Climbing Toward Heaven at Mont Saint-Michel

Day Four of our France Pilgrimage was breathtaking! After breakfast at the hotel, we made our way toward Mont Saint-Michel, which is only accessible by shuttle. Although we arrived before 8:00 a.m., when the shuttles began running, we found they were already quite full of people eager to reach the mount. About half of us managed to squeeze onto the first shuttle, and the rest caught the second. The view as we approached was absolutely stunning!

Although it was once possible to drive directly to the island, visitors now travel by shuttle. From what I can gather, the extreme tides in the bay likely played a role in that change: The Bay of Mont Saint-Michel has the highest tidal variation in Europe—rising as much as 45 feet in just six hours. According to my guidebook, cars that were once parked in the old lot at the wrong time were sometimes submerged by the incoming tide!

We experienced the power of the tide firsthand as soon as we arrived. The water was rising as we entered the small doorway at the base of the mountain, and several pilgrims found themselves walking through a shallow puddle. By the time the last few members of our group reached the entrance, the water had risen within seconds to about a foot deep! We had to hurry to find another way in to catch up with the group.

(Here's what this same entrance looked like later in the afternoon.)

Once everyone was safely inside, Mass began in beautiful St. Peter’s Church. The ancient chapel, with its rugged stone columns and simple statues, makes you feel as if you’ve stepped back into medieval France. Fr. Ray was the principal celebrant, and Fr. Swink offered an inspiring homily on the importance of St. Michael the Archangel. He recalled how St. Michael appeared to Bishop St. Aubert in 708, instructing him to build a shrine on the mountain—a command that led to the creation of Mont Saint-Michel. Father then shared the story of how Pope Leo XIII composed the St. Michael Prayer: After passing out during Mass, the Holy Father heard Satan tell our Lord that, if given 100 years, he could destroy the Church. Knowing that the gates of hell could never prevail against her, the Lord permitted Satan to try. In response, Pope Leo XIII composed the St. Michael Prayer to be said after Masses, seeking the Archangel’s protection.

After Mass, we had several hours to explore Mont Saint-Michel on our own. The village at the base includes a steep main street lined with shops, restaurants, small hotels, and bookstores. Off the main path, a labyrinth of narrow passageways and staircases winds its way up to the centerpiece of the mountain: the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel. We were among the first tourists to arrive in the morning, but as the day went on, more and more tourists speaking many languages filled the narrow streets of this remarkable site.

At 1:15 p.m., we met at the steps of the Abbey for a two-hour guided tour. Founded in the 10th century, the Abbey was built as a home of Benedictine monks. The Benedictines were expelled during the French Revolution but were able to return in 1966, the 1000th anniversary of the Abbey's founding. Our guides did an excellent job explaining its fascinating history. By the end of the tour, we’d climbed hundreds of steps, but it was worth every one of them.

Because of a few delays—including the ever-full shuttle buses—we left later than planned. After several hours on the bus, we arrived in Cholet around 8:45 p.m. for a late dinner and hotel check-in. Dinner was absolutely delicious!

Tomorrow, we’ll visit St. Louis de Montfort and Blessed Marie Louise Trichet. Be sure to read our guidebook for more details about today’s pilgrimage sites!