2000,00 €
The abbey built on a mysterious island in the thirteenth century continues to fascinate. The thousand-year-old history of this granite rock which resisted in times of defeat, in the face of the English and Protestant threat, reveals its secrets in this guided tour.
After a 3-hour drive, interrupted by a break for breakfast, you will visit the fortified town of Fougères on the border between Brittany and Normandy. It’s only a 40-minute drive to Mont Saint-Michel.
At the end of the 12th century, King Henry II Plantagenet of England, leading his army that had landed in Normandy, attacked Fougères Castle and literally reduced it to ashes. Baron Raoul II, leader of the local nobles’ resistance against English raids, suffered the monarch’s fierce anger here. Far from being defeated, he began the first major reconstruction campaign in 1176. The castle was built of shale and granite.
In the 1430s, the Dukes of Brittany acquired the fortress. A key element of border defense, the castle once again underwent extensive renovation. See the tourist office website.
After a lunch in Fougères (too crowded in Mont Saint-Michel), time to go to the Mount ! Inside the abbey our guide show you 20 different rooms ! The « scriptorium » where the monks copy books in the 13 century, the Mount was a influent intellectual center, traducing from greek to latin Aristotle, Ovide, Cicéron etc. The stunning cloister on the top of the 3 level is the master piece of the place. The huge refectory, the nobility room and an underground chapel where you can attend the Mass sung by the nuns !
What did the Benedictines do there ? Why is this the only vertical monastery in the world ? What are the architectural styles from the 9th century chapel to the “Merveille”, the name of the Abbey ? Our guide will comment you all answers 😉
By booking in advance, you may be lucky enough to find a hotel room on the island, otherwise hotels with a view of Mont Saint-Michel are also good options.
Contact us to first validate the hotel night, because we do not offer this excursion on a single day like other agencies, you should know that it is a 3h45 drive from Paris ! It is also possible to sleep in the medieval town of Bayeux, which makes it easy to visit the D-Day beaches the next day (300 Euros supplement).
If for the following day you prefer to visit deep Normandy with its half-timbered and thatched roof houses, a cider mill and a cheese factory, we will adapt to your wishes.
Write us on contact@private-tours-normandy.paris for any question !
For these two days, we charge 2000 Euros for your small private group (5 persons maximum), to which must be added the price of the hotel night which can vary, and the restaurants, much cheaper than in Paris.
The price is for a group of up to 5 people. 10% deposit. You can cancel the rest anytime.
Private tour, the car and guide are only for your family/friends.
Departure at 7:30 a.m. from Paris on the first day. Return around 6 p.m. the next day.
