Straddling the peaks of a granite stone rock, the Mont Saint Michel and its famous 1,300-year-old Abbey is not only one of France’s most famous tourist attractions, but it’s one of the best places to visit in Normandy from Paris!
A pilgrim site for centuries, the UNESCO World Heritage Site is, in fact, an island, and the only way to reach it is by crossing over the Bay when the tides are low (adding all the extra allure).
On that note, it holds the title for another (natural) phenomenon: the highest tides in Europe!
In this guide, we explain all there is to know about this enigmatic destination in the Normandy region.
From travel costs to things to do in its village to the various types of tours, here’s everything you need for planning a Mont Saint Michel day trip from Paris — and in case you were wondering, you can stay overnight!
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Is Mont St Michel worth the trip from Paris?
Considered among the top 50 must-visit sites in France, it’s absolutely worth the trip from Paris to Mont St Michel. It’s one of those destinations that’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so take advantage while you are in Paris.
It is a long-ish way for a day trip, but it’s totally worth it!
If you do have more time to spare, consider a 2-day trip, staying overnight.
How to get to Mont Saint Michel from Paris?
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By car
There are two routes when traveling by car.
From Paris, take the A13 motorway toward Caen, then follow the A84 toward Avranches Rennes. A second option is to take the A11 motorway toward Caen, then the A81 headed for Fougères, and then the A84 toward Caen.
Once you arrive, park in one of the car parks and catch the (free) shuttle.
Located approximately 375 kilometers from Paris, the first route is the shortest.
Duration: 4.5 hours (one way)
There are many fantastic places to visit on the way if you wish to extend your trip. Check out Giverny (hometown of Claude Monet), Rouen (the capital of Normandy), Honfleur and Deauville (both on the coast), Caen, Bayeux (on the Aure river), Vire-Normandie and Avranches (20 minutes from Mont Saint Michel).
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By bus
There are no public buses traveling directly from Paris to Mont Saint Michel; however, there are semi-private big bus operators departing from the Paris Pont de Levallois bus station. Most arrive in nearby towns or at the parking lots near the abbey.
Duration: 5 to 5.5 hours (one way)
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By train and bus
There are no direct train lines from Paris to Mont Saint-Michel. The nearest train station is in Pontorson, and there are multiple ways to get to Mont Saint Michel via train and then a short bus ride.
Option 1: Catch a train from Paris Gare Montparnasse to Villedieu-les-Poêles (three to 3.5 hours). From here, bus services run via Place des Navettes, and it’s a 45-minute journey.
Option 2: Catch a train from Paris Gare Montparnasse to Rennes (1.5 to two hours). In Rennes, switch train lines headed for Pontorson – Mont-Saint-Michel. It’s a 45-minute ride, and there are only two trains per day with either TGV or SNCF. From Pontorson, catch a bus to the Mont Saint Michel parking lots.
Instead of swapping trains, catch a bus from Rennes to Mont Saint-Michel via the Bus Keolis (one hour).
Option 3: Catch the Nomad train from Paris Saint Lazare to Caen. From here, take another train to Pontorson – Mont-Saint-Michel. From Pontorson, catch a bus to the Mont-Saint-Michel parking lots (30 minutes).
Duration: Whether you’ve chosen options 1, 2 or 3, depending on the time of day and week, it takes between 3.5 to 4.5 hours to get here.
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With a guided tour
A guided tour is often the most convenient and time-effective way to travel to Mont Saint Michel. Depending on your tour operator, you will catch a private taxi, shuttle or trains to get here, included in your tour package.
Duration: Full-day guided tours last between 12 to 14 hours.
Shuttle ride to Mont Saint Michel
Once you arrive at the Mont Saint Michel car parks, no private vehicles are allowed beyond this point. If you’ve arrived by car, find a space in one of the lots (P2 to P13), pay and park here.
From the Tourist Info Center, catch the free Le Passeur shuttle to Mont Saint Michel.
Duration: Operating daily between 7.30 AM and 11 PM, it’s about a 10 to 12-minute drive.
How much does a Mont Saint Michel day trip cost?
Your transport is your biggest cost for a day trip to Mont Saint Michel.
