Mont Saint Michel

I know it isn't possible, but no matter where I went in Mont Saint Michel I seemed to be going uphill. There is one major "street" that is crammed with shops, restaurants, tourists and ever present steps. There are a few little off shoots from this main drag. I went up one and found a small chapel with beautiful stained glass windows. A service was being held, so I quietly entered. There were ten other people in the chapel. I didn't understand all that was going on as I am not Catholic and of course it was in French. But, it was still peaceful and uplifting. A Japanese couple entered when I did and as they left they bowed in respect. Mont Saint Michel is a working abbey.

After moseying around for a couple of hours and taking a load of photos I decided it was time to take the Abbey tour. Up, up a very long set of exterior steps to the area where the tickets are sold. I also got an audio guide. After I showed my ticket and started the tour I was faced with the highest staircase yet----90 steps (I counted).

It is almost beyond my comprehension how they managed to build this Abbey, and the entire town too. Monique and I marveled at how they built the towers and buildings we saw, without any modern tools. But Mont Saint Michel is way beyond that. I am astounded at the architectural and engineering skill it took. How laborious it must have been to haul the stone to the island, drag it up the hill and put it into place. It is a marvel to me.

The tour was very crowded and I kept trying to get away from a huge group of Japanese tourists. There are 15 stops on the tour: After stop number 6 theh battery on my audio guide died. I did manage to go faster after that!

When I finished the tour I told the woman at the return counter that the battery had died. She said I could take the tour again. Since it was now 3pm I went to have lunch first. So down all those steps I went to the "lower" levels. I really, really debated blowing off taking the tour again....the idea of climbing all those steps again......But decided that it is not like I could come back again next week.

Got a new audio guide with a fully charged battery. The good news is that there were far fewer people now, the tour buses had left for the day. It was much more enjoyable.

Down the steps and hill one more time. By now my legs and feet were protesting. Trudged to the car, silently cursing the parking attendant who made me park so far away from the entrance. Felt enormous joy that I wouldn't have to climb any more steps that day.

About 10:45 I drove back to Mont Saint Michel, I wanted to see it at night. I took some photos, but my point and shoot camera really couldn't do it justice. Even driving that short distance made me sure that I have no business on small, dark French roads at night.