Events at Mont-Saint-Michel
A variety of events are scheduled at Mont Saint-Michel so that visitors can discover its history. Organized by the Center for National Monuments (CNM) and others, the tours are on a variety of both general and thematic subjects. Certain tours are tailored just for families so that even the youngest of children have a chance to enjoy the abbey’s treasures.
Year-round events on the island and its bay are also organized. Here are some of the main ones:
High Tide Evenings
The rising of the tide is not to be missed. If you can get to Mont Saint-Michel on time, it’s possible to watch the mount become an island as the English Channel reclaims the bay.
Christmas Lights
Every year during Christmas, Mont Saint-Michel puts on its festive holiday costume! Christmas trees fill up the streets and decorate the ramparts as much as the tourists do. In fact, nearly seven kilometers of lightbulbs are strung along the island’s walls and those of the abbey for everyone’s immense pleasure!
The Christian Art Festival
Every summer, on the square in front of the Cross of Jerusalem, the Christian Art Festival takes place. Open to the public, this free event is the opportunity to discover artists who are inspired by Mont Saint-Michel’s sacred aura. Concerts and learning workshops are also organized during the festival.
Jazz on the Bay
Summer is THE season for music festivals. At Jazz on the Bay, there are concerts, film projections and Master Classes (one of the best ways to discover jazz) and even initiation workshops for those who feel like discovering jazz.
The Mont Saint-Michel Bay Marathon
A highly awaited annual event, the Mont Saint-Michel Bay Marathon has brought together 5,000 runners over the past 20 years. The race, which follows the Channel’s coastline, is not only an athletic feat but an experience that allows participants to benefit from the surrounding natural beauty. Thirty nations are represented during the marathon making it one of the most awaited competitions in western France.
As you may have noticed, Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are not lacking in organized events. Whether occasional or weekly, the events are so varied that people of all ages can discover this symbolic, historic monument.
