Truly an amazing sight, Le Mont St. Michel rises up from the tidal flats to dominate the landscape at the edge of the Normandy coast.
After pushing through the crowds of tourists (even on a very cold "spring" day) up the narrow, steep street, you are greeted with a lot of stairs to the top of the abbey. Once you catch your breath, you can tour around (maybe even seeing some monks and nuns in a devotional service) and see the immense, rambling abbey complex.
This place has been home to religious pilgrimages as well as serving as a prison -- a microcosm of the complex history of Normandy. The monastery supposedly was built by St. Aubert at the request of the archangel Michael, who grew so impatient with Aubert's procrastination that he appeared in a vision and pressed so hard on Aubert's forehead that he burned a dent into his head. Now that's what I call leaving an impression (insert groan here)!
9 comments:
How interesting and what a marvelous photo!
Pat
Guelph Daily Photo, My Photos.
Excellent picture and interesting story. The blue rooftops are beautiful.
Never got a chance yet to see it from close! No wonder it stands on the Unesco list of the Word Heritage Centre.
Nice photography.
This makes me always think about the men and women who built these places. How in the world did they get all of that stone up there to lay one beside another and then another row on top?
Abraham Lincoln in Brookville, Ohio
wonderfull place to visit, inside is joy to walk! when you are able to see somthing.... right? Its always so crowded there...
You're way outside your Netherlands perimeter, but how beautiful! I used to go to the Mont St Michel every year when I was a kid, it wasn't far from where we went on holidays. I never tired of going over and over again.
Magnificent! Wonder if the monastery accepts volunteer helpers . . .
I'm just reading Umberto Eco's _The Name of the Rose_ and this fits in perfectly.
Shalom to you.
Good Job! :)
I went to France this summer and really enjoyed my time. But I was not able to go to Le Mont St. Michel. My grandfather went there and told me that I had to go, but unfortunately I didn't have time. You chould check out this new travel site I found, baraaza.com. You can review destinations, upload pics, and get info for your next trip. Check it out you might like it.
Nicole
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