The Incredible Abbey on the Mound | Mont Saint Michel - Exploring France
The main reason we came to Mont Saint Michel, is because Matt had a photography shoot to do here for a lovely couple, who unbeknown to her, were getting engaged. We thought we would tie this in with having a look around the Mont ourselves and checking out the lesser seen or know parts of this mythical place (and yes, she did say yes! Thank goodness).
We went back a few weeks later to get some better photos of the Mont itself.
As we approached the car park, we could see that this place is well set up for loads of visitors. There are park and rides leading up to the main car park which has 4000 spaces. We got there around 9am and were some of the first visitors. They run shuttle busses from the carpark to the Mont every 10 minutes or so, and more frequently during the summer months. Around 20 years ago, the site gained a bridge, so you can easily walk across, but it is still a mile and half to get there. At least we didn’t need to wait for the tide to go outbefore being starting our adventure! The Bay of Mont Saint Michel, is one of the most dangerous in Europe. It has extremely fast tides that, during the 18th century were described as rising at the speed of a galloping horse, so we knew once the tide turned it would be quickly up to the Mont. The tide rises to 15 metres in some places and goes out 6 miles into the Bay. The Bay takes its name from the Mont and not the other way around. It is over 300 miles squared so it is pretty huge and in this area are two islands. One of Mont Saint Michel, the other of Tombelaine. Tombelrane remains uninhabited, but historians believe there was a small church and hermitage on it at one point, as well as it being used as a military base over the centuries.
We went back a few weeks later to get some better photos!
The day we went to the Mont was extremely foggy. We can usually see it from quote far away, but nothing this time. Not even when we got into the car park, it was as though someone had stolen it! We walked along the walk way rather than getting the bus as it was so busy and there was no signs of the Mont until we were about 500 metres away. The clouds started to clear, and we saw the glimmer of the gold Archangel Saint Michel on the top of the Abbey. It was quite a site to see and everyone was getting rather excited to be near the Mont.
So, some history of the Mont, why is it here, what is it and why is it so popular.
Historians have found evidence of druid worship on this site from the 5th century. However, they have found it difficult to find much else before the abbey was built. The rocks that the abbey sit on are solid granite and it is very hard to excavate the area due to its religious and historical importance. What they do know, is that during this time of the druid worship, the island was called Mont Tombe. In French, the literal translation is grave mountain, but no evidence of graves dating back this far have been found. It is more likely the name derived from Mont Tum, meaning mound in many ancient European countries. This small island didn't change its name to Mont Saint Michel until the year 708 when the Archbishop of nearby Avranches, Saint Aubert, ordered 12 canons to set up a church on top of the island in honour of Archangel Saint Michael. Saint Aubert chose Archangel Saint Michael because of a small cave shaped chapel built Avranches that was dedicated to Saint Michael too. These chapel remains can still be seen under the church in Avranches.
It wasn't long after the first church was set up that the first villagers arrived fleeing Viking raids. More villagers arrived during the 870's when more Vikings drove out local villagers. The island has been fought over between the Dutchy of Brittany and Normandy during the 9th and 10th centuries.
The first fortifications were built on the island by King Henry I during the 11th century but it wasn't until later, in the 14th century the first garrison was installed which consisted of a man at arms and 5 servants. In 1417, the fort was improved and 6 towers were built along with warehouses to hold ammunition and provisions for the village. The only way in and out was though a fortified gate. During the 1420's the Mont fought off English invasion. The abbot of the Avvey on Mont Saint Michel at the time pledged allegiance to the king of England at the time to prevent it from being invaded.
During the 19th century, tourism began to boom as romantic authors and painters flocked to the island. It was during this time lots of hotels were established and there was the highest recorded population on the Mont. 1,182 people lived here during 1851, today the population size is just 29 permanent inhabitants consisting mostly of nuns living in the abbey.
Who is Archangel Saint Michael?
