We woke up very early this morning because we wanted to have breakfast before we headed out for the day. Our B&B was supposed to start serving breakfast at 7:30 but they were late setting it up and we did not have time to wait. So no coffee for me and no tea for David!!!
Before we left home I made a reservation on a shuttle to take us from Bayeux to Mont Saint-Michel which is a very old church and Abbey built on a rock island. Sheryl first told me about it last year. She had read about it and really wanted to visit it to take photos. We were not able to work it out last year so David and I decided to go this trip. We met our driver, Francois, and the rest of the group at another hotel lobby at 8:20 a.m. and we departed at 8:30. It was about an hour and 1/2 drive. There were 6 other passengers and they were all Americans!!! A family of four from California and a couple from Maine. Very nice people and we had a great conversation on the ride there comparing our travels.
When we arrived, Francois told us where to get something to eat -- he cautioned us not to eat in the little town where Mont Saint-Michel is because it is very expensive and not very good. Since David and I had not had breakfast, we decided to have a sandwich and a drink before we took the local shuttle across the causeway to the Abbey. We didn't linger there long and caught the shuttle across the causeway to start our tour. We learned that they are building a bridge to replace the causeway, which will then be removed, because sand is building up around the island, so it is no longer an island. Once the bridge is completed, the sand will be removed and Mount Saint-Michel will once again be a true island.
Mount Saint-Michel is an island commune in Normandy. It rises out of the sea and almost looks like it sits on a cloud. It is 247 acres and has a population of 44! I think there are 6 monks and 4 nuns living there -- the rest of the residents must be shop and restaurant owners. More than three million people visit here each year. It is the second most popular tourist site in France -- second only to the Eiffel Tower. The building of the first church began in A.D. 708. Construction continued in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries. The Abbey was turned into a prison during the French Revolution and had to be restored by the end of the 19th century. It is so beautiful and the way the light filters through the Abbey is amazing. I really wish Sheryl had been there to take photographs.
We had three hours to see the site and that was enough time. When we arrived it wasn't too crowded and we followed Francois' advice to take the back way up to the top to see the Abbey. It was a very steep walk. By the time we walked back down the hill to return to the parking lot and meet Francois, it was packed.
On the way back to Bayeux, Francois took us to a viewing spot where there was the absolutely most beautiful view of Mount Saint-Michel. We looked across vast pastures and it looked like the Abbey rose straight out of the water. Francois told us that the pastures flood with sea water (salty water) and the sheep eat the grass that grows in the salt water. Consequently, the lamb from that small area tastes very salty and many people consider it a delicacy. He told us that this occurs only in this area and one other area in Southern France.
Francois also told us there is quicksand on the beach when the tide comes in. I thought he was kidding but he said last year helicopters had to fly in and rescue people 30 times!
It was a very worthwhile trip and we are very glad we took it.
When we arrived back in Bayeux we headed back to our B&B for a rest before dinner. We decided to have dinner at a restaurant we also ate at last year named La Drakkar. I had a very good red wine and David had Calvados which is an apple brandy. It is very strong but he liked it. For dinner we had a lovely cheese plate and we shared a big salad with spring lettuce, apples, onions, cheese and hard boiled eggs with a vinegar/oil dressing. For entrees we had omelets. Mine was ham and cheese and David's was mushroom and cheese.
It was time to call it a night. But we did manage to force ourselves to have a tiny dish of ice cream or creme glacee on our way home.
More adventures tomorrow!
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