On to Le Mont St Michele

I thought it was pretty impressive from the distance.

Le Mont- Saint-Michael is an island community in Normandy, France. It is located approximately  ½ mile off the country's northwestern coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River. 247 acres in size, the island has a population of about 44.

 

Then we got closer!

The structural composition of the town exemplifies the feudal society that constructed it: on top, God, the abbey and monastery; below, the great halls; then stores and housing; and at the bottom, outside the walls, fishermen's and farmers' housing.

Imagine people have walked this narrow street for hundreds of years.

The tides can vary greatly, at roughly 46 ft between high and low water marks. Popularly nicknamed "St. Michael in peril of the sea" by medieval pilgrims making their way across the flats, the mount can still pose dangers for visitors who avoid the causeway and attempt the hazardous walk across the sands from the neighboring coast.

Through the church, out the back door was this incredible graveyard.

One of France's most recognizable landmarks, Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are part of the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites and more than 3 million people visit it each year.

Lots of back alleys to explore.