He is one of 7 Archangels from Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Michael is prince and heavenly host and evokes power of protection against evil especially during war time. He is often depicted as a winged knight represented at the end of time defeating the devil during the war of angels, where he is seen slaying a dragon which represents Satan. He is the patron saint go Normandy and known as chief of angels in the bible. Traditional depictions of Michael are usually built high on buildings to remind us that he was chief of angels and closest to god. He is also often seen depicting the weighing of the scales which is a Middle Ages depiction of Michael judging the dead should with scales weighing their good and bad deeds and sending them to either heaven of hell.
Because of its religious importance, Mont Saint Michel has long been a site of pilgrimages. During the 9th century, the first pilgrimages were recored but many followed becoming especially poignant during the 14th and 15th centuries. During this period, out of the ordinary pilgrimages happened generally from boys aged between 7 and 18. These pilgrims remained unexplained, but some authors linked them to the plague and children fleeing the disease and getting strength from the archangel. There were also a group of children from European countries who fled to the island. Again, it is unknown why over 1000 children went there "without their parents known it" but some authors note seeing a Halleys comet that coinciding with the pilgrimage. This comet is seen as the bringer of disease and conflict.
The Abbey
We didn't visit the abbey this time, but the building sits right at the top of the island and the state of Archangel Saint Michael stands at 157.10 meters above sea level. It was completes in 1898 weighing 800kg, measuring 3.5m tall and it costs €15,000 in todays money. It has lightening rods inside it to earth the statue and prevent it from damage. During the 5th century, is it believed this spot was a place of druid worship and pagan sanctuary dedicated to the Gallic god o the sun. The church was built in 708 and during the 9th century vikings ransacked the church. By the 10th century, the abbey developed rapidly but the wealth ended up being an obstacle to its functioning. The canons spent the money on pleasures for themselves and the money was not put into the church and so it remained deserted with few people choosing it as a place of worship.
By the 10th century, the king at the time, Richard I ordered the canons before him in disgust of their beavious. He got authority from the Pope at the time for the canons to either leave or renounce and become Benedictine. Only one canon remained due to his love of Archangel Saint Michael.
The moks of the mont were some of the most famous during the 12th century, they were set the task of translating Arisotles work from Greek to latin. Only a century later, the king of Brittany wanted to expand his land, and so he set the abbey on fire and only the outer walls and vaults remained. The king fell so guilty for his actions, he sent a large sum of money to the Mont for repairs, the abbots built the first fortified enclosures with this money, you can still see a lot of it today, including the octagonal steeple.
During the 100 years war, the abbey lost lots of its funding and the English took over nieaby Tomberlaine island and set up a Bastille there from which they began a seize on the abbey. The mont remained impenetrable for many years and in 1417, the Mont was the only town in the whole of normandy that had not been taken over by the English. Attacks kept happening throughout the 13th to 18th century.
During the mid 18th century, the fortress went into disrepair and the abbey housed only 10 monks. during the French revolutuion, the last benedictine monk left the abbey and it was transformed into a prison. Over 300 priests were incarcerated ere and a total of 700 men, women and children worked in the abbey making straw hats. Only a few years later, there was a fire fuelled by the straw. There were over 14,000 prisoners passing the gates of the Mont during the French revolution and during this time, the name of the island changed to mont Libre, meaning Free Mountain. In 1863, Napolaeon III closed the prison and it was rented to the Bishop of Countance and the original purpose of the abbey was restored.
Half of the island actually remains free of buildings and the north rocks have remained wild. During sieges, the inhabitants have cultivated the land and the nuns still have lots of vegetable patches and fruit trees on the island. On the North side, there are two fascinating structions that are near on impossible to get to. The first is Fontaine Saint Aubert. According to myth, the only thing the canons of the Mont needed was water. Surrounded by ocean, there were no springs of fresh water or wells. But, built in the 8th century in honour of Saint Aubert. According to the legend, a spring of fresh water miraculously sprang from the hard stone and fed the monastery of water until the 15th century. It has now dried up, but you can still access it by a staircase. There is also the Chapelle Saint Aubert erected around the 12th century, again in honour of Saint Aubert. In 1947, the gable of the chapel was crowned with a statue of Saint Aubert. These are two places off the beaten track of Mont Saint Michel and are not known to tourists.
