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Mont Saint-Michel

A 1,300 year old monastery built atop a single rock, with accessibility dependent on the tides
  • Mont Saint-Michel in Seine-Maritime, France

    Click to enlarge. source

  • On the approach to Mont Saint-Michel. - Mont Saint-Michel in Seine-Maritime, France

    Click to enlarge. On the approach to Mont Saint-Michel. source

  • The abbey by day. - Mont Saint-Michel in Seine-Maritime, France

    Click to enlarge. The abbey by day. source

  • The abbey by night. - Mont Saint-Michel in Seine-Maritime, France

    Click to enlarge. The abbey by night. source

  • Mont Saint-Michel in Seine-Maritime, France

    Click to enlarge. source

  • Mont Saint-Michel in Seine-Maritime, France

    Click to enlarge. source

  • Mont Saint-Michel in Seine-Maritime, France

    Click to enlarge. source

  • Mont Saint-Michel in Seine-Maritime, France

    Click to enlarge. source

  • Mont Saint-Michel in Seine-Maritime, France

    Click to enlarge. source

  • Mont Saint-Michel in Seine-Maritime, France

    Click to enlarge. source

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Set atop a solid rock in the middle of a bay, the abbey and surrounding town was originally only accessible as the tides allowed. Although subsequent development has allowed 24 hours access to the island, an in-progress dam will restore the rock to its previous state as entirely surrounded by water during high tide.

Regardless of whether there exists a 24 hour bridge to the rock or not, Mont Saint-Michel remains a singularly beautiful structure atop a amazing geological formation. During the day take a tour of the abbey and the (tiny) surrounding town. Even better, stay overnight in one of the hotels and you'll have the run of the grounds as the island empties to only a handful of residents after dark.

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Comments

By Josh June 29 2009

A few years ago, some artists turned Mont Saint-Michel into the biggest sundial ever: http://mooonriver.blogspot.com/2007/03/solar-mount.html

By Annetta July 21 2009

The best (albeit ill-advised) thing about Mont San Michel is walking out into the ankle-trapping mud flats at low tide to get a view of the island without the land-bridge. This requires a willing disregard for the colorful signs warning that you can drown in the quicksand that show a hand disappearing below the muck.

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