Mont St Michel - staying there

We stayed at Auberge de la Baie which was an independent property just off the island. It was much less expensive and the restaurant was fairly good. Restaurants on Mont St. Michel were pricey and seemed to all have the same menu. We ate at a restaurant on the shuttle route to MSM and quite honestly, it was the worst food we've had on three trips to France. We arrived late afternoon, settled in our hotel and at dusk (end of September) we got beautiful pictures of MSM with farm fields and animals in the foreground, stunning. We then parked in the MSM parking lot and took the shuttle to the the abbey and spent a couple hours there without crowds and did some photography. The next morning we got up early and again parked in the MSM lot and took the shuttle and enjoyed photographing the island/abbey again and slowly made the walk up to the abbey. We got there a few minutes before opening and the abbey was fairly quiet. We took our time and were back to our car at around 1 or 2pm. We had a lovely picnic (picked up a baguette and cheese in a convenience store on the shuttle route) back on the "mainland" and proceeded to Normandy. We didn't feel rushed at any point. I think one day/evening is enough to see the island, not sure what else we would have done had we been there longer. I felt the parking in the shuttle lots was fairly secure.

julesmenssen ... very helpful reply ... thanks!

1) Yes, you can enjoy the uncrowded Mont in the afternoon and evening of your arrival day and then again the morning of the next day. Sunset won't be until about 8:00 in mid-September. Tides have their own schedule so it will depend on exactly what day you choose to visit whether you'll see the tide roll in. Here's a tide schedule: http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/75e6a5_89b716788a0a4a449f55212f11123ddc.pdf
There are some really high tides on the 10th, 11th and 12th of September. They should be fun to see.
2) Yes, there's enough to see/do/experience if you stay two nights. We actually stayed two nights last year (in August) because we find it so charming and romantic. It's easy to understand how someone could say they've seen enough by staying one night but we don't get bored when we're there for two. Some people don't even think it's necessary or advisable to stay on the Mont itself but I think it's delightful to go to sleep on the Mont and wake up there. It feels much more like it's yours and not just someplace you went to see.
Walk along the ramparts, take a tour of the Abbey. Visit the little church (St Pierre), take a look at the cemetery. There are numerous stairs and passageways which thread through the buildings and we find them fun to explore. You have to be prepared for lots of stairs. Walking around on Mont St Michel includes a lot of up and down.
Lodging on the Mont is overpriced from my point of view but we're willing to splurge on it. We've stayed in different places, none bad, but the last two times we've stayed in a room with a terrace far up on the Mont (Vielle Auberge). Even more of a splurge, but well worth it IMO.
3) We've never had anything stolen from our car in the parking lot and we have left luggage in the car. I'm not advising you to do that, just saying that we've done it. Of course, we cover or hide anything of value left in the car and don't do the luggage shifting there in the parking lot.

I stayed at a hostel in Cancale, about 30 minutes from MSM. It overlooks the ocean and is an experience in itself. The building looks a lot like an 80's chalet. The people running it are more like the 1960's. There are chickens in the back, a little of a commune feel. It includes breakfast and there are restaurants within (somewhat long) walking distance where you can order outstanding oysters, again overlooking the ocean, at a good price. Definitely great for budget travel. I loved it - not sure it's for everyone?

There is a tide chart for MSM. I think I was also there around mid-Sept 2016 but can't remember the exact dates. There were some of the biggest tides of the year while I was there, enough so some of the road to MSM was under water at high tide. When the tide is out, the whole bay is a massive mud flat. I didn't plan time for it but there are guided low tide walks that looked like a lot of fun (if you don't mind having mud from the calves down). People rolled their pants up and hosed their legs off afterward.

I didn't have any problem with my car but I also left nothing visible in the car while I was gone.

If you do this, don't be too late about arriving. We were just there and arrived around 1:20, had lunch and were walking to the Mont by 3pm.... We took our time exploring the Mont and climbing up to the Abbey, and spent about an hour in the Abbey. It was closed when we walked out. I just checked the Abbey hours currently are 8am to 6pm. So it closes long before sunset.

We just did this last month!

Drove to MSM and parked in the secure parking on the mainland. Super easy and we consolidated all our stuff into one backpack and hid the rest in the trunk. I wasn't worried (and I'm a worrier!).

Took the shuttle to MSM around 3p, checked into our hotel (Le Mouton Blanc, highly recommend) and wandered around the village. It was crowded but we were pretty relaxed since we knew we were spending the night.

Had dinner and then walked out on the bridge to look at MSM at night (so gorgeous!). Some night tour groups but nothing unmanageable. The village itself on MSM was pretty deserted.

Woke up early and went to the abbey right when it opened. It was amazing.....hardly anyone there, got great pictures without random people in the background and by the time we were done and walking out of the abbey the crowds started coming in.

I personally don't think 2 nights are necessary.

Have fun and good luck!

Check for current hours for the days you'll be there. I went last mid-September and found it closed an hour earlier than summer hours. I missed it in the evening because of this, but was staying on the Mont, so saw it the next morning.

Bk9, you may be overestimating the distance to the mainland. While the parking lot is a long hike, we walked from our car to the Abbey upon arrival. That was to check out the shopping and hotel "strip" (no exaggeration) on the mainland. We used the free electric shuttle bus on our departure. Having been to a dozen medieval villages, I find the pleasant-enough MSM to be over-romanticised on this newsboard. We saw no need to spend the night there. It does make some sense to sleep nearby, to experience coastal France.

Hi all

Based on the wonderful feedback, we've booked a night on MSM.

Thanks everyone