Apparently since yesterday, MontSt Michel has been closed because of a strike by workers. They are protesting against the new system of access to the Mont (which has been in place for a year or so), which they say doubles, triples, or quadruples the time it takes them to get to work on the Mont. they are seeking the establishment of a dedicated shuttle service for employees. Not sure how long this will go on -- tomorrow the Tour de France goes nearby -- but if you have plans to visit, especially in the next few days, be sure to check websites or call tourist information to know for sure whether the Abbey will be open or not. Sorry to be the bearer of such rotten news!
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6790 posts
Bummer. What's up with the "new system of access to the Mont"? I had not heard of that.
Posted by
Boulder, CO, USA
719 posts
still closed...
Posted by
Elk Grove, CA, USA
6898 posts
Odd, today's Tour de France stage 11 ended at Mont St Michel today. I didn't see or hear anything about a strike on the TV today. Or, maybe I missed it.
Posted by
Boulder, CO, USA
719 posts
yeah it ended on the mont, but the shuttles aren't running so the island was pretty desolate. They made mention of it on the written coverage of the tour. @David - the new system requires you to park offsite and take a shuttle to the island. This is because they are removing the causeway and creating a bridge so that the Island is actually and island again and the water can pass under the road reducing the accumulation of sediment changing the character of the area.
Posted by
Texas
518 posts
Is the abbey completely closed, or is it just closed to tours? We were there toward the end of June. The workers were on strike, but you could go inside the abbey. There were no tours, not even audio guides. The shuttle to and from the parking lot was operating at that time.
Posted by
OP
Paris
10192 posts
For four days it was closed completely. Now it's open again,although the employees are still on strike. They're supposed to meet again today to decide whether to continue the strike or not.