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Le Mont-St-Michel3 Jun 2009
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| Wed 3rd June---Weather:-Sunny/24degrees Le petit Breuil to Le Mont-St-Michel (269km) (3:40h) One of the main tourist destinations and a world heritage site since 1997 Le Mont-St-Michel was our objective today. Le-Mont-St-Michel is a small island, on the north coast of France, near the border of Brittany and Normandy, separated by approximately one kilometre of waves from the mainland at high tide. It is about one kilometre in diameter and about 80 meters high, jutting majestically above the ocean. In 966, a Benedictine monastery was established. At low tide, however, it is separated from the mainland by approximately one kilometre of sand with pockets of quicksand making it a dangerous place to walk unless with a guide. A causeway was built in 1879; the only approach to the Mont was by foot over this land bridge. This was never a casual stroll because the tides here are among the greatest in France, with a swing of up to 14m between the high and low water marks. The unwary pedestrian could easily be drowned by the sudden onslaught of high tide. Modern pilgrims like us can drive above the water along the causeway to park just outside the Island walls but only on days of not extremely high tides unless you want your car swamped and drifting out to sea We opted to stay on the Island at the ‘Auberge St-Pierre’ as we wanted the opportunity to stroll late at night and early morning without the hordes of tourists that this place attracts. The climb up to the Abbey is steep but with the beautiful views of both the stone masonry of the Abbey and the vista of the bay you are at the Abbey entrance before you know it. One of the most striking things about entering the Abbey is the simplicity inside; there is no gold leaf or painted canvases or frescoes but everywhere you look you see the superior work that is done with stone You also come to realize how frugally the monks lived here with the Abbott having full control of their lives. This afternoon it was an almost ‘elbowing people out of the way to take photographs’ atmosphere but this evening it was very pleasant. It was sad to see people clambering into the Cloisters’ garden just so that they can take the photos that they want. Normally if you see someone lining up a photo opportunity people stand back out of the shot but all that decorum has gone. It seems now that if they see you lining up to take a photo something clicks in their brain “oh this must be worth photographing” and they then go and stand right in front of your camera lens, within 3 feet of you. I am having a gripe as it has not happened just once but it is a reoccurring problem for both Herman and me this trip—I have not noticed it before on other trips. But I am glad to say that is the only thing that has been an annoyance so that is not too bad. The Island has a captured market and they take full advantage of it, prices of food and drinks are quite high, what we would pay in Au$ is the same amount but in Euros over here and then you can add another half on top for the Island. I was delighted to find in one of the shops some modern day dolls that have been dressed in the old style of the Normandy people- lots of velvet, gold braiding and embroidered ribbon. My father was sent away by the Germans to a work camp in this area when Nederland was occupied during the second world war and I remember as a 4/5 year old playing with such a doll—the doll that I played with was much more elaborately dressed and was of the porcelain variety and to my shame I was most probably the cause of its demise—I have always remembered how beautiful it was though and for many years I wondered what happened to it as we went to Australia in 1954 when I was 8 but common sense now tells me the probable truth. |
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