Our luxury stay in Mont Saint-Michel
We spent a weekend discovering Mont Saint-Michel and its bay. This French landmark, Unesco world heritage site, located in Normandy on the border with Brittany, attracts millions of visitors every year. Our main challenge was to visit Mont Saint-Michel in a different way, to get the most out of it and avoid the crowds. Discover below our exceptional stay in Normandy, as close as possible to this legendary rock which is celebrating its 1000th anniversary.
A morning visit to Mont Saint-Michel
To discover Mont Saint-Michel, we opted to get up at the crack of dawn, and be among the first to set foot on the rock’s steps. We were rewarded: Mont Saint-Michel is easy to get to, with visitors pouring in little by little, and we took our time wandering through the narrow streets, skirting the ramparts with sublime panoramas of the bay stretching as far as the eye can see.
Little by little, we reach the Abbey, a monument with the architecture of a fortress built into the heights of the rock. We wander through the great halls and cloister, where a very special, serene atmosphere emanates. We make our way back down through the gardens, always accompanied by a spectacular view of the bay, blending the blue of the water with the beige of the sand.
We set off again in the morning, having enjoyed a few hours’ peace and quiet on Mont Saint-Michel.
The meanders of Mont Saint-Michel
We choose to picnic with local produce in the bay, particularly along the meanders. Meanders are serpentines dug into the earth by water, and filled with water when it rains.
It’s very quiet here, with a few sheep keeping us company and, of course, an exceptional panorama of Mont Saint-Michel. Here, we’re far from the world, as if we had the Mont all to ourselves – an immense privilege.
ULM flight over Mont Saint-Michel
It had been a dream for years to discover Mont Saint-Michel from the air, so on this sunny day we climbed aboard a ULM and flew to Mont Saint-Michel in just a few minutes. It was a magical and memorable experience, as we flew over the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, which offered us a view worthy of a painting, we saw the seals, and of course the rock, so small from the air but so impressive. The bay offers an exceptional array of colors.
Once again, we have the Mont Saint-Michel all to ourselves, and enjoy every second of this incredible spectacle.
An exceptional stay at Château de la Ballue
We’re staying for the weekend at Château de la Ballue, 30 minutes from Mont Saint-Michel, an exceptional B&B offering a setting and service rarely seen in France. The 17th-century château offers an authentic, family-friendly setting for a weekend in the heart of nature, yet close to some of France’s most beautiful sites. The château’s tasteful decor perfectly conveys a blend of heritage and elegance, and our room plunges us into another era with an exceptional view over the gardens. Sleeping in a château is a magnificent experience, and waking up in the morning to the view of the gardens with the mist and sunrise leaves an indelible impression. We could have stayed for hours admiring this view of the gardens. But the desire to discover the pool is greater, and we discover the pool hidden in the garden, like a little haven of peace in the heart of nature.
Remarkable garden at the Château de la Ballue
The château is home to one of France’s remarkable gardens, for an enchanting, bucolic stroll. The first thing we discover is a garden with a geometric look that invites you to daydream, facing the château, and adjoined by a sublime wisteria-covered path between light and shade, the ideal place to sit on a bench and read a book or just admire the view. The route continues with different intentions, sometimes a labyrinth, sometimes a moat garden, the stroll is idyllic and allows a real connection with nature. We particularly recommend doing it at sunset at the end of the day for exceptional light in the gardens.
Crossing the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel
The following morning, after an exceptional breakfast in the château, we set off to join a nature guide for a crossing of the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel.
A long walk awaits us to cross the bay, a moment of total disconnection in the heart of nature, where we can appreciate the view of Mont Saint-Michel at every moment. Our guide recounts the history of the Mont and its bay, and how they have evolved over the past 1,000 years. We discover with him the quicksand and how to get out of it, as well as the rising tide and the constantly changing face of the bay. It’s an incredible experience, and one that gives us a better understanding of Mont Saint-Michel and its bay, once again without anyone around us.
Made in Normandy
When it’s time to leave, we make a few purchases of local products in the workshops and leave with: caramel, Saint-Michel cookies, Saint James marinière, and other products made here in Normandy around Mont Saint-Michel.
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