Price for a day trip by car
Car rentals (excluding petrol) range from €40 to €200+ (fancier vehicles, like a BMW, are more expensive).
Price for a day trip by bus
Bus tickets range from €21 to €37.
Price for a day trip by train and bus
Trains start from €21 from Paris to Pontorson.
Price for a Mont Saint Michel tour from Paris
A Mont Saint Michel tour from Paris ranges from €120 to €220.
Tours vary in cost depending on a few factors such as the duration, mode of transportation (including round-trip transfers), if it’s a fully guided excursion and inclusions such as lunch or entrance fees to museums.
For example, standard one-day tours without a guide, meals or entry tickets are the cheapest option. They increase in euros with extras, like a knowledgeable tour guide and dining at a local restaurant with your small private group.
Multi-day tours take care of accommodation, meals and transport, calculated into the overall price. These trips range from €475 (two days) to €720 for a three-day venture.
How to find the best Mont Saint Michel tours from Paris?
As one of the most famous sites to visit in France, there are many tour operators offering Mont Saint Michel tours.
Listing these all on one comprehensive platform, use TourScanner to search and select the best Mont Saint Michel tour for you, most suited for your needs and budget.
For example, would you prefer an expert guide to lead the way, or are you comfortable with just an audio guide?
Our online search engine is easy to use as well as compare prices, services and availability — plus, you can see what others are saying in the reviews!
Mont Saint Michel opening hours
Opening hours vary throughout the year/season.
- From November to March: Daily from 10 AM to 5 PM.
- From April to June and September: Monday to Saturday from 9.30 AM to 6.30 PM, Sundays from 9.30 AM to 6 PM.
- From July to August: Daily from 9.30 AM to 7 PM.
- October: Monday to Saturday from 9.30 AM to 5.30 PM, Sundays from 9.30 AM to 5 PM.
Useful to know: These opening hours are for the Abbey.
Best time to visit Mont Saint Michel – How to avoid the crowd
The best season for visiting the UNESCO World Heritage Site is during summer (June to August) when the weather is at its finest, the days are long and you have the best chances of marveling at its low and high tides. But, this is also when Mont Saint Michel is busiest. Its peak month is July, with the least amount of rain.
Escape the crowds and explore the famous site in May or September/October, just before and after the seasonal rush.
The most optimal time to visit during the day is first thing in the morning (a few tours depart in the very early hours, some even around 12 AM), or if you’re spending the night, late in the afternoon when the crowds heading back to Paris disperse. Hello, Golden Hour and the Abbey under starlight!
At these times, it’s easier to navigate the village’s tiny alleys and staircases.
Also important to note: if you’re planning a photoshoot, you need to time your lighting perfectly. For example, dawn equals morning misty landscapes (magical), or in winter, there isn’t as much light.
Things to do and places to visit in Mont Saint Michel
Visit the 1,300-year-old Abbey
According to the history books, in the year 708, Archangel Michael appeared to a Bishop in his dreams, imploring him to construct a sanctuary in his name. Thus, the foundations for the famous Abbey on Mont Saint Michel were born.
Benedictine monks arrived in 966, and official construction of the Romanesque-style Abbey began in 1023.
Soaring toward the heavens (and with the appearance of a castle more than anything), it’s been a famous pilgrimage site ever since. It became acclaimed for its treasury and library circa the Middle Ages and, during the French Revolution, utilized as a prison.
Built upon rocks, its vertical design is an architectural masterpiece! Its cloister, the statue of Archangel Michael and the Gothic La Merveille buildings are not to be missed.
Get lost exploring the cobbled centuries-old streets
Contrary to what some think before arriving here, Mont Saint Michel is not just a monastery but a village retaining its authentic medieval charm. Original shopfronts, restaurants and stone houses are painstakingly preserved. Making your way up to the Abbey automatically means meandering through the town’s tiny (picturesque) cobbled streets.
The main entrance is La Porte du Roy, leading to the main street, La Grande Rue (surrounded by three fort gates), lined with eateries and souvenir stores.
Nicknamed “Cuckold’s Alley,” squeeze through the narrowest street
Walking like soldiers in a straight line is perhaps the only way to get through Venelle du Guet — officially the skinniest street (if you could call the alleyway that) in the village.
