTION BREWING SUNCRUSHER ALE

Wheat beers, often unfiltered and hazy and with a slice of orange or lemon, scream summertime in Bavaria. This American style from Chicago combines citrus flavors with a solid backbone of breadiness. SUMMIT BREWING CABIN CRUSHER

Much like lemonade, beers with a touch of sour fruitiness go well with summer. This one starts with a style that already suits the season—the light, dry, hints-of-fruit Kölsch style—and adds lime and lime peel, whose bright presence gives the beer an easy drinkability.

PINKUS MUNSTER ALT

From the world's first organic brewery comes a light-bodied, pale gold brew with a light tartness and acidity—a bit different from the usually brown altbiers of Dusseldorf.

AYINGER BAVARIAN PILS

From the Old Country, consider some of the German beer garden brews. Ayinger Bavarian Pils is a bit lighter and no less delicious than a Czech pilsner.