The tiny main street was filled with tourists, especially Japanese ones! It felt immensely crowded after our time out in the country yet we knew that this was the much improved off-peak season! We found our tiny hotel, entered a narrow stone archway and climbed some narrow stairs to find our room and the view of the main street below.
Our window overlooked the city walls to the tidal flat that were visible as it was now low tide.
We began the climb, this time with stairs, to the abbey at the top of the Mont.
Along the external walls you can see the surroundings and imagine what this would have looked like to medieval people. The causeway was where we came across from the mainland and we cycled here from further than our eyes could see over the horizon.
The Mont is both a place of worship and a fortress, with fortified walls designed for shooting arrows from protected nooks and pouring hot oil on invaders from recessed crannies.
In fact, the Mont resisted several English attempts to take her, resulting in her becoming a symbol of French Independance. Turns out that the English have their own St Michael's Mont, probably because they decided it was easier to build one of their own!
We took the self-guided abbey tour and walked around the abbey for an hour. The windows were very simple compared to Chartres!
Near the top of the abbey a beautiful roof garden peeked at us between the myriad of miniature collonades.
Overall, the structures were amazing and quite a sight to behold!
That night we dined at one of the restaurants overlooking the tidal flats, seated comfortably within the town walls. Romantic and wonderful 10th Anniversry dinner venue!
We knew that the prices and food would be touristy, unlike the small towns we had been travelling through. Despite that, my shrimp and scallop crevettes was quite superb.
Renata's seafood platter was very fresh and appealing!
Our main courses - lamb for me and mussels for Renata were nothing to write home about however. We walked around the town a little and took some pictures of the abbey lighted up, before retiring early.
I was very sleepy but was planning to sleep a little then take the bus back to the mainland so I get my bike and ride back to the Mont. The free buses run late into the night so at midnight I walked out of our hotel and down main street. The shops and roads were deserted, making the miedieval town feel even more medieval. As I walked out of the Mont, I noticed the Abbey lights had already been turned off! I should have cycled earlier but was exhausted and had no way of knowing what time the lights dimmed.
As I walked further even more of the lights above turned off, leaving this city boy feeling a little worried , but I really wanted to experience the night ride to the Mont so I caught the last bus from the Mont to the mainland at 12.30am.
Back at the mainland, I had difficulty I didn't expect. I couldn't find my bike! Not that it was missing, I couldn't find the entire bike park because my poor sense of direction. I lost my bearings and the darkness didn't help! Finally after wandering around for half an hour and talking to a bus driver, I found the bike park in a different direction than I has been looking!
All the trouble was worth it however. I rode a slow and magical 3km back to Mont, along the new pathway that was provisionally open, due to officially open later in November. Very dim lights along the floor guided the way and in the distance, Mont St Michel loomed larger. It was perfectly quiet and quite dark. As I neared the walls of Mont, I felt quite emotional as it was such a privilege to be riding up to Mont in solitude and silence.
I held my breath as I passed under the main entrance. One is normally here only with throngs of visitors, but tonight it was just my Brompton and me, with Renata fast asleep in her cozy bed.
A Brompton within the ramparts of Mont St Michel! Of course, I had to remember this with pictures.
At the stone stairway leading up our hot room, I rested her against the ancient walls. Renata, I and our bikes had come so far and this was our final night. I felt satisfied and not sad.
I couldn't sleep for a long time, even though it was past 2am and we were due to rise at 6.30am. We couldn't have had a more memorable final day of riding and evening!
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