It feels like you’re running through the streets in the 1500s!
Almost hidden, it’s so narrow; hunt down “Ruelle des cocus” (its nickname) along La Grande Rue, making a left turn in front of Hotel La Croix Blanche. Take the small staircase from one end to the other, and voila, you’re through!
Drink in panoramas walking the ramparts of Mont Saint Michel
Connecting seven watchtowers are the ancient village’s medieval ramparts, constructed shortly after the end of the Hundred Years’ War (1337 to 1453). Naturally, the fortification systems add to its castle-like magic!
From the Porte du Roy drawbridge entrance is a path leading to the ramparts. Wrapping around the lower half of Mont Saint Michel, access these via a public walkway between the towers, with 360-degree bay vistas.
The views from the North Tower of the tidal bore are particularly special. The remaining six are the King, Arcade, Liberty, Barbette, Half-Moon and Loop Towers.
Stop by the village’s official parish, Église Saint-Pierre
Tracking down an alley on the main road (just before the Abbey) leads you to Église Saint-Pierre, i.e., St. Peter’s Church — another centuries-old historic stone structure.
Dedicated to Peter, the patron saint of fishermen, popes and said to hold the “keys of heaven,” a statue of the Apostle slaying a dragon adorns a side chapel inside.
Its pillar foundations have stood here since the 11th century, but it was during the 15th and 16th centuries that the church we see today was established.
Weekly mass is still held at St. Peter’s at 11 AM.
Take in the views from the Cimetière du Mont Saint-Michel
Constructed over a two-tier terrace with views outstretching across the bay directly in front, the Cimetière du Mont Saint-Michel was not only the homeground burial site for the local who’s who of the region (back in the day), but it also is one of the prettiest viewpoints!
The tiny cemetery is built next door to the village parish (St. Peter’s), and a few notable figures laid to rest here include the French engraver and sculptor Henri-Georges Adam, and the famous cook and inventor of the ‘Omelette de la mère Poulard,’ Anne Boutiaut Poulard.
Around since 1888, taste the famous omelet from La Mère Poulard
As a way to keep Mrs. Anne Boutiaut Poulard’s inn guests happy, she concocted an omelet-type souffle dish to keep hungry bellies warm upon arrival. This she would cook over a woodfire oven — and it’s still the same traditions that you’ll find at La Mère Poulard 135 years later.
Garnering years of success, the inn is now a hotel with an entire separate restaurant — bookings are essential.
Not only famous in Mont Saint Michel, but Mère Poulard (officially) is revered across France, and her original omelet is still considered the best of its kind throughout Normandy.
Sample classic dishes from Mont Saint Michel, like salt marsh lamb!
Considering how small the village island is, there isn’t an awful load of “typical” Mont Saint Michel dishes. That being said, there are a few honorary mentions that you can only find here!
Ever tried salt marsh lamb? Gaining its name because the cattle graze in the marshes around the Mont, don’t miss tasting Prés-salés du Mont-Saint-Michel.
Crêpes are another staple dish (both sweet or savory), and if you are looking for a treat, pop into a local shop and grab a packet of artisanal caramels from the local brand, Cara-Meuh.
Get to know your surroundings better at the museums
Become more acquainted with the Mont at its four museums.
For a better understanding of how the island’s tidal phenomenon operates, investigate the Maritime Museum. With its display of 250 antique model ships and position toward the start of the Grand Rue, it’s a great starting point.
Learn more about the Abbey over its last 1,300 years through wax figurines, antiquated collectibles and reconstructions of its different parts at the History Museum (located at the foot of the Abbey).
The immersive Archéoscope Museum explores the history of Mont Saint-Michel from a geological perspective through its multi-media show.
An honorary celebration of medieval knights, the Logis Tiphaine Museum is housed inside a 14th-century abode.
Investigate the tides and the Bay with a local guide
Spending a few pennies on a local guide to lead you through the Bay encompassing the island is highly recommended — because no one wants to get stuck in quicksand!
Not only is a local highly knowledgeable on your surroundings, the history of the topography and its fauna and flora, but they know the tides like the back of their hands.
Of course, low tide is the optimum time to wander over the sand mass.
