Mont St. Michel: Must-See Site in Normandy, France

by Jyl Johnson Pattee on April 11th, 2013 | 1 Comment »

You know those places you see in pictures, in movies, or hear about from other travelers? Those places you immediately know you must visit?

For me, those places have included India, Kenya, and perhaps odd to some, South Dakota. Travelers, and their tales of many cities can be contagious. I attribute much of my traveling experiences to those who have shared their stories with me.

Many years ago, my parents visited Normandy in France. Their tales of that trip included painting a beautiful picture for me of the French countryside and delicious meals. But, nothing stood out as prominently in their stories as their passion for and pictures of Mont St. Michel . After recently visiting it, I concur with them that no Normandy travel is complete without a visit there.

Visiting Mont St. Michel in the Winter

You would think that visiting Mont St. Michel, including the beautiful drive through the French countryside to get there, should be saved for seasons other than winter.

I'm sure that the list of benefits for visiting in warmer weather months is long. But, for me, visiting Mont St. Michel in January was the perfect time to go and here's why...

I had come to Normandy via Ireland, where each day was filled to the brim with site seeing. I arrived in France tired yet excited for a new experience. Normandy travel in winter allowed me and my friends to see the church and abbey at Mont St. Michel without having to walk through crowds or wait in lines. So perfect, especially when traveling with little ones. Can you even handle the cuteness that is June's wellies?

Must-See Sites at Mont St. Michel

But, whether your Normandy travel takes place in the winter or another season, consider visiting the following three places when at Mont St. Michel:

Abbey—We took a self-guided tour and it was fabulous. I highly recommend purchasing tickets and visiting while you're there.
Parish Church—I am always fascinated by other religions and love visiting churches and other holy places.
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Museums—Mont St. Michel has four museums on property: 1) showcasing the construction and sacred history, 2) focusing on the history of the attraction, 3) focusing on maritime and ecology, and 4) highlighting the art, decor, tapestries ,and more at Tiphaine’s house.

As you can see, I had a hard time limiting my pictures for this post. Mont St. Michel is truly magical and I haven't even mentioned the views yet? Amazing!

Have you ever been to Mont St. Michel? What are your recommended must-see spots for Normandy travel?

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Jyl Johnson Pattee

An active part of the Mom It Forward team, Jyl primarily writes about parenting, social good, and all things travel related. In a past life, Jyl was an award-winning copywriter and designer of corporate training programs for Fortune 100 companies. Offline, Jyl is married to @TroyPattee; a mom to two teen boys and a beagle named #Hashtag; loves large amounts of cheese, dancing, and traveling; and lives in the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Topping her bucket list is the goal to visit 50 countries by the time she's 50.