Mont Saint Michel

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Mont Saint Michel
By Dylan Moore
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Mont Saint Michel is a small rocky, cone shaped
islet in Normandy, roughly one half a mile from
the north coast of France, at the mouth of the
Couesnon River. It is also close to the border of
Brittany.
Mont Saint Michel sits defiantly atop a clump of
rock that is half a mile in diameter and eighty
feet high, these rocks jut out of the water of
the English Channel, like a outstretched hand
reaching toward heaven.
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In ancient times the bay had been covered by the
sea, which slowly retreated during several
glaciations, allowing erosion to shape the
landscape over millions of years. Having resisted
the wear and tear of the ocean better than the
surrounding rocks, several blocks of granite were
left protruding out of the bay. These blocks of
rock became the foundation on which Mont Saint
Michel would be built.
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The Mount is connected to the mainland by a
thin natural land bridge, which before
modernization was covered by the sea at high
tide, and revealed during the low tide. Because
Mont Saint Michel is an island half of the time,
and attached to the mainland the other half of
the time, The Mount is said to have a mystical
quality and sometimes be referred to as a tidal
island.
This quasi-island is not only famous because its
tides shift, but also because of the tremendous
speed at which they rush in and out. The tides
surrounding the Mount can vary by 14 meters
between high and low tides, and move in as
rapidly as 1 meter a second. Victor Hugo once
described the tides as a la vitesse dun cheval
au gallop or as swiftly as a galloping Horse.
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Aside from the dangerous tides, there are many
other perils that one could encounter, when
trying to reach Mont Saint Michel, before the
land bridge was fortified into a true causeway in
1879. One such peril was an unchartable
quicksand field, that was caused by the force of
the tides constantly shifting. During the middle
ages Mont Saint Michel was popularly nicknamed
"St. Michael in peril of the sea" by mediaeval
pilgrims making their way across the tidal flats.

It was said that pilgrims of that era needed
great faith to visit Mont Saint Michel. Luckily
for modern pilgrims, they can drive above the
water, bypassing treacherous quicksand and
destructive tides.
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Over the centuries, the coastal flats that
surround the Mount have been filled in by salt
march. One of the major causes of this problem
is the causeway, that was built to allow people
to drive onto the islet.
The problem with the causeway is that it disrupts
the currents that flush away silt, and as a
result 60 acres of salt march are gaining on the
islet annually. Currently the French government
is in the middle of a 5 year, 260 million dollar
plan to remove the causeway, replace it with a
discreet bridge, and reverse the damage done to
the bay over the years.
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It wasnt until 966, that this 200 year old
church was converted into a Benedictine
Monastery. And then, only 60 years later,
Richard II of Normandy began the Abbey Church. 
Richard II also supported the ambitious works of
architect Abbot Hildebert, who was the mastermind
behind the first great construction/addition to
Mont Saint Michel.  Hildebert finished his grand
work in 1135.  Little did the abbot know that
construction would start again in only 35 years.
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Abbot Robert de Toringy started building a new
façade on the western side of the church in 1170.
However, in 1203, the Duke of Brittany
accidentally set fire to the church because
Phillip Augustus expelled the British from
Normandy. This subsequently stopped
construction. However, Phillip Augustus, being
none to thrilled with the fire used his influence
with the King of France to allocate money to
repair the buildings.  At this point Abbot Jordan
planned and started building The Marvel in
1210.  The Marvel contained a number of great
halls, kitchens, cloisters, and a dormitory. 
This all encompassing marvel was completed in
1230.            
Unfortunately, only 70 years after The Marvel
was completed, one of the towers collapsed,
because the original masonry couldnt support the
new granite additions.  This travesty was shortly
followed by the collapse of Hildeberts nave in
1421.  Unfortunately for The Marvel new
construction was stalled until 1450, due to the
hundred years war.  This renovation was
completed in 1521.
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Mont Saint Michel was dedicated to St. Michel in
708.  After he allegedly appeared to St. Aubert,
bishop of Avranches, and instructed him to build
a church atop the rocky islet.  According to
legend, St. Aubert repeatedly ignored the
arch-angels instructions, until Michel burned a
hole in his skull with his finger. The dedication
to St. Michel occurred on October 16, 708.
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Mont Saint Michel gained strategic significance
in 933, when the Normans took over the Cotentin
Peninsula, thereby placing the Mount on the
boarder with England. That strategic advantage
didnt come into play until the Norman conquest
of England in 1066.
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The French Revolution was a time of great change
for France, and for Mont Saint Michel. During
this time, scarcely any monks were living in the
abbey, and by the early 1800s the abbey was
closed, but not for long. Due to the size and
location of the Mount, it was decided by the
French government to be converted into a prison.
Initially the prison was meant to hold clerical
opponents of the republican regime, but
high-profile political prisoners soon followed.
However, by 1836 many influential figures,
including Victor Hugo, launched a campaign to
restore the national treasure to its former
glory. As a result the prison was finally closed
its doors in 1863.
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Mount Saint Michel was declared a historic
monument in 1874. The Mount also happens to be
the third most popular tourist attraction in
France, with over 3 million visitors a year.
Thats only topped by the Eiffel Tower, and the
Palace of Versailles.
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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization, commonly known as UNESCO,
is a specialized agency of the United Nations
system. Its main objective is to contribute to
peace and security by promoting collaboration
among the nations through education, science and
culture.
One of UNESCO's missions is to maintain a list of
World Heritage Sites. These sites are important
natural or historical sites whose preservation
and safe keeping are deemed important for the
world community. UNESCO has ranked Mont Saint
Michel at the top of their list of world heritage
sites in France.
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Mont Saint Michel is a truly amazing tourist
attraction. Many people might ask, what make it
special or different than any other tourist
attraction? It is simple.
Most places that people visit are either famous
for there landscape, an unusual geographic
feature, a building of historic value, or a
shopping district. The fact that Mont Saint
Michel has all of these may be the reason, that
millions visit each year, and that the French
government is so interested in protecting its
landscape.
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Whether its day or night, Mont Saint Michel is
one of the most beautiful sights you could ever
gaze upon in France.
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Come and Visit!