Mont-Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel is one of the most breathtaking sights in France, a soaring medieval abbey crowning a rocky island in a vast bay of some of the greatest tides in Europe, a UNESCO wonder. A tangle of steep medieval streets climbs from the walls to the abbey at the summit, and at high tide the mount becomes an island cut off from the land.

What you actually see

• The abbey - the soaring medieval monastery crowning the island summit.
• The medieval village - the steep, walled main street climbing to the abbey.
• The great tides - the vast bay and the fast-moving tides around the mount.
• The approach view - the classic sight of the mount rising from the bay.

When to go

Spring to autumn for mild weather and the best light; it is dramatic year-round. The great tides, when the sea races in, are worth timing with a tide table. Early or late, or an overnight, avoids the day-trip crush.

Honest expectations

It is extremely popular, so the single narrow street up to the abbey is packed by day, best avoided at midday. A shuttle or walk crosses the causeway from the car parks. The tides are dangerous on the sands, so heed warnings and guides.

Nearby

The Normandy coast and Brittany spread around; Saint-Malo is within reach.