| 4th century | 529 | 6th century | 708 | 747 - 814 |
| The site of the abbey was used by the Druids for worship | Order of Saint Benedict was founded | Hermits built a chapel dedicated to Saint Symphorien and Saint Stephen | Saint Aubert sent 12 canons to build a religious community on Mont Tombe as it was then known | Charlemagne, Roman emperor changed the name of the island to Mont Saint Michel as Saint Michael was protector of Charlemagnes empire |
| 8th century | 8th century | 847 | 867 | 870 |
| First villagers settled on the island following viing invasion | Fontaine Saint Aubert founded. A spring of fresh water from a hard rock miraculously appeared | Vikings invaded the abbey and ransacked it | Island was taken over by the duchy of brittany | Vikings raided the surrounding towns and the people fled to the Mont creating a bigger village |
| 867 | 933 | 965 | 992 |
| First pilgramage was recorded by Frankish Monk Bernard | Normandy took control of the island back | Richard I King of Normandy got permission from Pope John XIII to replace the canons. They were given the option to leave or to take the habit of Saint Benedict. Only one stayed | A fire destroyed the village |
| 10th century | 1031 - 1060 | 1060 | 11th century | 12th century |
| Abbey developed quickly but not in a honourable way | King Henri I (son of william the conqueror) built the first fort here | Double nave was built | Vikings remained at large and ransacked and destroyed monataries. The Mont was spared | Chapelle Saint Aubert errected |
| 12th century | 1288 | 13th century | 13th century |
| The monks were famous as they translated Aristotles work from Greek to Latin | The abbey was rebuilyto replicate the original following the fire | King of Brittany wanted to expland his land and set the city on fire. He was guilty so gave money for it to be repaied and the first fortified enclosure was built | Nord tower was built |
| 1314 | 1337 - 1453 | 1356 | 1386 | 1417 |
| First garrison was installed consisting of a man at arms and 5 servants | 100 years War | The English took Tomberlaine and set up a bastille from which they began to seize the abbey | Pierre Le Roy was appointed abbot and ordered the contruction of the towers | Rouen was taken by the English meaning the Mont was the only place in Normandy still French |
| 1417 | 1420 | 1420 | 1423 - 1440 | 1456 - 1459 |
| A curtain wall flanked with 6 towers was built alongwith warehouses to hold provisions and ammunition | The Mont resisted invasion from the Englsih | Rochard Jolivet (Abbot of the abbey) pledged alelegience to King Henry V of Englad | English took control of the Mont and establish sea and land blockades | Large groups of children pilgrims went to the Mont |
| 15th century | 15th century | 1577 | 1589 | 1591 |
| Fontaine Saint Aubert dried up | Roi tower was built | Huguenots (protestants following calvinism) disguised as pilgrims tried to seize the abbey but were unsuccessful | Huguenots attacked | Huguenots attacked |
| 16th century | 17th century | 1731 | 1766 | 1791 |
| Saint Pierre chuch was constructed and dedicated to Saint Peter, Saint of fisherman | Basse tower was built | Louis XV took possesion of the mont | Fortresses went into disrepair | The last benedictine monk left following the French Revolution |
| 1789 - 1799 | 1790's | 18th century | 18th century | 1834 |
| French Revolution | Abbey got transfomed into a prison | Island changed its name to Mont Libre during this time | The abbey houses only 10 monks | There was a fire fuelled b straw from the straw hat making business |
| 1851 | 1862 | 1863 | 1867 | 1872 |
| Highest population recorded | Became a historic monument | Napoleon III closed the prison which had 14,000 people walk through its doors | Bishop of Countances rented the abbey | Repair work started on the abbey |
| 1888 | 1898 | 19th century | 19th century |
| Musee Maquaire built | Archangel Saint Michael statue was completed, weighing 800kg, measuring 3.5m tall and costing €15,000 in todays money | Tourism started to pick up as romantic authors and painters flocked to the island | Lots of new hotels were established |
| 1944 | 1947 | 1979 |
| The Mont was spared of any damage from WWII but it was occupied by the Germans | Gable of Chapelle Saint Aubert was crowned with a statue of Saint Aubert | Became UNESCO world heritage site |
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