The tide gets the best of the Notte's again! Well if Nicholas wasn't impressed with the rate the tide rose when he visited the Bay of Fundy then he certainly made up for it here Mont Saint Michel. This bay has the biggest tide variations aside from the Bay of Fundy. Always the intrepid travelers, we thought it would be an adventure to circumnavigate the Mont. We were about two thirds away around when we were stopped by slippery rocks. The tide was noticeably rising and we found where our former footfalls were on rock, now slightly underwater! A scramble over the big rocks, then a mad dash through shallow water quickly covering the sand, and a quick schlep through knee deep rushing water (slippery!). Safety! Okay- so now we understand how invading armies were swept away!
Inside Mont Saint Michel we found narrow cobblestone lanes lined by souvenir shops and restaurants. It felt like it had not changed very much from medieval times. We walked up to the abbey and peered out over the ramparts at the area where we almost met our doom. We had dinner here but the most remarkable aspect was the heat and the flies-ugh. We took the free shuttle bus back over the newly constructed bridge which replaced the causeway and allows the water to flow. Our hotel was just on the other side in a gated section (I had to call for the code upon our arrival with my limited French. Thankfully "merci" seems to go a long way.). Dessert back at the hotel was much more enjoyable. The cafe gauramond offers an espresso with an assortment of small desserts. And glace makes any child happy!
Onward to Provence...
OH my!! Mont St. Michel has long been on my bucket list! How lovely for you!!
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