Organize your arrival at Mont Saint-Michel
Click on each link below for more details
2- How to get to the Mount from Bayeux :
On your own, with an excursion company or a private driver-guide ?
3- Suggested Stops between Bayeux and Mont Saint-Michel.
4- Car parks and access to the Mount (the island) from car parks.
5- Interesting information about Mont Saint Michel :
High tides, the dam, salt meadows.
1- Practical information
Tourist offices & services
There are two Offices of Tourism at Mont Saint-Michel :
– One is located next to the car-parks.
– The other is on the rock at the same place as the Post Office intramural.
- Find all the information you need to visit Mont Saint Michel through this link :
Website of the Tourist Office which is very well done : HERE.
MY TIPS for toilets, dogs and ATM.
– If you need to use the toilets upon arrival, use the ones located in the Tourist Information Center next to the car parks : they are free of charge and open 24/7.
There are also toilets on the Mont itself.
– If you have a dog, the shuttle bus and the abbey are not accessible with pets (small dogs in a basket are accepted on the shuttle only) but a kennel is available at the Tourist Information Center next to car-parks.
– In the Caserne area and on Mont St Michel, there is no pharmacy, no currency exchange service.
There is only one ATM at the Post Office intramural in the Grande Rue (main street) to withdraw euros (accessible 24/7).
So if you need cash, I advise you to arrive with it if you don’t want to wait in line…
What is « La Caserne » in Mont Saint-Michel ?
What is called « La Caserne » at Mont Saint-Michel is the area of activities close to the car-parks where there are hotels, restaurants, bars and souvenir shops with local products…
This area is NOT in the Mont Saint-Michel intramural (i.e the rock) but 2.5 km away, close to car parks.
The hotels and restaurants that I recommend are not in this area but intramural, on the rock itself, what we call the « Mont Saint-Michel ». The “Caserne” area has no real charm and I don’t see the point of spending the night here… (to my mind). These hotels often welcome big groups of tourists.
Nevertheless, you can eat a good snack at La Brioche Dorée.
2- How to get to the Mount from Bayeux ?
With your vehicle
** Click HERE to get my 4 top tips for preparing your visit of the Mount if you have a vehicle .**
You can easily get to the Mount from Bayeux by the A84 (a free highway) after passing through some small villages.
The drive takes about 1.5 hours.
Once you arrive, you’ll park your vehicle in a paid parking lot located 3 km from the Mount. A free shuttle will take you to the entrance or you can walk if you prefer (an option that I recommend).
Click « Car parks and access to the Mount. » for more information.
With an excursion company from Bayeux
Shuttles and group tours usually leave from Bayeux city center (Place de Quebec, next to the Villa Lara hotel).
In Bayeux, you will find 2 options :
– With a shared shuttle :
This is only a shared transportation/no guiding services/skip-the-line abbey ticket is included.
My recommendations for shared shuttles from Bayeux HERE.
– With a group tour :
Shared transportation + shared guided of the village and the abbey + a skip-the-line abbey ticket.
My recommendations for group tours to the Mont from Bayeux are HERE.
With a private driver guide
This option includes private transportation (only you & your family and nobody else) + private visit with your driver guide of the village & the abbey + skip-the-line abbey ticket usually included.
Pickup/drop off Bayeux or surroundings from your accommodation.
My recommendations for private driver-guides to the Mont HERE.
My Good Tip !
If you are an active person and enjoy cycling :
Hugo from the company « Petite Reine » in Bayeux offers an e-biking tour after a shuttle transfer to Mont Saint-Michel !
See details HERE.
3- My Suggested Stops from Bayeux to Mont Saint-Michel
There are many interesting places to visit between Bayeux and Mont Saint-Michel and as well in the surrounding areas.
You can’t visit them all in one day but you can include one stop in addition to visiting the Mount on a one-day trip or decide to stay a few days in this area.
Here are some suggested sites to explore based on your interests, either on your way to or from the Mount, or in its surroundings.
