Mont St. Michel in Normandy

I've stayed in both of the Poulards at one time or another. Both are great, but the prices have become super steep; maybe $450 a night the last time I noticed. When I take folks there now, we drive out the causway and park, walk up the one street and then walk down the eastern wall. If you poke and don't shop that takes an hour. Three hours covers shopping, looking, and a beer (food costs are in line with room prices). Going in the abbey is not really worth the trouble, nothing special about it, but if you want to do it, figure on another hour. The only trick to MSM is catching the tide coming in; this might take some work on the timing of your arrival -- but tides come in all over the world. Since I wasn't asked, you'd be better off sleeping somewhere else.

In May of this year we stayed inside the walls at Hotel Saint Michel for 85 euros per night. I initially contacted Hotel Les Terrasses Poulard but they were booked so they offered the Hotel Saint Michel as an alternative. It was a very basic room with an ensuite bath, television and it was clean. It did have a view looking into the bay. It does not have a star rating whereas the Hotel Les Terrasses Poulard has a three star rating. If you are looking for a basic room it will work for you. If you are looking for more elaborate accomodations then you would want to try something else but with a higher price. An advantage of staying within the walls of the Abbey is that the tourists will leave late in the afternoon and you will also have the early morning hours with very few people before the hordes of humanity invade the place.

Hotel le Mouton Blanc had a very nice, atmospheric, double room for our family of 5 for about $250 for the one night. It was in a separate building about a 5-minute walk from the check-in. We were very happy with it, despite paying more than we were used to for the one night.

Being on the island early & late when most tourists are not is a wonderful experience. However, if I had it to do again, I would stay in one of the many accomodations available just minutes away on the mainland, pay 40% less, eat off the island, but drive up and BE on the island until 10PM or so that night, soaking it all in. That way you have the best of both worlds - you are there when it is quiet, but you save a lot of money.

We ate a sit-down dinner at the cheapest place on the island and paid $125 for all of us together. If it had been good or filling, it may have been worth it, but it was awful and small. You can eat twice as well for half the price off the island.

The abbey on the island is amazing. Spend lots of time wandering there and and soaking it all in. If possible, tour it as late as possible as crouds will ruin the magic.

Hi Sharon,

I second the Mouton Blanc recommendation; my in-laws stayed there in 2007 and said it was a charming old place. I don't remember it being that expensive, so maybe off-season rates are better? I think they paid less than $150 per night. Good luck!

We also stayed at Le Mouton Blanc for 90 Euros. Our room was in the main building. It was basic with a lovely view of the bay and abbey. I enjoyed visiting the abbey because of the panoramic views you got from up there. Watching the tide come in as we ate our dinner was also pretty amazing.

Not to beat a dead horse, but MSM is small (tiny?)(itsy-bitsy?). The walk up the main drag and down the wall is less than a thousand yards. Once you've done that, there's not much else to see. Granted the view from the land end of the causeway is spectacular; and the village without the crowds is nicer, but what you probably came to see was the low tides in the bay -- there ain't no crowds when you're looking out. If you're determined to spend the night, get there late in the afternoon or you'll have nothing to do waiting for it to get dark. What I'd do is stop off at mid-day on the way to somewhere else (St Malo, a spectacular walled port with inexpensive, great places to eat, if headed west) or (Honfleur, Bayeux, or even Rouen if headed east). MSM is one of my wife's favorite spots and I wouldn't consider taking anyone to Normandy without stopping there, but there's just too much else to see in the area.

Thanks for all the great tips. We did end up reserving a place at Hotel le Mouton Blanc.