Visiting Mont St. Michel in October - tips?

[TheFlyingCamera]

I'll be in France in mid-October. I'll be based in Paris - does anyone have any tips for visiting Mont St. Michel? Time of the week, places to stay, travel logistics? I assume it is not a viable day trip (or it's a fast, miserable one if you insist on it), so lodging recommendations (more budget than luxury, but not hostel).

 

[pschauss]

We have always stayed at Le Manoir de la Roche Torin in Cortils about a 15 minute drive away. It may be more expensive than what you want, but it has a great view of Mont-St. Michel and the food was very good. We liked it because it was away from the crowds on the island itself.

There are a number of pensions in that area as well.

The drive from Charles-De Gualle Airport is about 4 hours IIRC. In the peak seasons when we have gone there there has been a good bit of congestion on the autoroutes in Normandy. It may be different in October.

You might want to take the TGV to Rennes and rent a car there. I believe that there is also bus service from the train station in Rennes if you want to stay on the island and do without a car.

I believe that it is under new ownership since the last time we stayed there.

 

[Vics]

We took a day-tour out there from the center of Paris, but I hear that the cool thing to do is spend the night on the island. After the tourists leave, I hear, it';s pretty magical.

 

[majid]

I used to live in Caen, from where it is perfectly doable as a day trip. From Paris, that might be a stretch. The highway from Caen is single-lane in places, and often gets jammed by a slow truck, so driving in from Rennes is probably good advice.

In July and August they do guided meditative night-time visits with music at the Abbey. You have to reserve ahead of time. October is quite likely to be rainy, unfortunately.

I would avoid staying at the tourist traps on the Mont itself. You should look for accommodation in nearby Saint Malo, the walled corsair city (you may be familiar with Quebec City's architecture, which draws from Saint Malo). Of course, that would require renting a car.

The food in Normandy is excellent, if sometimes overly rich. Breton food is good as well, but Brittany was historically much poorer than Normandy. Once again, avoid the tourist traps on the Mont Saint Michel itself, but there are many excellent and very reasonably placed places in Saint Malo, Cancale and many small towns where you wouldn't expect it. The Michelin guide is a good place to plan.

 

[pschauss]

+1 for Cancale. I have never stayed there but the restaurants serve great seafood.