MmePerdu

A suggestion for the OP, in March you can easily play it as you go. My trip in March was relaxed and some of it unplanned. We decided after we arrived on Mont St-Michel that we'd like to stay, found a hotel on the main drag. It was basic but I loved it, ate in the restaurant where I discovered Ile Flottante and though it was some time ago it remains one of my fondest travel memories for a variety of reasons. There are times when we can be spontaneous and I suspect it was a better trip as a result.

StCirq

I have stayed ON the Mont and in Dol de Bretagne. A toss-up IMO.

MareW

We stayed outside for one night, went there in the daytime and back in the evening, and deliberately stranded ourselves for a few hours. If you're a walker, I don't see the problem with staying outside.

PalenQ

Yes to sum up some of above replies I'd say that you do not need to stay on the Mont to enjoy it at nice - shuttles from mainland go there all the time so you can bop over and walk the not always deserted streets at night and savor the 'mystical' atmosphere, etc.

And may well get better deals for hotels - comfort and price-wise on hotels on mainland - that's what I did (well was camping so had to) and the motel-like hotels looked modern, etc and plenty of close by parking.

MmePerdu

Mmm, "motel-like hotels", my favorites. Not.

PalenQ

Mmm, "motel-like hotels", my favorites. Not.>

Yes like you see on any major city autoroute exits all over France - no not your dreamy family-run place but dependably modern and good plumbing and a great price often.

Good for folks like me who don't care where we sleep as long as clean, comfy, budget as I would rarely be in the room - why care how a hotel looks? It's the insides more important to me.

historytraveler

Agree. Avoid like the plague. I think part of a good travel experience is where one stays and dines. It certainly doesn't have to be expensive. I've stayed in some rather basic, plain B&B's and hotels, but they did reflect some local character and often had charming hosts.

MmePerdu

Historytraveler, indeed! It's the old "don't care where we sleep as long as clean" cliche. I want an experience every moment of my travel time, even while I'm asleep, even when I travel locally. And quite true, there are plenty of moderately priced and interesting possibilities almost everywhere.

StCirq

I have never - well, only once - had to subject myself to a highway motel in Europe, and wouldn't want to. I have neither a big budget for accommodations nor a yen for fancy accommodations, and am generally not fussy, but have always managed to find small local hotels or inns with character that were perfectly comfortable.

When we travel in France for business, it's obviously a different story. We generally end up in Ibis Budget hotels, which are plain and simple and cheap and charmless. But when we're "traveling" we rarely fail to find some charm and comfort at the same price level.

PalenQ

And quite true, there are plenty of moderately priced and interesting possibilities almost everywhere.>

Yes to all that but we are talking only about the efficacy of staying in one of these bleak awful motels at M-S-Michel because of the lack of hotels on island at a decent rate, accessibility with car, etc. I think folks will not find places with some charm and comfort at same price level as those motels on the island itself.

That's all.

MmePerdu

"...we are talking only about the efficacy of staying in one of these bleak awful motels at M-S-Michel..."

No "we" aren't. Some of us are also talking about refusing to settle for boring in general, caring about how we spend all 24 hours of every travel day. Or is it the royal "we"?

kerouac

Please give us details about these bleak awful motels, since you seem to have personal knowledge about all of them.

stephpaige

My husband and I stayed at Hotel Gabriel in May. We had the same dilemma, to stay on or off. We were really happy we chose to stay where we did. It was magical seeing the Mont at dusk and in the evening - we took so many pictures! Plus it was much more affordable.

Hotel Gabriel was fine, a little quirky but clean and a good location, and convenient with a car. Nice staff, decent breakfast. We ate at a restaurant near the hotel and while it wasn't "bad" it was definitely the least impressive/most mediocre meal we had on the trip. There aren't many choices around, I wish we had bought some picnic supplies while driving in. We did pick up some sparkling pear wine in a little town on the say in for 3 euro a bottle that was AWESOME.

We didn't take the shuttle bus (they are frequent though and many people did) - we preferred to walk, and we did that twice - once during the day when it was crowded and once at dusk.

So many people told us Mont St Michel was too touristy and not worth the trouble to visit, but we're really glad we did. Enjoy your trip!

PalenQ

Please give us details about these bleak awful motels, since you seem to have personal knowledge about all of them.>

hope not directed at me as I was only sarcastically saying what those who find them 'boring' say - personally I find IBIS and Novotel or even ETAP have character too and are dependably modern in amenities.

Yes what exactly is boring about a Novotel or IBIS, etc? What gives an older smaller independent hotel so romantic?

historytraveler

If you have to ask, I doubt you'd understand, but I'm out of here. Tired of whipping the dead horse.

MmePerdu

Not sure I wish him dead but mute would be nice.

historytraveler

Oh, I was referring to an old saying which pretty much means to fruitlessly continue to do something. A waste of time.

MmePerdu

Yes, we know. That IS the royal we.

PalenQ

Oui!

PalenQ

Any airbnbs on the Mont?

Couch surfing?