Does anyone know the hours for getting onto MSM and/or visiting the Abbey in late October. My plan was to visit in early evening but I read that those later hours stop at the end of September when the winter schedule begins. Unfortunately, the section on the official website that would most likely inform me of those hours is under construction (with no indication of when the construction will be completed) and I cannot find them elsewhere. I am trying to organize my all too brief trip to Normanday so I would really like to find out.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
The abbey closes at six in the winter (actually, all except May - August, I think, which is at seven), with the last admission about an hour earlier. The town does not close. I wouldn't worry about getting inside the abbey, most people I've taken in (after they insisted) shrugged their shoulders when they came out.
Posted by
Texan in CA
4415 posts
Three sites to help you:******http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/en/lieux-visite.htm***http://www.au-mont-saint-michel.com/en/mont_st_michel.htm***http://mont-saint-michel.monuments-nationaux.fr/en/******You'll probably want to use the first one for the best, all-around info; start with the button that says "Places to Visit" for ALL of the hours, etc., that you probably need. And for what it's worth, people I've talked to were blown away by the abbey - I'm sure it all depends on one's expectations [and how badly one's feet hurt at that point in the vacation ;-)].
Posted by
OP
boston
15 posts
Eileen, the first link does have the hours posted. Oddly, it looks like the website I was looking at just a couple of hours ago that was under construction. In any case, now that I know the hours, I guess I'll have to try to figure out if I would be one of those blown away by the abbey...or one of those to shrug my shoulders. Based on the reading(albeit limited)I've done about it, it sounds like the "blow you away" stuff, other than the tide rushing in, happens on the exterior from a distance. So..I guess I should ask: what it is about it being inside the abbey that blows one away?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
The inside of the abbey is nothing spectacular, even if you know the history of the place.. The logistics of buidling the thing where it is is what's remarkable about the abbey. Walking the eastern wall while the tide is coming in is spectacular. Seeing the lighted mont from the causeway at night is what blows your socks off.
Posted by
Los Angeles, California
1986 posts
I found the inside of the abbey to be very interesting, although sparse comapred with cathedrals. wandering around in the space, through the cloiseters, looking over the walls. To me that was interesting and a special feeling. I have posted before- it takes me a good hour and a half- even when I a in a hurry
Posted by
OP
boston
15 posts
Thanks - If it works out that we can actually get there before the abbey closes then I guess I will decide for myself but...we just won't kill ourselves trying to make it. I guess the idea is to get there before the tide comes in and then wait for it?
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
You're going to have to live with the tide you get; low to high is six hours. If you get there after the crowds are gone AND see the abbey, two hours is an overkill. Without crowds, you can walk the one street and circle back down the eastern wall in fifteen minutes. If I can find a tide table, I'll come back and post it. Edit: this is part of what Eileen had and it works better than regular tide tables if you're not used to them:http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/fr/horaire-marees/mont-saint-michel.htm