Guided Tours of Mont Saint-Michel from Paris

Located only a few hours from Paris, the Mont-Saint-Michel is famous for its medieval abbey and its Bay of Normandy. With PARISCityVISION, make the most out of your stay in Paris to go there and visit a unique historical monument on a guided tour.

Mont-Saint-Michel, an exceptional tourist site

The Mont-Saint-Michel can be discovered during a day trip from Paris. It is one of those timeless sites cut off from time that offer you their most beautiful face with each visit. It is a moving dive into time, the confrontation between men and nature that gives an impression of the end of the world.

A fortified rock between Brittany and Normandy

Only 360 kilometers from Paris, the second most visited tourist site in France welcomes more than 3 million tourists each year, with an influx of up to 20,000 visitors per day during the summer season. Sometimes an island, sometimes a rock erected in the middle of a sea of sand, it is the central character of a picture that is recomposed from hour to hour.

Going to the Mont-Saint-Michel with Paris City Vision is the assurance of a quality guided tour even on a busy day. You will not miss any of the place's curiosities, you will learn more about the history of the abbey, its cloister, and contemplate the high tides that occur in the bay every year. Your coach will take you to the parking lot where you can take a shuttle that spans the sands along a surprising road or go on foot to enjoy a more progressive discovery. Parking lots, shuttles, footbridge, these works have saved this natural wonder from silting up and allow you to continue to enjoy this magical place

The abbey, between tourist attraction and spiritual life

As far as the memory of men goes, spirituality has always been very strong in these wild and isolated lands. Its geographical situation, between sky, sea and earth, already fascinated our distant ancestors: it would have hosted, a very long time ago, druidic cult practices and a pagan stone would have been pulled out by Aubert on the Mont Tombe.

But the notoriety of the place, well before the arrival of tourists and organized trips, is based on its very lively spiritual life. As early as the Middle Ages, the old Mont-Tombe welcomed a first oratory dedicated to the archangel who gave his name to the place and took the name of Mont-Saint-Michel-au-péril-de-la-Mer. The prestige of this first religious monument is reinforced by the legend that surrounds its construction: the Christian implantation on this exceptional site would have been wanted by the archangel in person, appearing in a dream to the bishop Saint-Aubert and marking him on the forehead to testify to the mystical character of his dreams.

If, among the innumerable visitors who go on excursions and visit Mont-Saint-Michel, they go there for religious reasons, the majesty of the abbey, based on successive constructions spread over several centuries, contributes very strongly to the popularity of the site. The statue of Saint-Michel slaying the dragon, gilded with fine gold and more than 4.6 meters high with its wings, still rises more than 156 meters above the sea.

Visiting Mont Saint-Michel

Notre-Dame-Sous-Terre

Over the centuries, the Island of Mont Tombe, later renamed Mont Saint-Michel, became a place of worship and prayer, study, and pilgrimage. The Benedictines set up there in 966 AD and scholarly, monk scribes translated the works of Aristotle from ancient Greek into Latin.

The church that was constructed to welcome the monks of the Saint-Benoît order would disappear over time. When the place of worship was enlarged, the old church was nearly engulfed by the renovations that followed. It was rediscovered during the 19th century and its subsequent restoration allows visitors to get a glimpse of an ancient architecture that differs greatly from the flamboyant gothic decor one currently sees at the abbey church and the Merveille.

The Abbey Church

The church that today welcomes visitors was constructed by Abbot Roger II between 1115 and 1125 following the collapse of a previous church whose construction was initiated by Abbot Ranulphe in 1103.

However, because the work that Abbot Roger II had begun would also crumble, the gothic quire was constructed at a later date. In addition to the quire, the church also harbors the Trente-Cierges Chapel, the quire crypt, and the Saint-Martin Chapel.

La Merveille (The Wonder)

La Merveille designates the living quarters of the monks and is located on the north face of Mont Saint-Michel. Its gothic architecture is divided into three floors and houses the chaplaincy, the reception hall, the refectory, the cellar, the Knights room, and the cloister dedicated to meditation and known for its medieval garden where an ancient variety of Damas roses grow.

Visiting a Prison-Abbey

Under the reign of King Louis XI, Mont Saint-Michel was a state-run prison and the abbey had dungeons. During the French Revolution, Mont Michel (as it was then called) held dissidents prisoner who were against the changes taking place in the kingdom. It wasn’t until an imperial decree was issued in 1860 that the prison was officially shut down.

Mont Saint-Michel’s abbey can be visited by the faithful and tourists. It’s not only the third most visited tourist site in France but also a place of worship that is still active. The latter, restored in 1922, would attract a new wave of pilgrims. It was during this era that the French government, owner of Mont Saint-Michel, began restoration efforts of the abbey. Every day since 2001, the friars and sisters of the Monastic Fraternity of Jerusalem celebrate mass and meditate.

More than just a rocky island

Its geographical location, which places it on the border between the duchies of Normandy and Brittany, has made this rocky islet a strategic issue of primary importance. Its ramparts were built in the 13th century, strengthened and reworked several times, protecting it from attacks. Besieged in 1424 during the Hundred Years' War, it resisted attacks for ten years, the battle led by Montois Louis d'Estouteville in 1434 putting the Mount definitively safe from the English assaults who gave up trying to take this stronghold by force.

From these troubled times, you will appreciate the fortified enclosure and will probably take a picture of it during your visit. The architecture as a whole participates fully in the medieval identity of the place.

Mont-Saint-Michel day trip from Paris

Discover our offers and book a day trip by bus with a round trip from Paris.

Visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The route will allow you to admire the Normandy countryside and arrive rested in front of the island and the bay, for a lunch with a view. A guided walking tour with a guide-interpreter will introduce you to the history of the 8th century medieval abbey, its abbey church and the island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Each room holds its own set of secrets and treasures. You can then walk on the rocky islet and along the ramparts, take pictures and admire the view of a sumptuous landscape. The bay is famous for its spectacular tides which give rhythm to the island life.

The village is very lively with its restaurants, like the famous Mère Poulard, its stores and boutiques.

Your reservation with Paris City Vision guarantees you to enjoy the day with all the services included for a single price including transportation, lunch at the restaurant and the visit of the Benedictine abbey in 7 languages of your choice. This is an opportunity to immerse yourself in Norman culture while visiting Mont-Saint-Michel from Paris: more than a simple tourist excursion, it is a true enchanted interlude during your vacation in France.

You can also opt for a package including transfers to and from your hotel by minibus.

Tourist tours that include a visit to Mont-Saint-Michel

If you have a few days, don't skip a more in-depth visit to the Normandy region and opt for a 2-day tour that will take you to discover not only this exceptional tourist site, but also the city of Saint-Malo, Rouen, to Honfleur and the D-Day landing beaches, with a stop in a 3-star hotel. A tour that will allow you to apprehend the region under different aspects, both historical, architectural and tourist.

Heritage lovers can also opt for tourist tours on the tracks of the richness of the French heritage: discover turnkey tours including the visit of the Loire castles and the Mont-Saint-Michel from Paris. Enough to discover and relive the splendors of French History, from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance

Book your visit to Mont-Saint-Michel from Paris

Don't wait any longer to book your day tour of Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey in the heart of Normandy now! By booking your tickets in advance, you are assured of the best services and optimal supervision for all your visits. Thanks to your guide, you will discover all the mysteries that the bay has to offer and enjoy many activities. Make the most of a unique trip and enjoy a stroll along the ramparts whatever the season.