Mont Ste Michel

Stay in Pontorson, which has a few restaurants and supermarkets.

I hope that you won’t be as disappointed with MSM as I was if you are driving so far. It’s been ruined by the road that they have built.

I would prefer to spend my time in nearby Saint-Malo and Dinard.

Thanks, Jennifer. MSM is on my husband’s bucket list so I doubt I can change his mind ☺️.

We visited MSM for a 1 night stay last Sept. Drove from Bayeux. Stayed at Le Relais du Roy- in La Caserne so you go thru the gate and have parking at your hotel. Shuttle bus to MSM is across the street. We did not eat on MSM as everything was so very touristy and extremely overpriced. We actually spent the evening near our hotel which had fantastic views of the Mont, watched the sunset and ate dinner at a place along the road there. IMO the views OF MSM are better than the views FROM

Le Relais du Roy was fine- basic but very functional rooms, very small but perfectly fine for a 1 night stay.
http://www.le-relais-du-roy.com
Checked it off our bucket list ;)

Staying on MSM is truly magical. You get to experience it when the crowds are there, but also truly appreciate it when they leave. Walking the streets and ramparts after the hoards of people have left is truly magical. Yes, you can stay off island and take the bus to see it after dark. But for me, there was something wonderful about just being able to walk out of my room, and wander the vacant lanes at any hour—either late at night, or early in the morning. Unfortunately, most rooms on MSM are owned or managed by the Poullard Group. No great deals, but still worth it IMHO. You are there for the experience, not for staying in 5-star hotel.

What Christine H said about Relais du Roy -- we walked toward the island in the evening after an afternoon visit and the view of illuminated buildings was incredible. Keep an eye on the tide table to see when the island is fully surrounded by water -- we saw some parked cars whose drivers didn't heed the signs.

I'm with PharmerPhil. It's magical to be on the island, especially once the crowds leave, or before they come in the morning. It's fun, either early or late, to wander the passageways and staircases that intertwine across the island. But the crowds have never that much of a bother for us. It's crowded because all those people also want to see the island. Can't blame them. For us, they're more background than something that detracts from the experience.
I know others prefer staying on the mainland and looking at le Mont, but we walk away from the island on the causeway at night, turn around and get the same experience of seeing it illuminated.
Rooms are small, expensive and always involve climbing (either on the island to get to your hotel or inside the hotel to get to your room). Lately we have taken to renting a room with a balcony, way up on le Mont, just lower than the Abbey itself. It's even more expensive, but we love it. https://www.lavieilleauberge-montsaintmichel.com/fr/
We are not big fans of the Mont's restaurants. We eat breakfast but not the overpriced, uninspired lunch/dinner offerings.
No matter how you approach it, I'm sure you will enjoy your visit to Mont St Michel.

I am with Bob and Pharmerphil.......we stayed in the same hotel Bob did for one night on the island and count it an incredible memory and an item checked off our bucket list. The crowds are there but do disappear late afternoon....while they are crowding up the streets you can tour the abbey on your own......so quiet and special. We ate a dinner in our hotel restaurant and had a wonderful cozy room with a balcony overlooking the water and bridge to the mainland. Though the water did not come in that night we thoroughly enjoyed the lights and view. We hurriedly ran back down to the bridge at dark and got pictures of MSM lit up at night.......pictures I will treasure along with my memory. It is a special place......just remember that your luggage can be left and locked in your car which will be secured in a locked parking area while you spend the night.....and your hotel will give you a code for the gate of your lot so that you can drive out the next morning. Just take essentials on the island with you to spend the night. Have a great time!

Thanks, everybody, for your suggestions. Will consult with the owner of the bucket list and decide!

We visited in 20178 and were delighted. Took a few photographs during the day. https://www.theimpartialobservers.com/p987939581
Also some after dark. https://www.theimpartialobservers.com/p795828351
We stayed in one of the rooms on the island and found it adequate, but only just. I believe there are only 35 rooms altogether, so advance booking is mandatory. Were we to return I suspect we would stay at the du Roy on the mainland, which also has decent food. The food on the island is something best avoided.

DO NOT miss nearby Dinan :) Particularly the walk down the hill to the river.

I personally would not spend the night on MSM (assuming your luggage can be kept out if sight in the car to park, or you do it as a no-luggage runout from, say, Dinan, Dinard, St. Malo, Dol de Bretagne, Paimpol, or elsewhere). This sentiment is partly based on having already visited many medieval town centers. MSM is a must-visit, but I find the “romance” of a small, stuffy summer room on a hot night, and limited restaurant options ON the island to limit my desire. We slept in Dinard, but it was a bit sleepy, except getting a table for seafood dinner. Ironically, we did have to use our 240 volt window fan in the small beachfront room we we had in the Reine Mahtilde hotel in Dinard. But the place felt like somewhere James Bond might sneak off to with his lover. MSM felt like The Tower of London. If I had it to do over, I might sleep in St. Malo. Neither is “next to” MSM.

Both Dinard and St. Malo have peninsula-traffic overhead for each day-trip!

Everyone has a different experience and does this site in a different way. Here is what I did. I arrived at my B&B in the early evening. I stayed here: https://lerayondesoleil.monsite-orange.fr/ There are a LOT of B&Bs in the area and the prices are competitive. I then drove to Mont St. Michel and arrived after, I think, 7 p.m. when the parking is FREE. Took the free shuttle to the island and enjoyed walking the ramparts after the crowds. It was wonderful. I had dinner a bit later--after the dinner crowds. At that time of year, the last shuttle to the parking lots was at 11 p.m. I was able to enjoy and capture the island in the evening light. Loved it. The next morning I went back and followed Rick Steves' instructions on entering the Abbey. Note that when you arrive on the island, there are public bathrooms right in front of you. Use those and then go to the left and go to the tourist office. I bought my Abbey ticket there and continued up the slight hill to the Abbey entrance. Once inside, I rented an audio guide. You can also get an English tour, however, it was packed and I couldn't hear. Sometime before noon, in the church, mass is conducted. They rang the bells and a few resident monks arrived. Walking through the Abbey takes awhile. It seemed to go on and on, but it was beautiful. I did not see any restrooms anywhere so use them beforehand. Once I exited the Abbey, I was in a crowd on the main street. I was happy to have experienced that the night before without the crowds.

Staying at my B&B, I drove a short distance to the Abbey and on several occasions, in the morning and evening, I watched the sheep running down the streets in the town nearby. Personally, staying in Dinnard or St. Malo would have been too far for me to drive. I was there for the Abbey and wanted to experience it at different times of the day. That's just me. Enjoy and have a great trip.

Thanks for all of your responses. In the end, we elected to stay in Pontorson mainly because that’s where we could get a reservation off island (we elected not to stay on MSM). Appreciate everyone’s input. Will let you know next week!

I'd suggest staying in Cancale. Depending on where you stay it's about 30 minutes from MSM. The lodging will be much cheaper and they are famous for their oysters. There are plenty of reasonably priced dining options overlooking the bay. I had a nice dinner of oysters and beer, with a view, for about 14 euro compared to 35 to 50 euro (sadly not exaggerating) for just one omelette on main street MSM. You could add a morning or afternoon visiting St. Malo, about another 30 minute drive from Cancale.