Mont Saint Michel - walk from off island hotel

Last October I walked from Mont Saint-MIchel across the causeway to the small village and on to the parking lot. My small group had taken the shuttle over (pouring down rain, lol) but we all decided to walk back. There is a sidewalk so no problem.

It looks like your hotel is just past the main parking lots so should not be a problem.

I have not eaten at the restaurant you've chosen so I would just ask your hosts at the hotel/B&B their advice about driving vs walking.

I have only driven in this area, but I thought it was interesting that this Google Street View happens to include 2 backpackers, hugging the edge of the road. It looks dangerous to me, and more so at night.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/My77sbojzeQk3Syg6

Note that many Google photos are years old.

Be aware just how large the paid parking lots for MSM are. If you do some careful study, you might decide, especially if traffic seems light, that you want to risk the walk to the lots. It is an extremely long walk to MSM from the farthest lots, but as you note, there are shuttle busses, delivering you to the relatively short ride on a double-ended electric shuttle. Walking this entire route, within the parking lot zone, is also permitted, and is mostly on a sidewalk.

Everyone walks in Europe. Your biggest problem is going to be watching the tides, because when they are high you cannot get across the bridge to, or from, the island. And in May it will be light outside until around 9PM.

"Your biggest problem is going to be watching the tides, because when they are high you cannot get across the bridge to, or from, the island."

This is not a problem most of the time now with the new causeway. IF there is a super high tide then the end right by the entrance to MSM might be covered. This was the case when I visited in October - we had to wait about 15 minutes for the water to subside although some were walking the short distance (maybe 25 yards?) thru the shallow water.

Note that many Google photos are years old.

The Google Street views have a date code on the bottom. This one shows October 2022 (you can now even click on "show more dates" on the top to see Google's older photos). But I drove very close to MSM last June and dropped off a couple of hitchhikers right around there who were going to walk to the island. This is the way I remember the roads. YMMV.

Answer to question two:

NO! There is no way I would walk that very narrow two lane road from the inn to the restaurant. Cars go by swiftly. There's no real shoulder just overgrown uneven meadowy grass. You'll take one look at it in person and think otherwise. The restaurant is down the gated road; so I assume the restaurant will tell you how to get through the gate or what to tell the guard to get in to the private free parking lot.

Enjoy!

I didn't express myself very well before; I was trying to point out that THIS, partial walk, from your hotel to the Camper Parking for MSM, which has sidewalks to the main parking and then to the shuttle busses,

https://maps.app.goo.gl/NvsJUXB2bkGLESFn7

is only nine minutes, and the Google Street Views suggest that there are turnout parking areas and other "traffic calming" structures, and that the shoulders are MOWED, even with some evidence of other walkers. Some people might decided that the level of risk for this walk in daylight is more acceptable. I certainly can't decide for you. I think the highway is MORE dangerous towards your restaurant, and I don't see any imperative (other than Whale Hugging) to NOT drive to dinner. Well, there is ... wine consumption.

I read on TripAdvisor that across the street from the inn there is a path (along the edge of the field) that leads to the walkway/path along the Couesnon River. About a 20-25 minute walk from there to MSM; supposed to be very pretty/nice way to approach MSM.

I’m going to reach out to the inn via email before we go. I’ll try to remember to repost what we ended up doing once we return from our trip (June) in case someone else searches for the same info later.

Thank you all for your replies.

On Google maps there are photographs (as opposed to street view) of that surfaced riverside path. It does look like a good walkway And as sunset is at 9.30pm you could use that path to walk to the restaurant (there is a road back from that river path to the MSM bus terminus and car parks), then take a taxi back to the hotel.
Street view is ambivalent about the fieldside path to the river- it looks to be alongside a drain, having jumped over the low roadside crash barrier. It looks walkable in September 2023- though unclear if it is actually a public right of way.