At the border of Brittany and Normandy in France, the Bay of the Mont Saint Michel shelters one of the jewels of the western Christian art, the iconic Mont Saint Michel. The region around the Mont is mostly flat, at first glance the bay is nothing more than a sandy marsh, covered by the sea depending on the tide.
Originally this Mount was just a huge rock on which the church builders used the most imaginative techniques to erect what is now a masterpiece listed by the UNESCO amongst the ten monuments in the world to be protected. You will start in the beautiful seaside city of St Malo and begin a walk along the coast with the Mont constantly in view. Your anticipation will be heightened the closer you get, and along the way you will be charmed by the quiet beauty, the original flora, the thousands of birds that nest or fly through the bay.
Itinerary
Day 1 | Arrival day in St Malo, the "city of the sea". St. Malo is a famous seaside resort town and a famous sailing city as it is connected to many major sailing events. Located just near the beach, your very charming 3 star hotel is ideally located to explore this beautiful city. Receive maps and route info at orientation, 6pm; dinner on your own.
Day 2 | St Malo to Cancale - 13 km
Our driver will transfer you to La Guimorais, from where you will pick up the GR34 trail. You will walk along the Emerald Coast up to La Pointe du Grouin, where you will have a stunning viewpoint on the ocean. On a clear day, you can even see the outline of the Mont Saint Michel! Your destination today is Cancale, a picturesque fishing village famous for its oysters. History has it that Louis XIV had his oysters brought to Versailles from Cancale. Centuries later, the farming of oysters is still a major activity in the port and there are oyster beds covering about 7.3 square kilometres easily seen from the pier at the harbour. You'll stay in a lovely 3* hotel. Dinner on your own. (B)
Day 3 | Cancale - Mont St Michel - 14 km
Today, you will walk to the Mont Saint Michel. Our driver will transfer you to Cherrueix, where you will pick up the GR 34 trail that will take you to the Mont Saint Michel. You will walk through the polders and along the Bay of the Mont St Michel. You spend the night in a 3* hotel located on the Mont Saint Michel itself! Dinner is included. (B,D)
Day 4 | Mont St Michel
You have two options today. You can either take the whole day to visit the Mont Saint Michel, or you can go walk around the Mont. If you choose to walk, today's itinerary will take you to east coast of the Mont Saint Michel along the GR 223. Return to your hotel on the Mont. Dinner included. (B,D)
To visit Mont Saint Michel:
The Abbaye: once a humble little monastery, the island and its fortifications have
effectively grown up around this. During the French Revolution, the abbey was
used a prison, and an extensive restoration was required to restore it. A few
prison-era showpieces, like the human hamster wheel used to lift supplies in and
out of the complex, have been kept.
Porte de l'Avancée, the main gate at the end of the causeway, which leads straight
to the Grande Rue
The ramparts, which offer great views of the mudflats
Museum of History, which features old collections ( weapons, paintings, sculptures,
watches), prisons and dungeons, the 19th century periscope which reveals the
bay.
The archeoscope, a show to discover the construction of this fabulous monument
and its sacred history.
Maritime museum, where you can discover the tides, the bay and the massive
building site to restore the maritime character of the Mont Saint-Michel.
Day 5 | Mont St Michel - departure day
Mont St Michel - departure day. After breakfast, you can take your time with breakfast and catch a bus that will bring you back to Rennes, from where you can catch a TGV to Paris. You have a bus at 9:30am that will allow you to catch a 11:05am train to Paris. (B)
Details
The trip includes: [Virtual Hotel Tour] Hotels: superior 3 star lodings, meals including breakfast daily and 2 gourmet dinners; baggage transfer from hotel to hotel, guide maps with cue sheets, GPS and tourist information, local emergency support for urgent needs, taxi transfers as mentioned. We also provide travel planning to add Paris hotels, car rentals, France hotels, trains, airport transfers, and more. *Single supplement in July/Aug is 438 euros.
Additional Night in St Malo: TBA euros
You are important to us; so we make you thoroughly prepared and include:
Pre-trip travel documents: you will receive extensive information as a customer prior to your departure. Upon confirmation we will send you some general information about preparations including passport info, training tips, and reading lists. As a customer you can also Purchase product from Hammer Nutrition, get 2 FREE issues to Velo News, and much more!
Upon final payment, we will send to you a complete list of documentation by email including Hotel List, contact numbers, itineraries, sites to see and information about sites and culture of the region. We include road signs, packing lists, travel tips, language phrases, holiday info, tour details, culture and customs tips, and much, much more!
Optional Services:
Travel insurance, Paris museum & metro passes, Paris day tours, Lido shows, and other services. Cell phone rental and luggage storage services.
Note: prices subject to change based upon currency fluctuations. See Booking Terms and Conditions.
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