France Cruise: Saint-Malo and Mont-Saint-Michel

In this seventh post of a multi-part series, Bethany explores Saint-Malo and Mont-Saint-Michel on her France Intensive Cruise on Azamara.

Today is definitely one of the highlights of my France Intensive Cruise. We docked in lovely Saint-Malo, and I spent most of the day at the stunning Mont-Saint-Michel. Read on to get all of the details of my fabulous day!

France Intensive Cruise Full Itinerary

Below is the full itinerary for the trip. This post includes details about Saint-Malo and Mont-Saint-Michel. Looking for info on other stops? Check out the ‘Links’ section at the end of this post!

• June 9 through June 11: Bordeaux, France
• June 12: La Rochelle and Île de Ré, France
• June 13: Belle-Île-en-Mer, France
• June 14: Nantes, France
• June 15: Brest and Quimper, France
• June 16: St. Peter Port, Guernsey
• June 17: Saint-Malo and Mont-Saint-Michel, France
• June 18: Cherbourg, Omaha Beach, and Sainte-Mère-Église, France
• June 19 & 20: Honfleur, Rouen, and Fécamp, France
• June 21: Oostende and Bruges, Belgium

Morning in Saint-Malo

My morning of Monday, June 17 started off anchored off the coast of Saint-Malo, France. The clouds were back, but luckily it remained dry all day today. After enjoying the view of the peaceful harbor for a bit, I headed into Windows Cafe for a nice breakfast with a view.

A Day at Mont-Saint-Michel

After breakfast I joined my excursion and boarded the bus to Mont-Saint-Michel. I lucked out two ways today – first was getting a ticket on this excursion. This was another port where my last-minute cruise booking potentially caused me to miss an opportunity: the excursions to Mont-Saint-Michel were fully booked by the time I got on the ship. But I added my name to a wait list, and they cleared the wait list, so I was able to join a ship excursion after all. This was perfect, because I also had my travel agent see about booking a private tour for me instead. But the private tours were mostly all booked as well and the only thing he could find was a driver to take me to/from Mont-Saint-Michel, at an eye-popping cost of around $800!

My second big lucky part of the day was the weather…it was warm and dry all day, with the only sign of rain on the drive back to Saint-Malo. So, I definitely felt like the travel gods were smiling down upon me today!

Initial Views of Mont-Saint-Michel

The 30-mile drive from the tender dock in Saint-Malo to Mont-Saint-Michel took about 45 minutes. We arrived at the main parking lot and waited in a rather long line for about 30 minutes to board a shuttle bus to the tidal island of Mont-Saint-Michel. There is also an option to walk from the parking lot to the island, but our group took the shuttle. The shuttle dropped us off near the base of the island, and I got my first breathtaking views of Mont-Saint-Michel. We were there at low tide, so the vast flats and salt marshes stretched out as far as my eye could see.

Our guide led us through the busy main street of Mont-Saint-Michel to start our journey up to the abbey at the top. A combination of winding, cobblestone streets and stairways led us to the base of the abbey. Scroll through the slideshow below to see some of my first views of the stunning site:

As we made our way up to the top, the views of the impressive (and imposing!) buildings were amazing. Also, the views of the surrounding area were pretty fantastic as well. There is a great variance depending on the tides, with a roughly 46-foot difference between high tide and low tide. At low tide, like today, many people like to approach Mont-Saint-Michel on foot. When it is high tide, the only option is via the raised breakwater that connects the tidal island to the mainland.

Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey

Once at the summit, we soaked in the sweeping views for a bit before heading into the beautiful abbey. According to legends, the archangel Michael appeared to a bishop in the early 8th century and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet. The Romanesque church was built in the 11th century, designed by an Italian architect. Many underground crypts and chapels had to be built to support the weight and positioning of the abbey at the top of the mountain. These structures give Mont-Saint-Michel its unmistakable silhouette.

The slideshow below includes photos of the inside of the abbey:

More Gorgeous Views of Mont-Saint-Michel

After touring the abbey, we began to make our way back down to the base of the island. Along the way, we saw some more stunning parts of the island. This lush, green courtyard flanked by staggered columns is just outside of the abbey.

There were also some gorgeous architectural elements along the way. We meandered through many of the lower supporting structures. Everything from the smallest architectural details to the grandeur of the high, vaulted ceilings is absolutely spectacular. Click through the slideshow below for some my favorite views:

We concluded our journey back down to the base of the abbey, with a few more beautiful areas spotted along the way.

Main Street of Mont-Saint-Michel

Once back down to the base of the abbey, our guided tour concluded. I then had some free time to explore the main streets of the commune of Mont-Saint-Michel. The total surface area of the commune is just over 1.5 square miles. While the commune is very busy and congested, there are only approximately 30 permanent residents of the tidal island! The circumference is about 3100 feet, and its highest point is 302 feet above sea level.

The slideshow below includes some pictures of the main street of Mont-Saint-Michel; first at the quieter end just outside of the base of the abbey, but then concluding at the very busy area by the main entrance to the island:

During my free time in Mont-Saint-Michel, I enjoyed a delicious “fast food” lunch on the go. I started with a grilled three-cheese baguette. A delicious, creamy pistachio gelato for dessert really hit the spot!

After the free time our tour group met at the main entrance, which gave me the opportunity to soak in some final views of the spectacular area.

Saint-Malo

After returning from Mont-Saint-Michel, I spent a little time wandered in the intra-muros (“within the walls”) area of Saint-Malo. It is another gorgeous old town on the coast of France, chock full of charm. It was fun to wander through the shops and cafes of the city center. I also enjoyed watching an animated group of locals play a version of bocce ball.

A Walled City

Saint-Malo is a walled city, surrounded by stone defensive walls. The imposing walls protected the city from its origins in the 1st century. In World War II, the city was heavily bombed by the Allies. But today, the walls make for a wonderful way to view both the city itself and the surrounding bay.

I enjoyed walking around on the tops of the walls and admiring the views. I especially enjoyed the views of our ship, Azamara Quest, anchored a short distance away. After enjoying my free time exploring Saint-Malo, I walked back to the tender port. A quick tender boat ride returned me to the ship for a relaxing evening onboard.

Conclusion

I was so incredibly fortunate to be able to spend the day at Mont-Saint-Michel. It exceeded my expectations in every way. From the sweeping views to the gorgeous architecture, and the bustling main street…everything was magical. This is definitely one of those places where pictures simply do not do it justice. I also enjoyed a bit of free time to wander the walled city of Saint-Malo before returning to the ship. This is a not-to-be-missed visit if you are ever in this part of the world!

Links

Check the main page for this cruise to read more about my adventures:

Click the button below for more information about Azamara:

Note: I fully funded this trip on my own and received no compensation or any other benefits from any service providers I used along the way. The opinions expressed here are my own and I am not being compensated by any service providers.