Mont St Michel

Mont St Michel: Excursions from Paris are popular among tourists who want to explore more of the beauties of France. Hotels often arrange these excursions and at you may as well do it yourself. Of the beautiful places that are located in the Paris neighborhood, Mont St Michel is perhaps the most exotic one! Located on the northern coast of France, Mont St Michel is a rocky tidal island and is crowned by the castle style Benedictine abbey that was dedicated to the archangel Saint Michel. There is a thin stretch of land that connects the island to the mainland.

Historical background: Mont St Michel was originally a place of pagan worship and was called the Mont Tombe. It was dedicated to the sun god and rituals used to be performed daily by the tribal folks. This desolate place has also long served as a place for meditation for the hermits and sages. However, the place was later converted into a church cum monastery. As the legend goes, the archangel Michel appeared in the dreams of the bishop of Avranches and ordered him to construct a church at this place. Accordingly a church was built in the 8th century. The abbey was later refurbished and was also fortified. This saved it from the repeated English invasion during the Hundred Years War. The place has now been marked as one of UNESCO's World Heritage Site.

Present status: Many films have been shot in this place and it is one of the most frequented places in France after the Eiffel tower. The place is not only popular as a pilgrimage but also attracts the tourists due to its gothic beauty. Guided tours are available and there is also accommodation facility at the entrance of the causeway as well as inside the walls. The names of some of the hotels are given below:
  -   Hotel Formulae Verte
  -   Hotel Saint Aubert
  -   Hotel Du Mouton Blanc
  -   Hotel Le Saint Michel

Mont St Michel is accessible both by road and railway from Paris.