These stops are possible only if you have your own vehicle or if you book a customized tour with a private driver-guide who can create a personalized itinerary for you.
Villedieu les Poêles : visit the Bell Foundry of Cornille Havard.
Villedieu les Poêles is on the way from Bayeux to Mont Saint-Michel.
1-hour drive from Bayeux and 40 minutes from Mont Saint-Michel.
Plan 1 hour on site.
A very interesting and instructive visit.
FOUNDRY CORNILLE HARVARD ( « Fonderie Cornille Havard » in French)
10 rue du Pont Chignon
50800 Villedieu les Poêles
Ph : 02 33 61 00 56
Website : http://cornille-havard.com/
E-mail contact to get information on guided visit schedules : info@cornille-havard.com
Guided visits of 30 minutes from February to November & from Tuesday to Saturday / Mid-July & August : every day.
Annual closure : from mid December to mid-January.
French, English and German speaking guides.
A unique workshop where more than 100 bells are made each year.
Discover 9 centuries of tradition from ancestral gestures to the most modern techniques.
Some bells which were produced in this workshop :
– In 2013, 9 new bells were made for Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
– In 2014, 2 bells were made for Bayeux cathedral blessed on June 6th during the 70th anniversary celebration of D-Day in the presence of Prince Charles (now King Charles III of the United Kingdom).
Find interesting pictures and videos HERE.
The city of Avranches
Avranches is on the way from Bayeux to Mont Saint-Michel.
1hr10-min drive from Bayeux.
30 minutes from Mont Saint-Michel.
Map of Avranches and information about the city on the Tourist Office website HERE.
Main sites to visit :
– The scriptorial : Discover the secrets of the precious Mont Saint-Michel abbey manuscripts dating from the 8th to the 15th century.
More info HERE.
– Saint-Gervais basilica : See the relics of Saint-Aubert including his supposed skull.
– Patton Square : Features a genuine Sherman tank. General Patton liberated Avranches on July 31st, 1944.
Le Gué du Holme
An excellent gourmet restaurant very affordable 10 minutes drive from Avranches on the way to Mont Saint-Michel
Le Gué du Holme
14, rue des Estuaires, 50220 Saint-Quentin-sur-le-Homme
02 33 60 63 76
Email gue.holme@wanadoo.fr
Website HERE.
Open every day except on Monday, Saturday noon and Sunday evening.
12pm-1:15pm & 7:15pm-9:15pm
Fast lunch menu (good price), menus, a la carte dishes, large selection of good wines, in a beautiful refined atmosphere.
An excellent address !
WWII cemeteries that involve a slight detour
1- The American cemetery of Saint-James in Montjoie-Saint-Martin
Route de Montjoie,
50240 Montjoie-Saint-Martin
30 minutes drive from Mont St Michel to the east inland / not on the way from/back to Bayeux – this a detour of half an hour.
Here rest 4,410 American soldiers who died mainly during the Normandy and Brittany campaigns of 1944.
Further information about this cemetery on the Tourist Office website HERE.
2- The German Ossuary of Huisnes-sur-Mer
Rue du Mont d’Huisnes
50170 Huisnes-sur-Mer
15 minutes drive from Mont St Michel / slight detour since not on the way from/back to Bayeux.
It’s the only German military mausoleum in France where 11,956 German soldiers and civilians died during WW2. There are no graves only plaques with their names.
Beautiful panoramic view of the bay of Mont Saint-Michel and the salt meadows.
Further information about this cemetery on the Tourist Office website HERE.
4- Car Parks and Access to the Mount
Car parks in Mont Saint-Michel
There are several large parking lots at Mont Saint-Michel, available for cars, motorcycles, and motorhomes.
These parking lots are located about 3 km from the Mont’s entrance. A shuttle bus will then take you closer, stopping 400 meters from the entrance of the village.
