This full day private tour from Cherbourg to Mont St Michel takes you to one of the most popular historic sites in France, and a true marvel of architecture and engineering. Your Cherbourg to Mont St Michel excursion includes a guided visit to the Abbey and free time for lunch, shopping, and photos.
After meeting your driver guide at the pier, you depart immediately for Mont St Michel. Nothing compares to your first glimpse of the Mont from miles away, so keep your eyes on the horizon and enjoy the anticipation. The Mont stands as a rock island 260 feet above the tidal salt plain that surrounds it, crowned with a steeple topped monastery in the westernmost part of Normandy.
The History of Mont St Michel
The idea for this landmark was born with the Bishop of Avranches, who in the year 708 had a vision of the Archangel Michael ordering him to build a place of worship on the site. Construction continued for more than 1,000 years through additions and periods of destruction. Masonry was brought to the island by boat at high tide, then lifted to the peak by ropes.
In the 14th century, fortifications were added that allowed the Mont to become the only place in France not taken over by German forces during World War II. The most recent addition, in the late 19th century, was the statue of St. Michael atop the steeple.
St. Michael is considered the protector of faith, the one who weighs souls to determine their admission into paradise. This made him such an important holy figure that pilgrims once risked their lives wading through the quicksand surrounding the Mont to express their devotion.
Today a causeway bridge gives visitors easy access to the Mont. The surrounding tides are the highest in continental Europe and can rise as much as 50 feet in just a few hours.
Arriving at Mont St Michel
You will enter through Porte Bauole, a gate in the ramparts added in 1590. From there you walk onto Grande Rue, beginning a steady climb that winds up and around the Mont, turning to stairs in places, until you reach the Abbey.
Visiting the Abbey
Your visit takes you through the Abbey, including the 13th century monastery known as la Merveille, or the Wonder. Its center courtyard holds an herb garden and leads to the refectory, the dining hall where the monks once ate their meals in silence. Today it stands as a showcase of Gothic and Renaissance architecture.
Free Time for Lunch and Photos
After the Abbey visit, you have free time on your own for lunch, shopping, and photos. Since the era of the Victorian Grand Tour, it has been tradition on the Mont to serve omelets made with whipped egg whites, cooked in a long handled pan over an open fire. This local delicacy was created by Mere Poulard, whose restaurant still makes it their specialty.
Return to Cherbourg
After your visit to this marvel of a site, you return to the pier in Cherbourg.
Review Location- Cherbourg 
