My friend planted a seed in my head about an abbey rising from the sea on the northwestern coast of France in Normandy called Mont Saint Michel. It captured my imagination and the rest is history. What started off as a road trip from Pamplona to Arcachon to see the highest dune in Europe, fittingly became a great pilgrimage though France. It was pouring rain in every town we arrived in and we just kept pushing to get north of the storms. I’m certain the abbey was beckoning us north. When we got to Rennes, things started to clear up. Sure enough we were greeted with sunshine and blue skies the morning we reached the Abbey. 

 

The view upon approach is impressive. Imagine a spectacular Gothic Benedictine abbey and tiny medieval village perched atop a small rocky island surrounded by nothing. The view is even more surreal at high tide when the island is surrounded by water. The climb to the top is a delightful maze of cloisters, twisting staircases, gardens, and ramparts. 

 

During the Hundred Years War, it became a fortress. During the French Revolution, it served as a prison. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

 

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