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Home TravelsFrance A short weekend at Mont Saint-Michel
France

A short weekend at Mont Saint-Michel

by Marina September 1, 2022
September 1, 2022 8.2K views
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A must-see trip from Paris is Mont Saint-Michel. Located in Normandy, the northwestern part of France bounded by the English Channel, it is a seaside island with an abbey and a small village. The town’s location, on an island a few hundred meters from the mainland, made it accessible at low tide to the many pilgrims traveling to its abbey, but defensible when the incoming tide blocked, chased away, or drowned any attackers. The island also became a prison and is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 for its unique aesthetics and importance as a medieval Christian site.

Reaching this wonder by train (+ free shuttle) is possible however my friends and I preferred to rent a car with Hertz so we could spend a night out and do two days of “exploration” between Normandy and Bretagne. If booked in advance and there are at least 4 of you sharing the cost is affordable as it allows you to be very free and independent. Keep in mind that if you register a driver under 25 you have to pay an additional fee. We stayed at the Hotel Les Quatres Salines 10 minutes from Mont Saint-Michel, if you want you can also stay on the island, just book well in advance to avoid paying crazy amounts of money! 

After the stop at this wonder, we moved to Bretagne and more specifically to Saint-Malo to watch the sunset and have dinner. Saint-Malo is a famous seaside town, full of historical monuments and events, especially in the summer. It is a coastal town, fortified with a belt of ramparts, the old town is built on an island connected to the coast. Its port opens onto the English Channel, and its coastline is among those in France the most exposed to the tidal phenomenon (width exceeds 10 meters). Saint-Malo is strongly linked to the sea: famous for being the city of privateers, it is now considered the sailing capital of France. 

Here I recommend that you stop to eat at Le Cafe de Saint Malo and enjoy a fantastic seafood dish! It will be well worth it.

The next day we left for Granville so we could visit the Dior Museum, Villa from which it all began. Granville was built by the British to guard Mont Saint-Michel. It is divided into the “vielle ville,” built on a rocky promontory with granite houses with white shutters, and the lower town, which is said to have been built on a mountain of shells, with its maritime vocation, narrow beach, and fashionable boutiques. On June 22, 1988, Villa Les Rhumbs, Christian Dior’s birthplace in Granville, was transformed into a museum dedicated to the life and works of the French fashion designer, called simply Musée Christian Dior. The museum sits atop a cliff at the entrance to the town, overlooking the Anglo-Norman Islands, and is surrounded by a large garden.

Here I recommend trying a galette as well as a savory crêpe at La Bolée Normande! 

Finally, on the way back to Paris we stopped in the beautiful city of Rouen. Rouen is among the most important cities of art in the country so much so that it deserves the appellation Ville Musée; it preserves, in fact, a large number of admirable monuments, especially Gothic, and a historic center still rich in old half-timbered houses constituting an important example of a medieval North European complex. It is also the birthplace of Gustave Flaubert and one of the few in France to be honored with the Légion d’honneur. Here you can visit Notre-Dame Cathedral, one of the most beautiful and imposing French Gothic cathedrals and one of the greatest masterpieces of Gothic architecture seen in its evolution from the 13th to the 16th century. Its 151-meter-high flèche makes Rouen Cathedral the tallest in France. The monument dedicated to Joan of Arc as well as the site of her burning and the Gros-Horloge, the city’s landmark, is a Renaissance construction erected over a low archway that spans the city’s main thoroughfare. It is equipped with a fine medieval astronomical clock that having been made in 1389 is one of the oldest in Europe. 

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Marina

I’m Marina, an Italian girl who lives in Paris. In love with languages and tirelessly collecting travels. In my spare time, I write, read, and eat.

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I’m Marina, an Italian living in Paris, and I’m here to help you plan your perfect holiday. My blog aims to share travel adventures and fashion insights.

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Marina's Discoveries
  • Home
  • Travels
    • France Italy London USA

      A Weekend in Bordeaux: What to See…

      Exploring the Architectural Side of Paris

      Exploring Maison La Roche in Paris

      A Parisian Fashion Itinerary

      Discovering Paris: an unconventional itinerary

      A short weekend at Mont Saint-Michel

      Discover with me the Borromeo Islands

      Two must-see fashion museums in Florence

      A weekend in Turin: here’s what to…

      Venice in a day? Discover it with…

      Three days at Lake Como? Here’s what…

      Mantua in one day: what not to…

      Christmas in London: what to see

      London and Greenwich guides

      London street markets you need to go

      London travel guide part 2

      London unusual travel guide

      My London travel guide: the must-see of…

      Boston travel guide part 2: what you…

      Boston travel guide part 1: what you…

      New York City guide in 48 hours

      A California trip for an entire week:…

      A California trip for a week: Las…

      A California trip for an entire week:…

    • France
      • Paris
    • Italy
    • London
    • USA
  • Fashion
    • Zancobel: from fishing nets to technical fabrics

      WRÅD, ever heard of it? Discover it…

      Fashion Vibes at the Milan Fashion Week

      Beauty trends 2020: the make-up pieces to…

      PANGAIA the sustainable loungewear

      Emerging Talents Milan stages a physical show!

      Emerging Talents Milan and the Talents Trade…

  • Blog
    • Margaret Bourke-White

      Books about fashion sustainability you need

      8 advice in order to be more…

      4 sustainable shopping alternatives for you!

      What really is sustainability?

      School of WRAD: the new project that…

      Capra e Cavoli Milano presents a new…

  • About Me
    • Shop with me!
  • Ask me!