Chateau San Michele (France) is a unique attraction that occupies an entire coastal island. It is located in the north of the country and annually attracts thousands of tourists who come to Normandy to look at this magnificent building, which has no analogues in the whole world. There are practically no modern buildings on a small island connected to the mainland by motorway, so travelers can plunge into the atmosphere of a medieval city with its narrow winding streets, stone roads and ancient churches. And even near the island you can watch the tides, which are considered the strongest in all of Europe. Almost every day, the road and coastal lands are flooded with water, which in a few hours departs from the land.
Foreigners often call this castle a new wonder of the world. Locals are much more restrained, they call the attraction simply Mountain. We will tell in this article more about the majestic island and the fortress of San Michel (France). Feedback from travelers who have visited this place will also be discussed below.
From the history of the settlement
It is noteworthy that initially the locals who inhabited Normandy called this island the Grave Mountain. The history of San Michel (France) begins in 708, when the construction of the first church began on a coastal hill. Initially, the island was uninhabited, only occasionally Christian hermits settled on it, who considered this place suitable for solitude and long prayers. The legend is popular among locals, according to which the construction of the city was entrusted by the Archangel Michael himself. He came to the local bishop and ordered him to build a Christian church on the coastal rock. After that, the monks almost immediately began to erect a stone structure. In honor of the Archangel Michael, the church was built in the form of a cave grotto. In addition, archaeologists managed to find ancient Christian chapels of the VI century on the island.
Since then, the active construction of a Christian abbey began here, which lasted until the sixteenth century. It is known that the Vikings several times captured this island, but each time the Normans managed to regain it. Only in the 12th century did the abbey begin to develop rapidly, quickly becoming a center of pilgrimage. Believers flocked here from all over Western Europe. Some of them subsequently erected similar structures in their homeland. A striking example is the former St. Michaels Mount monastery in Cornwall.
For a long time, English and French rulers fought for the right to own the territory of the abbey. During the Hundred Years War between the two countries, the fortress gradually fell into decay. Several times, both the French and the British captured the city and destroyed it, and it lost its former glory among the pilgrims. It is known that by the end of the XVIII century the castle was almost completely abandoned and was in poor condition. In 1791, the monks left the monastery, which was soon closed. Until the second half of the 19th century, a prison operated here, where political prisoners were held.
Local residents began an active campaign in protest against the placement of the prison in Christian shrines. Already in 1874, the castle on the island was officially recognized as a historical monument. The prison was disbanded. However, the monks returned here only in 1966. Now the island is a major tourist center. It is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
How to get to the island?
This small island is located on the north coast of the country, which is not very popular with travelers. Therefore, many tourists do not know how to get to the castle of San Michel (France). It seems to them that the road to the island will take too much time, so they refuse to explore this attraction. And in vain, because you can reach the castle in a few hours. Tourists in the reviews note that the easiest way to get to it is by taking the bus in Paris, which goes exactly to San Michel. On weekends, he leaves the French capital in the early morning. The journey to the castle takes about 5 hours. After exploring the fortress, you can leave in the evening on the same bus back. Having correctly calculated their time, tourists can return back to Paris on the same day by the beginning of the night. In addition, you can immediately buy a round-trip bus ticket. Its cost is about 50 euros (approximately 3,700 rubles).
However, these buses do not run on weekdays. How to get to San Michel (France) at this time? Tourists can always plan a trip to the castle on their own. First you need to take a high-speed train in Paris, which will take you to the city of Rennes. From here, you will already need to transfer to a bus going to the castle. For convenience, you can pre-purchase a combined ticket, which has the same cost as a direct bus from Paris.
You can get to the castle by your own car. It is worth noting that tourists in the reviews recommend driving exclusively on a toll motorway. The fare will cost 15 euros (about 1150 rubles). The whole journey will take no more than 4 hours. If you want to save, you can choose free tracks. But they run through many provincial towns with narrow streets, where the speed is severely limited. Therefore, you will spend much more time and effort on the road.
