Swiss Family Pletcher: Mont Saint Michel

Today we drove to Mont Saint Michel. This was in the opposite direction of Normandy, so that is why we were glad for the car.

Mont Saint Michel was beautiful. And huge. It is normally surrounded by the ocean, but when we visited, the tide was so far out, we could walk on the beaches all around it.

We spent the whole day at the Abbey. We visited inside the church and abbey and then walked around the town eating food and enjoying the shops. The island was very very crowded. After the big Paris tourist attractions, this is the most visited in France. And I can see why - it was something to see.

On our way back to Caen, we stopped in Saint Lo to take some pictures since that is where my Great Uncle was killed. It is a small city that didn't keep much memory of the war (especially since the Americans and Germans were responsible for flatting it), but there were a few things.

Mont Saint Michel from a distance

When the tide is in, this sand is completely covered with water

We walked out to the island (took about 45 minutes). IT was a really great walk

This buoy would be afloat when the tide was in

This would all be underwater during high tide. It stretched as far as I could see.

We saw quite a few tours who were being led across the sand (which would have been underwater at high tide).

The crowds on the island

Mat and Cainan and I put our feet in the water and it was freezing

The Abbey at the top of the hill

Houses on the island

View from the top of the Abbey out onto the sand

Church attached to the abbey

Courtyard outside of the Abbey

This wheel was inside the abbey and was built to deliver supplies from the ground

Large fireplace in the great hall

Inside the abbey

Memorial plaque for the fallen in Saint Lo.

Lookout tower from medieval times

We visited a church in St. Lo that was heavily bombed during the war. They kept a lot of the church in tact, and only partially rebuilt what was lost as a reminder of the war.