Need some advice about Mont St Michel

Old Jan 24th, 2019, 02:49 AM
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Zvi
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Need some advice about Mont St Michel

Hi all

I will be in Paris in May and my last day is free so I'm thinking about a day trip to Mont St Michel.
Has anyone done this trip and can recomand it?
https://www.musement.com/us/paris/vi...philesanonymes

I read here and there recomandations to stay the night on the island so any tips would be welcomed. If I go for this option it will be my last day in France. Where would be the best place to take my flight (to Israel)?

Thanks to all reply
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 03:08 AM
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A daytrip to le Mont-St-Michel from Paris is likely to involve about 16 hours of travel, most of it in transit as opposed to visiting le Mont. I would never do such a thing, but plenty of people do.

An even worse idea would be to spend the night on le Mont and then try to get a plane back to Israel the next day. Don't you already have a return ticket anyway?

I would just forget about it and visit it on another trip.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 05:51 AM
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I agree with StCirq. We visited Mont-St-Michel this past fall. Always a dream, and it did not disappoint. You can and will have a three or four hour visit to see everything and will spend the other 10 hours on a bus. It is simply not worth that.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 08:27 AM
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It isn't that far, it won't be 10 hours on a bus. It will be about 8. It's only about a 4 hr drive each way.

I would never do such a thing due to its distance, at least certainly not the day before I left. But if you did want to do it, I agree those packaged tours are the only reasonable way to do it efficiently, as DIY will take a lot longer due to the various transfers required and schedules.

I think it's just up to you, most people wouldn't want to do that the day before they left but if this is on your bucket list, it's really up to you. Talking about flights is confusing. That trip is RT from Paris, obviously. I doubt if they'd give you money back if you said I don't want to go back with you. In that case, it might make sense to do it yourself. But it doesn't make any sense logistically to stay overnight and try to fly home to Israel from there. Don't you have your return ticket already??

Even if you didn't, you aren't going to get a flight from Rennes (probably the nearest decent size airport) to Israel. Air France does have direct flights from Rennes to CDG, though, but obviously that would take up so much more time than just taking that bus back to Paris, if you did decide to do this, that it wouldn't be feasible. Not to mention expensive.

I wouldn't do something like that because someone told you that you just had to stay in some old monument area overnight. People stay stuff like that a lot, do what you want to do. They think buildings in the dark are romantic or something. Tourists are big on that kind of thing.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 09:11 AM
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You can take a train to Rennes in about 2 hours and then public bus that meets trains and takes you to then island in about an hour - thus about 3-4 hours each way or about 7 hours return - bus tours take longer because trains can go up to around 180 mph. Easy to do on your own. For lots on French trains and booking tickets check www.oui.sncf - www.set61.com has loads on booking own discounted train tickets - general info trains BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. It's a long day trip - I'd suggest looking for something closer to Paris like Versailles or Fontainbleu.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 10:26 AM
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Suppose it rains? Suppose there is a traffic tie-up? Suppose you miss a connecting train? Suppose a thousand other possible delays. All make you miss the plane home.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 10:30 AM
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Well yes always be in your departure city the night before your flight for reasons AJ mentions above.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 10:38 AM
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>>It isn't that far, it won't be 10 hours on a bus. It will be about 8. It's only about a 4 hr drive each way.<<

>>You can take a train to Rennes in about 2 hours and then public bus that meets trains and takes you to then island in about an hour - thus about 3-4 hours each way or about 7 hours return -<<

That is from getting on the bus and/or train to getting off . . . presumably the OP is not staying at the train or bus station. Probably at least 20 mins from hotel to whichever embarkation point, and then from the station to the Mont . . . so a minimum of 9 hours in transit. Then fighting the crowds ON the Mont. The day before an international flight. Not a good idea IMO.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 10:46 AM
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Yes again there are neat places close to Paris - Chartres and its cathedral; Reims and Champagne House tours and cathedral, Versailles, etc. Day trip to MSM is exhausting.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 11:27 AM
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<<Day trip to MSM is exhausting.>>

Then why did you say "easy to do on your own?"
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 11:30 AM
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IMO, visiting Versailles is just as exhausting as MSM. Of course, getting to Versailles is much less exhausting that getting to MSM.