More about the weather
Many tourists, planning a vacation in San Michele (France), often worry about the weather. And although the castle is located in the north of the country, the climate here is mild and warm. The ocean has a great influence on the weather near the island. Near the fortress there are no hills and mountains that could protect coastal lands from strong winds blowing from the sea. Therefore, it is almost always windy here. This is especially felt when visiting the upper viewing platforms, so tourists recommend to stock up on warm clothes in advance, as well as hats and scarves.
Proximity to the sea also affects temperature. In summer, due to high humidity in the city it is unbearably hot. Some tourists even noted in the reviews that they could hardly endure such weather conditions. Despite this, July and August are considered the best time to visit the castle. In winter, you can also come and see the majestic fortress, however in these months there are often dense fogs that completely envelop the island and spoil the view of it from the land.
Arriving in San Michel, you should also familiarize yourself with the map of the tides, which are considered the strongest in Europe. They come pretty quickly, so the water begins to rise at an impressive speed, after a few minutes completely hiding the road leading to the island. In order not to spoil your trip, tourists recommend knowing in advance the time of the next tide.
Transport infrastructure
San Michel (France) is a small town that you can walk around in a few hours if you wish. To get to the Mountain itself, tourists can take the local unique electric buses. It is noteworthy that they are equipped with full-fledged driver's cabs on both sides. You can catch such a bus at a special station located on the mainland 3 km from the city. To the central part of the island of San Michel (France) they get in just 12 minutes. At the same time, buses make several stops, disembarking passengers near popular restaurants, cafes and hotels located on the coast. Access to them is absolutely free. In addition, these buses run from early morning until midnight.
Near the bus station there is also a paid car parking, where tourists who have arrived to the island on their own can leave their cars for a while. The first half hour is not paid. If you want to plunge headlong into the medieval atmosphere of San Michel, then you can ride on an old carriage, which is harnessed by Norman heavy trucks. They reach the top of the mountain more slowly than buses, so the whole journey will take about an hour. In addition, travel in crews is paid. Its cost is about 5 euros one way (approximately 375 rubles).
Where is the best place to stay
It is worth noting that San Michel (France) is a small city that tourists can fully explore in just a few hours. Therefore, few of them stay here for the night. Despite this, there are quite a few hotels in the city. therefore, if you wish, you can even choose a budget option. Conventionally, all hotels can be divided into two groups:
- located in the fortifications on the island itself;
- those that are in close proximity to the fortress on the coast.
The first option is ideal for lovers of antiquity, as these hotels are located in real medieval buildings. Therefore, the rooms in them have poor sound insulation, and the living rooms themselves are often very cramped and dark. In addition, unpleasant odors can be heard from restaurants located on the ground floors. Accommodation in these hotels can not be called budget. But he has plenty of advantages. For example, proximity to major attractions that you can walk to on your own. And from the windows of the rooms you can personally witness the tides.
The second option can be recommended to tourists who want to save money when planning a trip to San Michel (France). Such hotels are located on the coast near the island, but also have a lot of advantages. They are located in modern buildings with spacious rooms, and convenient infrastructure has been created near the hotels. Tourists can use the convenient car parking or go to a restaurant, ball or night club. And from the windows of the rooms you can admire the fortress, standing in the distance. In addition, the cost of living on the coast is much cheaper than on the island itself.
Local cuisine and restaurants
Since San Michele (France) is a small town, there aren’t a lot of luxury restaurants here. Local establishments are fully focused on tourists who often come to the island for only a few hours, so they want a quick and inexpensive meal, and then go on for a walk. Because of this, most cafes offer travelers simple dishes that are prepared in just a few minutes.
It is worth noting that on the island itself, all establishments are located on the main tourist street - Grande Rue. A lot of tourists visit them, so the staff is used to serving their guests quickly and efficiently. At the same time, they can order a full meal and have a snack with junk food.
Restaurants in San Michele can only be found in hotels. They are focused on their guests, so they serve visitors much slower than street cafes. In their reviews, tourists recommend to try the main dish of local cuisine - lamb fillet, which was grown on local pastures. Flood meadows are believed to be saturated with ocean salt, which has a positive effect on meat quality. Dinner itself can last several hours, but it's worth it. Waiting will help brighten up the unique panoramic views that open from the windows of restaurants.
