Hello all,
I am taking a day trip to Mont Saint Michel. I will be staying in Bayeux.
Where is the best place to park the car? (I am traveling with a family of 6--there are children!)
When is the best time to arrive? I would like to avoid the throngs of tourists! Should I arrive early morning and leave by mid-day, or arrive at mid-day and leave in the evening?
Thank you!
There is parking in front of the gates. Pay attention to the times of the tides if you are in the lower lot. I would suggest going later so that you can enjoy cafes and scenery after the tour buses leave. Not as much goes on early in the morning.
No need to worry about parking, the lot is huge and well signed and staffed. No need to worry about the tide either as it's rare that the parking lot is affected and the staff would close the endangered sections.
If you want to park as close to the Mont as possible you have to arrive very early.
I've been there several times and it always worked for us to get there very early, take our time to walk up and arrive for the first guided tour through the abbey. Check their website to see when they offer that first tour, especially if you'd like an English tour. It changes between high and low seasons.
Haven't done it personally but it might be less crowded if you get there later in the day. However, access to the Abbey and especially availability of guided tours might be limited. They will certainly be offered in high season but limited availability during other times.
There is plenty of free parking nr the causeway and a short walk to the Mont. If you are traveling during peak season go as early as possible. Since you are in a grp of six w/ children be aware there are alot of tourist walking in a windy cobbled very narrow area once in the Mont and too many tacky souvenir/snack/restaurants shops lined up a quarter way up to the church.Mont St Michel is however magical and stunning beautiful.
The last admission to the abbey is either 5 or 6 pm, depending on the time of the year. In my one experience here, the crowds didn't start to thin out until early evening, so probably your best option is to arrive before 9 in the morning. Most of the shops along the main street will not yet have opened at this hour, but expect all their wares fully displayed after you finish your tour of the abbey. If you think your kids might become distracted by all the cheapo souvenirs, here's a hint for avoiding them: instead of descending to your car down the main street, walk along the ramparts -but if you have any kids in a stroller, this option won't work.
We arrived at Mont Saint Michel at 4:30 P.M. on June 27. It wasn't at all crowded and we parked very close to the entrance. We spent three hours there which was plenty of time for us. Our one disappointment was that the tides were way out when we visited. We plan to check tide tables when we return in a few years because we would like to see the Abbey surrounded by a lot of water. If possible, drive up around the corner of Normandy where you can get a view of the Abbey off to the southwest. Good photo ops.
"If possible, drive up around the corner of Normandy where you can get a view of the Abbey off to the southwest. Good photo ops."
Yes! On a clear day, you'll get a dramatic shot of the distant Mont rising above the horizon, framed behind thousands of grazing sheep. On a cloudy or overcast day, the Mont will shimmer like a ghost above the landscape.
We arrived at le Mont St Michel at 8:45 am and parked on the causeway, quite close to the entrance. We were probably two of the first 10 people to go into the monastery (it opens at 9) and felt like we had the place to ourselves. Two hours later we were ready to leave and were walking out as the tour buses were walking in. We stayed in Bayeux and the hotel offered a tour that left the parking lot at 9 am, which is probably what most people/tours do. I would go as early as possible. (