Stu Dudley
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 11:38 AM
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<<Day trip to MSM is exhausting.>>

Then why did you say "easy to do on your own?">

Well yes both are true - by easy I meant the train and bus are seem less so easy to do on own but taking so much travel time and trekking around island can be exhausting to some but not to others.

easy to do on own a trip that many would find exhausting - that should have been clear.

Cheers!
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Christina
It isn't that far, it won't be 10 hours on a bus. It will be about 8. It's only about a 4 hr drive each way.
I read two reviews online from people who actually took this trip, one referred to a 5-hour bus ride (5+5 = 10); perhaps that includes normal bathroom/snack stops on such long bus tours plus the usual waiting time for everyone to get on the bus at various stops. Another reviewer said that they allow only 4 hours at the site. The trip is listed as 14 hours (14-4=10).

Last edited by whitehall; Jan 24th, 2019 at 01:02 PM.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 01:32 PM
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Thanks a lot everyone!

I already know my dates in Paris but I haven't booked any flights yet. Will do so in the next few days. I can add an extra day for that kind of a trip and was seriously wandering about this organised trip but most of you don't recommend it so it needs few more thoughts.

PalenQ
It will be my 13th visit to Paris. I've been to Versailles (3 times), Chantilly, Reims, Chartres, Rouen, Fontainbleau ,Strasbourg and some of the Loires chateaux. So I'm looking for something new.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 01:43 PM
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Pierrefonds, Compiègne, Auvers-sur-Oise, Ile des Impressionistes, Chateau de Vincennes, Moret-sur-Loing, Giverny.......
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 01:51 PM
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I finally was able to open the link. I took a similar tour a number of years ago. It left from around the same spot but I got lunch. I remember it was an early morning and I got back late but not as late as the tour mentions. I got a tour of the Abbey then maybe 1-2 hours on my own. I was by myself so didn't wander far away. I was ready to leave when the bus did. It was pretty crowded and I went in October. We had a quick stop going and coming back. It wasnt enough time to get a drink and use the bathroom. The bathroom was packed as all the tour buses stopped there. I assume you are a male so maybe a non issue.

Now after that, I don't regret going. I may never go back but if I do, I would spend at least one night. Its probably nice to see it without the hoards of people. I did not go the last day of my trip it had to be more in the middle of it. I could have done without the lunch to be honest but that's a non issue for you.

I hope this information helps.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 02:23 PM
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Giverny too and Monet's House and Garden - about an hour by train and 3-mile shuttle bus or taxi or nice walk.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 09:59 PM
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I recommend the audio guide to the abbey. It’s terribly complete; it helps to focus a lot of on the place whereas obstruction that the place may be very jam-packed.
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Old Jan 24th, 2019, 11:48 PM
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Ideally for those who can afford a bit more time, it is better to come from Paris to Brittany/Normandy for a few days, because there is much more to see in the neighbouring area than Mont Saint Michel only.
A day trip from Paris to MSM is still possible over the day : then the fastest way to reach it is to take a TGV train from Paris Montparnasse to Rennes (1.5 hour), and then a bus (a few opportunities, about 1 hour drive), or even faster, a private tour from Rennes which allows to visit St Malo in addition.
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Old Jan 25th, 2019, 12:05 AM
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I lived in the western suburb of Paris called Le Vesinet for the 2nd half of the 1990s.

I remember having a ferry to catch from Le Havre to Portsmouth late one night, and decided to leave home and drive to MSM early that morning, for the day.

Drove down the motorway, and it was so foggy all I could see were the white lines on the road. Fortunately the motorway was always quiet at silly o'clock, a bit scary but my little Peugeot 106 made it alright.
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