What to see for tourists?
The photo from San Michel (France) shows that the city is located on a very small island, so, of course, there are few attractions. Arriving in the morning, tourists can examine them all in a few hours and return to Paris in the evening. The visiting card of the island is an ancient abbey, the construction of which began in the VIII century. Although the city itself is a tourist attraction. Along its narrow streets, ancient buildings are everywhere. Natural landscapes are also impressive.
What are the main attractions of San Michel (France) worth seeing when coming to the city? To get to the island, you need to go through the Royal Gate. Entrance to the fortress is free for both adults and children. It is worth taking the time and visiting the ancient cannon, created in the XIV century during the Hundred Years War. Be sure to stroll along the main street of the city - Grande Rue, where there are many restaurants, shops and souvenir shops. If time permits, then you can walk along the walls and see for yourself the tide. In addition, the island has several museums: historical and marine. Tourists can also visit the connable house and the archeoscope, where they show a film dedicated to the history of this place. Entrance to these places is paid, while travelers can purchase a combined ticket.
Of course, the main attraction of the island is the abbey. It is on his inspection that most of the excursion is spent.
Abbey of Mont Saint Michel
Seeing a photo of San Michel (France), you can notice that an impressive fortress rises above the island. This is the famous abbey, considered the main attraction of the country. Entrance to it costs about 10 euros (about 750 rubles). You can visit it both independently and as part of the tour. This monastery was built in the Gothic style. It is known that its construction began in the VIII century, and ended only in the XVI.
Sightseeing in San Michele (France) must spend several hours exploring this magnificent castle. Conventionally, it is divided into 3 levels, each of which has unique historical and cultural monuments.
Lower level
Sightseeing of the main attractions of San Michel (France) begins with a visit to the lower level of the monastery. Tourists go to the Guardroom, which is also a fortified entrance that protected the abbey from invaders. Then they pass along a stone staircase, rising to the medieval church and the monks' chambers located next to it. They were erected in the XIV-XVI centuries. It was here that most of the ministers of the monastery lived.
Top level
Continuing the tour of the main attractions of San Michel (France), tourists rise immediately to the upper level, which offers a wonderful view of the surroundings. But not only they are interesting for travelers, because it is here that the impressive part of the monastery buildings is located. Visitors can take a look at the abbey church, built on top of a mountain in the Gothic style. Having examined it, tourists enter the internal gallery, which connects several important monastery buildings: a garden, a dormitory, a refectory, a kitchen and even an archive.
Middle level
Having examined the upper part of the castle of San Michel (France), tourists can go down to the middle level. Here, right under the refectory, there is a guest room, where in the old days receptions were held for kings and other distinguished guests who visited the monastery. At this level, there is a crypt and a hall in which the bones of the monks who died in the abbey were once stored. Now in its place there is a huge wheel installed in the XIX century. With his help, the prisoners were brought upstairs. Also at the middle level is a chapel, a knight's hall and an almshouse.
Reviews about San Michele (France)
Travelers who are fortunate enough to visit this unique island enthusiastically talk about it in their reviews. In them they call it one of the best sights of France, which is definitely worth seeing when coming to the northern part of the country. They were struck by medieval architecture, the majestic walls of the fortress and the ancient monastery, which together create a unique atmosphere of the ancient city.
At the same time, tourists are advised to come here at least for a couple of days. The fact is that in the abbey in the summer not only daytime, but also night excursions are held. Travelers like the latter most of all because they are visited by far fewer people. And from the top of the fortress you can admire the night coast of France. San Michel is an extremely popular tourist destination, so you should be prepared for the fact that a lot of people come here on the weekend. On narrow streets it can be quite crowded, in addition, it will be problematic to find a parking space or take panoramic photos. In reviews, tourists often complain about this, so they advise you to come to the city on weekdays. They consider a small disadvantage a small number of toilets on the island. There are only 3 of them, one of them being located in the abbey.
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