Q: Seeing Mont Saint-Michel from a distance at night

There are several hotels just off the island. We stayed at the Hotel Mercure Mont-Saint-Michel. It is nothing fancy but is clean and convenient. You will need a code to get through the parking lot to the hotel. You will need to call the hotel to obtain it. I would suggest making dinner reservations if you want to eat dinner there. We did not, and they were booked. There is a shuttle that will take you across the causeway to the island. There is a dam that has a seating area a short walking distance from the hotel that you can walk to look at Mont-Saint-Michel at night.

It was on our bucket last as well….so worth it…and we stayed on the island and are so glad we did. We walked off the island a few feet from the gate that night and took some amazing pictures!

@Jane:

Where did you stay? And how did you get to the area? Rental car? Bus? Train?

We stayed at Hotel La Croix Blanche……..yes, it is crowded and touristy until all of the tourists leave around 4 pm…..then you have it to yourselves…..and it is wonderful. We had a RSteves tour group at our hotel and they were very kind….they needed the table where we were seated in the hotel restaurant so we gave it to them, moved outside and they gifted us a glass of wine….tho we are not wine drinkers but a very kind gesture…..we parked our rental car in the locked lot, took minimal things onto the island and enjoyed a wonderful night looking at the water outside and pinching ourselves that we got to do this….bucket list dream that was so worth the trouble. We got up that night from the bed in our pj’s, put coats on and ran outside by the gate to get the incredible pics of MSM all lit up!

davey, you may benefit from using the Search box top center to read dozens of past post discussion multiple aspects of a visit to MSM, part-day or overnight. One tiny example:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/travel-to-mount-st-michel

We were very happy with our 3 or 4-hour visit with a car, on the way elsewhere. I would note that there are almost no positive reviews of the physical aspects of on-island hotels, although many posters were enthusiastic to have slept on the island. My point is that the modern chain motels along the immediate approach "strip" are convenient and no doubt comfortable. But they are (except for the nearby .... MSM itself) in a cultural wasteland, but with convenient basic restaurants and a supermarket.

One thing I haven't read about the off-island motels is what the rules are about re-entry to the island with a same-day admission ticket. More research may reveal some real B&B's nearby that might even have a distant view of the island. But transportation without a car may be an issue.

A little off topic but the view of MSM standing on the horizon in the distance from Mont Dol is my favorite.