From Bayeux to Mont Saint-Michel, off the beaten track

Villedieu les Poeles is a pleasant stop. A number of nice places to eat. I’ve been to L’Bistrot Union for a couple of lunches.

I second Villedieu-les-Poelles.

The Michelin Green Guide to Normandy will list just about every town in the region along with a description of what a tourist might want to see in them. It has maps and suggested driving routes as well.

Château de Balleroy halfway between Bayeux and St-Lo. I have only walked through the garden, so no idea about it's interior. Visited the little balloon museum at the entrance too, not outstanding but interesting enough popping in.

The huge fortress of Fougères is to my opinion worth a detour. Nice view from the public garden adjacent to the church on top of a hill.

In Avranches there are a few spots near the church overlooking the bay with Le Mont-Saint-Michel at the horizon. Nice views following D43 through Courtils and further D275 to MSM.

Thank you all. You RS Forum folks never fail to have wonderful advice.

Not on the way but near msm I found this place to be a lovely stop for lunch and a walk.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/p7o66hD7xkp4DsJq7?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

https://ladegustationtonneau.fr/

Thanks, Matt. That looks irresistible.

Either along the coast or inland

Well the drive is almost certainly inland with the exception of the drive right near MSM. And the drive itself is only slightly more than an hour. On one of my trips I stopped in Avranches for a walk around and lunch and loved it. It isn't too far from the Mont, but is a nice stopover. There are the ruins of an old tenth century châteu up on a hill (Donjon d'Avranches) where purportedly there are distant views of Mont Saint-Michel (it wasn't clear enough when I was there). But it makes for good scramble up onto the ramparts and there are some monuments up there as I recall. There is also the Scriptorial (that I didn't) visit that houses some of the original manuscripts from the monks of MSM.

Between Avranches and Bayeux are several "off the beaten path" WWII sites including Musée la Percee du Bocage which is a museum about the battles in this area and Hill 192. If you swing a little North, there is the town of Coutances, which is where the Allies finally cut off the Cotentin Peninsula. This sealed everything from there North, including the prized port of Cherbourg.

Adding to the list, we liked Vitré. It's not a small town, and the antique buildings are scattered around instead of concentrated in an historic district. But there's a real feel of a small city with real residents not in the tourism business. Widely scattered parking lots. Lots of lunch options. We didn't have time for Madame de Sevigny's mansion, edge of town.

Be aware that the last road mile to MSM is hideously developed, like approaching a major resort in the US.

You might consider Hambye. The town is nice enough, but the main attraction is the ruins of an abbey (l'Abbaye de Hambye) on the site of a former Benedictine monastery. The physical setting is very quiet, incredibly green, and beautiful. I'm sure you could find photos by searching on the internet.

Better yet, there's a terrific restaurant attached to a hotel just a few steps away: Restaurant l'Auberge de l'Abbaye. It's terrific and well worth the short detour off the main track between Bayeux and Mont Saint-Michel.

Another prospect would be driving west through Saint-Lô to Coutances, which is a charming little town with a huge cathedral, then turn south and go through Granville, Saint-Pair-sur-Mer, Juliouville, and on to Mont-Saint-Michel. You could swing by to Avranches if you wish to view the Scriptorial d'Avranches, where the museum dedicated to the manuscripts of Mont-Saint-Michel is located. Lots of good restaurants in those towns.

And when you drive by on either route honk about mid-way to Mont-Saint-Michel That's where we live.

Thank you all for your wonderful advice.

This is great. I think we are going to go to Hambye now too. Thanks for the tip!