PalenQ

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/24/wo...chel.html?_r=0

The long planned re-design of the approach to Mont-Saint-Michel from the mainland is finally being realized - after years and years of planning, re-tooling to answer complaints from shop keepers on the island who fear that restricting cars to remote parking lots two miles away on the mainland would affect their businesses, etc.

Cars will be banished to parking lots on the mainland with some kind of shuttle whisking them to within 1/4 mile of the actual entrance to the island - down from a planned half-mile walk from where the shuttle will ejaculate the hoards of visitors - shopkeepers though the 1/2 mile too far and feared some would not make the walk so the shuttle terminus was moved up to .25 miles - increasing costs and slowing down plans.

The final walk over an oak walkway is meant to simulate how medieval pilgrims full of anticipation approached the Mount.

Current parking lots right at the foot of the island will be demolished too I guess.

Anyway after years of procrastination the new bridge is taking shape and when done the old causeway, dating from 1879 will be demolished - this will supposedly alleviate the silting up of the bay that leaves the Mount high and dry part of the mainland most of the year except in unusually high tides.

The article says the Mount is the most visited national monument in France attracting 2.5 million visitors a year - 55% of them being foreign visitors - surprisingly only about half of the visitors climb the steep steps to go into the famous abbey itself.

So things are a changing on good old Mont-Saint-Michel - well at least a different approach.

FrenchMystiqueTours

The new parking lot on the mainland was opened last April and at that time the old parking lot next to the island was closed and the shuttle system started. Just sayin.

PalenQ

FMT - the shuttles are buses, right. One time I think some kind of people mover was planned but it is just shuttle buses, right.

Thanks!

StCirq

The website shows clearly what the transport options are - and they've been there for a year now.

http://www.ot-montsaintmichel.com/fr...int-michel.htm

FrenchMystiqueTours

I haven't been there since they got the shuttles running so I don't know what they look like. I think they're just regular buses though, but they also have some sort of horse drawn carriage thing too. I think one of the major complaints has been it's a long walk from the parking lot to the shuttle (maybe 1km) but they are supposed to address that issue and perhaps have the bus go to the parking lot. Anyway, the access specifics can be found on this website:

http://accueilmontsaintmichel.fr/

PalenQ

The NYTimes article poignantly mentions when American GIs first glimpsed the Mont from Avranches, a dozen or so miles across the bay from the Mont.

Here is what the aricle says: "MONT-ST.-MICHEL, France — A dispatch in The New York Times in August 1944 described the view of Mont-St.-Michel that American soldiers saw, “racing their tanks across the Norman hills into Avranches.” Built “for war as well as worship,” the writer noted, the Mont “seems to float on the sea as gracefully as a ship under full sail, catching all the changing colors of the clouds.”

And me too was struck when I glimpsed the Mont from Avfraches - from behind the Bishop's Palace right in the town center if I recall correctly - and it was mesmerizing - so if approaching Mont-Saint-Michel from the north stop first at Avranches for this amazing site - simulating the intense anticipation that medieval pilgrims must have had with their first glimpse of their goal after a long arduous trek from miles around.

And when after Avranches take the D 75 and D 275 side roads right along the coast and see the Mont looming in the distance but getting ever closer.

To me Le Mont Saint-Michel is one of the most amazing places in Europe - inside you may be turned off by the oft elbow to elbow crowds on the narrow main commercial gauntlet but nothing can mar the fabulous view of the Mont from across the bay. And at night the Mount and abbey are wondrously illuminated - one reason for staying on the mainland is at night you can see the abbey-topped island so so sublimely illuminated. Makes one almost want to believe in God!

FrenchMystiqueTours

There's no need to stay on the mainland to see the Mont lit up from a distance. Stay on the Mont and if you want the full perspective walk a couple hundred meters down the causeway. That way you see it lit up with detail, not just a blur on the horizon. There's nothing like being able to walk out of your hotel onto the ramparts and stroll all the little walkways while the place is all lit up. Then walk back to your hotel room without the need of a shuttle or long walk to the mainland. And then you wake up with a fantastic view over the bay and have the island to yourself before the tourists arrive. If you don't believe me look at my photo album from spending the night there:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...1&l=d8a4bffa87

PalenQ

Ues I believe you! Being on the island at night is magical.

FrenchMystiqueTours

^^

PalenQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=mont...=1600&bih=1038

copy and paste this into search engine for photos of all the various parts of the new access works.