The day dawned cold and rainy again and we debated about whether to go to Mont Saint Michel today or add it to tomorrow's adventures. However, the weather report was stated as cold but clearing and it would make a really long day tomorrow with tight schedules at each stop, so we decided to just go.
After about an hours drive, it just appeared on the horizon like something out of the Lord of the Rings. From a distance it was attention grabbling, but up close it was gobsmacking. A 1000 year old abbey towering above an ancient village, all built on a single rock rising high out of an estuary. Absolutely awe inspiring. I don't know how I can describe it to give it justice, even I was lost for words - yes it's true, me, lost for words!!
It wasn't raining, but the wind was bitter. None-the-less, Brett and I decided to head straight for the top to see the abbey and the views from the top. It is a decent climb as you can imagine, but well laid out and because it was a pretty cold day and reasonably early there wasn't too much of a crowd and it wasn't too tough a climb. We got an audio-guide each and I thoroughly recommend these as a cheap way to undertake a self guided tour - you can go at your own pace and replay bits that really interest you.
The fortress and abbey took 60 years to build as all of the stone had to be brought in by boat. The village grew underneath it over the years and so has a real mix of architecture such as medieval, gothic, tudor etc. The abbey has never been breached and because of it's impregnability - particularly against various English invasion attempts - the Mont has become something of a French icon of strength and national pride.
3 hours flew by in the blink of an eye and we could have easily stayed for much longer, but the weather had improved and people continued to pour in.
Definitely make sure you get here early if you come, it is bedlam in the narrow streets by early afternoon. We set off for our next port of call - Saint Malo.
Saint-Malo is a walled town on the northern coast of Brittany. It too has been built on a rock - although much larger than Mont Saint Michel. We had a bit of difficulty that turned into something really cool on our arrival. The town's streets inside the wall are closed off to vehicles that don't have a permit to be there. Unfortunately, our GPS (nicknamed Coco) didn't seem to know this quite important fact and guided us straight through the main gate to be faced with the maze of cobbled streets within. By the time we realised that we weren't supposed to be there, we had somebody on our tail and so couldn't do anything but go forward and wind our way through the pedestrian streets (following a delivery van, smiling and waving to the glaring pedestrians) until we found an exit sign. We actually drove along a part of the medieval wall for a while -so cool! How many people do you know who have driven in a mother-ship sized Peugeot van through narrow ancient streets and along the wall of a fortified town huh? I know at least 5!
Once we had managed to find our way back out to the gate (just in front of gendarmerie cruising around on their motorcycles probably looking for interlopers like us), we found some legal parking and headed back inside the wall for lunch. We were lucky enough to find a grand old restaurant with proper table settings, chandeliers and suited waiters happy to seat us in our casual gear for a late lunch. How wonderful! We ate and imagined what gentry must have dined there before us. The food was great and the service immaculate while still friendly and welcoming, it was a real treat.
We all wandered off after lunch to explore the town, the wall and the shops (Toni finally found some gorgeous shoes in her size, 2 pairs actually!). Then it was back on the road again, via Dinan back to Rennes. We decided not to stop in Dinan as we had done a lot of exploring ancient towns already and didn't want to find that these amazing places became a bit diluted by overdosing on historic sites, but I would like to visit Dinan properly if I ever come back this way.
Last night's dinner at a local Creperie was so good we went back there again tonight, then tomorrow we have an easy start to the day before heading off through Le Mans to the Loire Valley. The weather is supposed to be improving, fingers crossed!
