4bams

I am planning to visit mont st michel in mid september (14th) early in the morning to avoid the crowds. I am confused about the tides and the impact on a visit. the website says high tide is around 11:30 am, around when I assume I will be leaving. we will have a car. the internet also says there can be flooding in the car parks.... so, does this mean we cannot visit mont st michel in the morning if that is high tide time and we will need to leave our car in the car park, or are there more distant places to leave our car so we can visit? i find this all confusing.....

thanks

traveller1959

Don't worry. Usually Mont St. Michel is dry, even when the tide is high. Flooding will happen only if there is a stormy spring tide - and then you do not want to go there anyway. In any case, they will warn you.

So, just drive there, park your car and visit.

PalenQ

Yes it is rare - a few times of years with a full moon and strong currents - that is until the old Digue or Causeway will be demolished and natural currents can again cleanse the bay in this area of silt - it has silted up so much that grass can be seen growing in places.

But for now you'll probably be high and dry the whole time. You can always walk the mile or so from the mainland where there are ample parking lots.

tom_mn

MSM is only surrounded by water during high tides for certain parts of the year. There is no parking near MSM only inland so it's not a concern anyway.

kja

"...until the old Digue or Causeway will be demolished" -- Interesting. I thought the old causeway had already been demolished and I thought the new pedestrian access was to be high enough that the tides would not be an issue. I could easily be mistaken.

PalenQ

Well a recent article in the NYTimes about the opening of the new bridge said the old causeway would now be demolished but within a year - not so simple knocking it down it seems - and currents will not cleanse the bay until the old digue is gone.

PalenQ

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...l-9686650.html

This article from this spring or summer says the old causeway will be demolished this winter.

kja

Thanks for the update, PalenQ!