Making the Most of 1 Day on Mont-Saint-Michel

Hello, interwebs!

You have one day on Mt.-St.-Michel.  Weather conditions: chilly, but dry.  Budget: as cheap as possible. Objective: kick that one day in the butt. GO!

Stop 1: Just get a view of that beauty.

Check this guy out!

Can it get any better? Ok, time to go home...

I mean, seriously, people.  Just seeing this abbey/prison/"Wonder of the Western World" is worth making the trip.  Upon seeing it for the first time, my sister gasped.  Literally gasped.  Maybe it's just because we learned about this beauty in French 1, and it's stuck with us ever since, but this was like seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time.  You can imagine its beauty, but then you see it and realize your musings ain't got nothin' on reality.

2. Climb up, catch your out-of-shape breath, and realize that people actually live up there.  What?!

Nice back garden, bro.

Apparently there are 30 residents up there.  Or so says Rick Steves.  Nothing says "good morning" like hundreds of tourists outside your window in the morning.

3. Attend a mass in the abbey.

You'll get a free sticker!

As a Catholic, attending this mass was unreal.  The music was heavenly.  There was something so effortless about the way that the religious were singing clean, simple harmonies that anyone, regardless of background would enjoy.  And then you realize that people have been saying mass in that exact space for over 1000 years, and you feel wonderfully unimportant and incredibly blessed.  I'm telling you, people, go hear these voices.  You won't forget it anytime soon.

And if nothing else, going to mass gives you a free ticket into the abbey!  Well, ok, sure, they give you these silly stickers to keep you out, but there were a ton of people just chilling after mass, long after they were intended to be.  (Luckily, my sister and I fell under the "gratuit" category because we're both under 26, and temporary European residents. Woohoo!)

4. If possible, tour the abbey.

Or just go to mass, and then take your sticker off afterwards...but you didn't hear it from me!

You'll get to do cool things like this...

Get stuck in the jail for idiots!

BONUS: Stumble across a free concert.

As we were winding down our day, we noticed music stands going into the smaller, parish church.  And where's there's music paraphernalia, there's a music teacher. So, we sat down and waited to see what was happening. It turns out Orquestra, this Brazilian (I think..), youth string ensemble was playing an hour-long concert as a stop on a tour.  The players were all between 12 and 21, and it was some of the highest-quality, most-entertaining string music I've ever heard.  So, when you all go to the Mont, keep an eye out for music stands!

The quality is terrible, but you get the idea....

And there it is, take the shuttle bus to the train station and head on your way.  (And if you have an extra hour, get a couple drinks with other young travelers!)

Mission Mont-Saint-Michel: Accomplished.