St.Malo and Le Mont Saint-Michel
Sunrise found us entering the lock of St.Malo in Bretagne. After entering the harbor , we tied up in front of the Old City, surrounded by the ramparts. After breakfast we boarded our buses to be taken to Mont Saint-Michel, the famous abbey, just across the limits into Normandy. After a lovely drive through the flat countryside used extensively for agriculture (carrots, corn, cabbage, celery), we arrived at the famous abbey, whose construction started in 706 when the Archangel Michel appeared in a dream to Aubert, Bishop of Avranches. He ordered him to build an oratory on a deserted island and the first church was built. It became a church of pilgrimage and an abbey was founded there in 960 by Richard I, Duke of Normandy. Eventually in 1017-1144 a pre-Romanesque building was added on. In later years Gothic additions were made as well as fortifications around the entrance were added in the 14th Century. It was used as a 'bastille" up to 1863. The tall bell-tower was added as well as the spire with the statue of Saint Michael the Archangel.
We toured it quite thoroughly and after some free time, returned to St. Malo, where we had lunch. Immediately afterwards we took a walking tour around the “Walled City” and learned that the beginnings of the city date back to the 8th Century, when the population of Aleth (Saint-Servan) fled to this small island and fortified it, first against the Franks and then the Normans. In the 6th Century an Irish monk, McLoud landed here, changed his name to Malo and spread Christianity in the region. The people resisted the French, English and local dukes, and eventually the town acquired great prosperity with the corsair Sarcouf, and the discovery of Canada by Jacques Cartier in 1491. Centuries of prosperity went by and the small town was eventually destroyed in by bombing raids during the Second World War. It was rebuilt in the following years. St.Malo lives off commerce and industry, as well as some fishing. Before dark, we sailed back out to the sea through the lock towards our next destination, La Rochelle.
Sunrise found us entering the lock of St.Malo in Bretagne. After entering the harbor , we tied up in front of the Old City, surrounded by the ramparts. After breakfast we boarded our buses to be taken to Mont Saint-Michel, the famous abbey, just across the limits into Normandy. After a lovely drive through the flat countryside used extensively for agriculture (carrots, corn, cabbage, celery), we arrived at the famous abbey, whose construction started in 706 when the Archangel Michel appeared in a dream to Aubert, Bishop of Avranches. He ordered him to build an oratory on a deserted island and the first church was built. It became a church of pilgrimage and an abbey was founded there in 960 by Richard I, Duke of Normandy. Eventually in 1017-1144 a pre-Romanesque building was added on. In later years Gothic additions were made as well as fortifications around the entrance were added in the 14th Century. It was used as a 'bastille" up to 1863. The tall bell-tower was added as well as the spire with the statue of Saint Michael the Archangel.
We toured it quite thoroughly and after some free time, returned to St. Malo, where we had lunch. Immediately afterwards we took a walking tour around the “Walled City” and learned that the beginnings of the city date back to the 8th Century, when the population of Aleth (Saint-Servan) fled to this small island and fortified it, first against the Franks and then the Normans. In the 6th Century an Irish monk, McLoud landed here, changed his name to Malo and spread Christianity in the region. The people resisted the French, English and local dukes, and eventually the town acquired great prosperity with the corsair Sarcouf, and the discovery of Canada by Jacques Cartier in 1491. Centuries of prosperity went by and the small town was eventually destroyed in by bombing raids during the Second World War. It was rebuilt in the following years. St.Malo lives off commerce and industry, as well as some fishing. Before dark, we sailed back out to the sea through the lock towards our next destination, La Rochelle.