Keep your eyes peeled for Tombelaine Island in the distance — another granite rock isle a few kilometers from the Mont.
Take insane photographs from the viewpoints around Mont Saint Michel
No matter where you turn, there’s an awe-inspiring moment here!
Some of the best viewpoints around Mont Saint Michel include from: the Chemin des Fanils path, the Cimetière du Mont Saint-Michel and the hidden 12th-century Chapelle de Saint-Aubert.
Photography enthusiasts, if you’re keen to shoot Mont Saint Michel, some of the best angles are from just outside the village: before you enter the Causeway across the dam (Barrage sur le Couesnon), from the Causeway, the sheep meadows west of the Couesnon River and the Les Méandres (Wandering Lake).
Stay in time for sunset
As the sky transforms into a softer glow with Golden Hour approaching, get your cameras ready for the sunset views!
From inside the village, the bay and buildings become silhouetted, but to really appreciate the spectacle, head to the wooden boardwalk. From the Barrage sur le Couesnon, the sun sets behind the island.
Of course, the only way to catch the sunset over Mont Saint Michel is by opting for a tour that leaves later on, or spending the night in Mont Saint Michel.
Sparkling like a Disney vector, enjoy a night stroll through the village and abbey
If you thought that Mont Saint Michel is spectacular in the daytime, just wait until you get a load of the star of its show, the Abbey, lit up at night!
Stay till after-dark and wander the streets illuminated underneath the Abbey, and in the summertime, the monastery puts on a special Sound & Light Show!
Then, the Abbey also offers an ‘Abbaye du Mont Saint-Michel Night Stroll’ — a visual and audio tour (incorporating innovative technology) through the church come nightfall!
From music to art, join in on the annual Festivals
Hosted usually in July, the Festival Grandes Marées is a celebration of jazz and other genres.
The Christian Art Festival commemorates local and international artists, showcasing painting, sculpture, performance art and music with religion as subject matter/inspiration. Join in the concerts, recitals, workshops and seminars.
Via Aeterna is dubbed a sacred one and is a Classical music festival with concerts set up in various locations in the Mont Saint Michel Bay.
Colorful lights and decorations lining the alleys and ramparts, Christmas trees in overdrive, little markets and all sorts of festive events; the Christmas Season in Mont Saint Michel is pure magic!
Other nearby attractions to consider near Mont Saint Michel
No less than five minutes from Mont Saint Michel is the Alligator Bay park — home to the largest group of alligators in all of Europe! It’s divided into the alligator greenhouse, turtle farm and the labyrinth of dragons!
Or transport yourselves to Holland ten minutes away at Moulin de Moidrey (in Pontorson) — the site of a 19th-century windmill, the Moidrey.
The port city of Saint-Malo is part of Brittany and is 50 minutes away. Home to over 11,000 species, kids especially love the city’s Grand Aquarium.
Cornwall or Granville? With its town perched above the sea cliffs, Granville is full of old townhouses and cobbled streets and is the site of the famous Musée Christian Dior. It’s about a 45-minute drive from Mont Saint Michel.
Best places to eat in Mont Saint Michel
The island is pretty tiny, so there isn’t an overload of restaurants, and the dining is pretty pricey.
Sample local dishes and typical Normandy cuisine from spots like La Mère Poulard for the best omelette de la mère Poulard; Crêperie La Cloche for its crêpes; Le Pré Salé for that famous lamb and La ferme Saint-Michel for all sorts of Norman specialties.
Other picks along the Grand Rue (with all of the authentic medieval settings) are La Vieille Auberge, Auberge Le Mouton Blanc and Auberge Saint- Pierre.
Places to visit along the way from Paris to Mont Saint Michel
From Viking times to a treasured coastal destination famed for its architecture, culture and history, don’t miss the opportunity to explore and visit the other places in Normandy.
Mont Saint Michel is located in this region, and en route from Paris, consider pit stopping at other towns, villages and cities along the way.
For example, during 2-day trips from Paris, pass through Rouen, Honfleur, Caen, Saint-Malo and the beaches of Normandy.
Or, make longer 3-day trips from Paris to the Mont, and when returning to the capital city, stop over in Angers, Langeais, Chenonceau and Chambord as well.
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