St.Malo and St. Michel, Normandy, France
To dock at the Port of St. Malo we had to go through a lock, due to the extremely high tides of this area of the coast of France. After a hurried breakfast, we were on our way, on buses, to the 50 kilometer distant island and abbey of Mont-St.- Michel. This religious building is built on a small, high, rocky island. The first abbey here was built after the Archangel Michael appeared three times to Aubert, Bishop of Avranches. But the building we visited today represents 500 years of work, from the 11th to the 16th centuries. Even later some elements were added, such as the statue of St.-Michael at the top of the tower, I guilded bronze. Mont St.-Michel makes an incredible impression due to its massive size and to its position off the coast of Normandy. A series of shops selling postcards and food form part of the town on the island, and some of these we dutifully visited on our way out of the abbey. Immediately after, in a slight drizzle, we headed back to St. Malo.
St. Malo is a walled Norman city, built against the French and the English. Forts dot its rocky shores. This city is an attractive holiday center, rebuilt on the basic plans of old, after it was almost completely destroyed during WWII by the allied bombers. Here we had a lovely walking tour, visiting the old fort, the ramparts, the statue of the pirate Robert Surcouf, and the birthhome of Chateaubriand, the writer and poet.
To dock at the Port of St. Malo we had to go through a lock, due to the extremely high tides of this area of the coast of France. After a hurried breakfast, we were on our way, on buses, to the 50 kilometer distant island and abbey of Mont-St.- Michel. This religious building is built on a small, high, rocky island. The first abbey here was built after the Archangel Michael appeared three times to Aubert, Bishop of Avranches. But the building we visited today represents 500 years of work, from the 11th to the 16th centuries. Even later some elements were added, such as the statue of St.-Michael at the top of the tower, I guilded bronze. Mont St.-Michel makes an incredible impression due to its massive size and to its position off the coast of Normandy. A series of shops selling postcards and food form part of the town on the island, and some of these we dutifully visited on our way out of the abbey. Immediately after, in a slight drizzle, we headed back to St. Malo.
St. Malo is a walled Norman city, built against the French and the English. Forts dot its rocky shores. This city is an attractive holiday center, rebuilt on the basic plans of old, after it was almost completely destroyed during WWII by the allied bombers. Here we had a lovely walking tour, visiting the old fort, the ramparts, the statue of the pirate Robert Surcouf, and the birthhome of Chateaubriand, the writer and poet.
