lonmermaid

I've heard the restaurants in Mont St. Michel is overpriced, not good in general. We will be staying at Auberge Saint Pierre (thanks to everyone's posting here) in their family duplex outside the main building. Does anyone have any not too expensive, good restaurant suggestion? I've heard that the food is so bad there, and am tempted to maybe bring a picnic basket from Paris instead...

Thank you!

Michael

My wife and I enjoyed the omelets at la Mère Poulard--oversized and really over-priced--and it was worth the one time experience. Both the omelet as a main course and the dessert omelet we shared can be recommended, although many on this board have disagreed. On the other hand, their agneau pré salé was a big disappointment.

laverendrye

Have stayed and eaten at the Auberge Saint Pierre. The food's fine, and the dining room looks out over the walls. I wouldn't waste my money on the Mère Poulard.

Keith

I enjoyed the food at Hotel Le Mouton Blanc, particularly the lamb and the creme brule. And the prices were reasonable compared to other French cities.

Keith

lonmermaid

Thanks for postings. I guess I will try Mouton Blanc then maybe! Really appreciate your postings.

McBetsy

This may not be the most helpful reply, but...there are many restaurants along the ramparts and they seemed to be less expensive than those along the main walking street the goes directly from the entrance to the foot of the abbey steps. In fact, I would reccomend walking down from the abbey along the ramparts to avoid the throngs on the main street. It will be crowded enough, but not as bad as the main street. There are several cafes and restuarants along the way.

cls2paris

I agree about Mouton Blanc. I didn't try the lamb but wished I had. It looked very good and was supposed to have a unique flavor because of the salt flats (I think!). I don't recall thinking that it was overpriced. I'm sure you like being there in evening when the throngs of visitors have left.

StCirq

It was years ago, admittedly, but we thought the omelettes at Mère Poulard were a joke - runny and overpriced, and the whole "show" of beating them was ridiculous. I don't need to pay to see someone beat my eggs. My son can make a better omelette.
I don't think le MSM is known for its food, but I've heard that the food at Auberge St-Pierre is reasonable and good.
If the lamb at Mouton Blanc is recommended, go for it, because it is the specialty of the region - mouton présalé.

LaurenSKahn

Despite the Mere Poulard haters, I have eaten there twice and enjoyed it. Once was dinner with husband. Once was lunch with a bunch of kids. The dinner was nicer. I also stayed at Mere Poulard once overnight. Very nice, very expensive.

dutyfree

Personally, I feel that Mere Poulard(both restaurant and hotel are overpriced tourist traps). If you want to see them making the omelette which someone said was close to $30 USD-then take at look at Rick Steves tape on Normandy at your library and save yourself some money. I just watched it the other night on my PBS station. Auberge Saint Pierre is a great place to spend the night and the view is "mysterious" from your windows.As the previous poster mentioned, there are numerous places to eat that are less expensive and decent off the lower "main drag".I think that everyone stops at Mere Poulard because it is one of the first places as you walk in to the mont and because it "hawks" the cookies and everything else the most.Enjoy the time from 4PM to about 10AM the next morning-its magical without all the tourist buses!!!

lonmermaid

Thanks everyone! I wouldn't really eat omelet for dinner normally and can imagine omelet ever costing over 10 dollars (and I live in Manhattan...), althought that sounds like their regional specialty -- maybe we will just watch from the window! It sounds like either our hotel (Auberge St. Pierre) or Mouton Blanc is the best bet. Okay, I will just save the picnic basket from Paris for our lunch that day and try one of those places. We will be there next sunday night, so will tell you how it goes when I return! Thanks all; really appreciate all your generous advice!

lonmermaid

oops I meant I couldn't imagine omelet ever costing over 10 dollars!

Keith

You can see the omlets made at Mere Poulard from the enterance. People eating in the restaurant don't see it from their tables. I enjoyed wateching and listening to them for a few minutes.

Keith

Michael

The egg beating at the entrance of the restaurant is obvkously a show. The three people working there obviously could not make omelets in a timely fashion for all the customers of the restaurant's two floors who might be ordering one. I would not do it again, but it is worth it as a one time experience.

LaurenSKahn

The omelet making is a sort of show and come on at Mere Poulard. However, I have to correct the impression that you cannot see them making your omelet. It does depend on where you sit. When I was there with the kids we did watch them make our omelets.

Other observations about Mere Poulard being so popular simply because it is the first place you see and that there are other cheaper alternatives have merit. How cheap those alternatives--or any place in France--would be at present is relative due to the decline in the value of the dollar.

When I ate at Mere Poulard it had at least one Michelin star. Does anyone know how it is rated in the current Michelin guide?

Michael

No restaurant on the Mont St. Michel or the immediate vicinity rates a mention in the 2002 Michelin Red Guide. For all my positive mention of La Mère Poulard omelets, I am surprised that the restaurant ever rated a star.

LaurenSKahn

Mere Poulard at one time had one star, I think.

Having been there twice, I am in no hurry to go back. Am I the only one who feels Mt. St. Michel is best seen from a distance when it appears to float on the sea?

If I ever return, I will have to try one of the other suggested places.

Joyful

Any recommendations for a good restaurant near but not on Mont Saint Michel?

StCirq

The Hôtel-Restaurant Le Bretagne in Pontorson isn't bad - it's a favorite of locals. Fresh seafood is the best thing on the menu. We had oysters broiled with camembert there (seemed like an unlikely combination but it was divine - think it probably had some Calvados in the sauce!).

klondike

Have eaten (and stayed) several times at Le Mouton Blanc and enjoyed it each time. Only disappointment was the "seafood platter", but only because it did not fit the American image of what that should be (i.e. mainly upper-end items like shrimp, crab, lobster). Theirs is more a "working man's" version with lots of little sea creatures like bignoreau (sp? )...sort of like going to a lot of work to dig out and eat a rubber band!

As for the omelettes anywhere on the island, they are too "wet" and frothy for my taste, regardless of the price or which meal. Glad to have tried it, but also glad there were 4 of us and only one ordered the omelette with the idea of sharingw/each other to taste everything...once was more than enough.

I'm one of those who finds the "touristy" nature of the mont part of the experience, and relish the ambiance in the eve. after all the tourists have left. Enjoy!