You will receive a ticket upon entering the parking lot, which you will pay for at the automatic terminals after your visit. The ticket is valid for 24 hours, with prices varying based on your vehicle and the season. The ticket price includes the shuttle bus ride and access to the Visitor’s Center facilities (information center and restrooms) located at the parking lot.
If you prefer not to take the shuttle bus, there are alternative ways to access the Mont (see below « Access to the Mont » ).
Note that the shuttle can be crowded during certain times of the year and sometimes it’s better to walk rather than wait to get on a crowded shuttle !
– P2 car park is accessible to people with reduced mobility.
– Car parks P5-P6-P7bis-P10-P11-P12-P13 are accessible to cars (under 5 meters).
– P3 car park is reserved for hotel guests and is accessible with a code. If you stay for the night in the Mont intramural, don’t forget to ask for the code to the hotel receptionist at the time of booking.
– P8 : for motorhomes.
– P9 : for two-wheelers.
All information about the Mont Saint-Michel car parks and more on the Mont Tourist Office website HERE.
Don’t forget : NEVER leave any visible belongings in your vehicle.
How to access the Mont from the car parks ?
Map of Mont Saint-Michel on the Tourist Office website HERE.
Car parks are located about 3 km from the island.
You can access the Mont (the island) in three different ways :
1- The most commonly used means of transport is the shuttle bus « Le Passeur » : it operates from 7:30 am to midnight and takes 12 minutes to reach the Mont.
HOWEVER, depending on the season and the crowd, the frequency of the shuttle varies from 5 to 20 minutes and you might have to wait in line for a long time during certain times of the year…
My tip : When the shuttle is crowded and there’s a long wait, I recommend walking to the entrance of the Mont if you are able and the weather permits. It’s a pleasant walk with beautiful landscapes, making for a great introduction to your visit. There are three possible routes (see below).
2- On foot (about 45-50 minutes walk) : there are 3 different itineraries (available on the Tourist Office website).
I like the footpath « The riverbanks of the Couesnon » which allows to see the dam (orange route on the map).
3- With the « Maringote », a horse-drawn carriage : 25 minutes ride / paid service.
Departures are scheduled in front of the Tourist Information Centre, near the Shuttle bus « Le Passeur » .
5- The Tides and The Dam
High tides at Mont Saint-Michel
The highest tides in Europe can be observed at Mont Saint-Michel. This is an amazing spectacle !
When the tide coefficient is above 100, Mont-Saint-Michel becomes an island for a while.
However, it is very rare for Mont Saint-Michel to be completely surrounded by water and for access to be totally impossible ; this only happens about two weeks a year. Outside of these days, access to the site is possible 24 hours a day.
More info HERE : then click on The 2024 tidal forecast :
– days in red : risk of temporary submersion of access to Mont Saint-Michel. The Mount becomes an island again.
– days in orange : tidal phenomenon visible at Mont Saint-Michel.
On high tide days, access to the esplanade is blocked for about an hour when the water completely covers it. However, the footbridge remains above water, and the shuttle buses from the car parks run continuously even during these blockages.
More explanations about tides (and tidal bore) at the Mont can be found HERE.
The dam and the release of water on the Couesnon river
The dam was designed to restore Mont Saint-Michel to its island status.
It opens to let seawater reach the river, releasing water during the ebb tide. As a result, it regulates the waters of the Couesnon and the sea twice a day, following the rhythm of the tides. Seawater is stored in the Couesnon Canal and in a water reserve located 5 km upstream, known as Moidrey Cove. Water is released progressively to allow the Couesnon to push sediment as far as possible into the bay.
Access the daily schedule of water releases and more information HERE.
Salt meadows and lambs
The salt marshes surrounding the bay of Mont Saint-Michel are vast polders that are covered by the sea during high tide. Sheep graze here, facing Mont Saint-Michel. The grass is salty, which gives the meat of these lambs a unique flavor. However, this meat is not saltier than any other lamb.
You can taste the salt-meadow lamb in the fall and at Christmas time, but not at Easter, as it is not ready to be eaten then.
