Treasure Island: Alternative Ways to Visit Mont-Saint-Michel Bay

Water-based activities around the bay are dictated by the weather and, despite blue skies, our planned trip with Kayaklabaie had to be cancelled due to expected strong winds. So instead, we stopped near Vains at Cara-Meuh!, a fourth-generation family farm that has diversified into sweet delights, the name combining ‘caramel’ with the French word for ‘moo’. See the milking parlour; watch caramels in production; and buy sweets and sauces, biscuits and drinks from the on-site shop, which is open daily.

Some of the sweet treats by Cara-Meuh!. Photo: Gillian Thornton

Cutting out the kayak also allowed time for a leisurely tour of the Scriptorial, a unique museum housing manuscripts taken from Mont-Saint-Michel during the Revolution. Among the 35,000 books are 199 medieval manuscripts, some of which date back to the 9th century. The museum is actually far more interesting than it sounds, with interactive explanations of how parchment and colours were made, and tales of the monks behind the manuscripts. There’s an activity booklet for children and touch-screen games to play as you work your way towards the 15 original books, displayed under controlled conditions on a rotating basis.

A manuscript depicting the dispute between Augustine and Faustus at the Scriptorial. Photo: Gillian Thornton

Beyond the walls of the museum, housed within the remains of the city ramparts, hilltop Avranches is a delightful spot for a stroll. Following the self-guided trail – with the aid of a free leaflet from the Tourist Office – we stopped in the Church of Saint-Gervais to see the skull of Saint Auber, former bishop of Avranches who founded the abbey on Mont-Saint-Michel in the 8th century on instructions from none other than Saint Michael himself.

Rue Engibault is the last cobbled street in Avranches. Photo: Gillian Thornton

FOOTSTEPS OF HISTORY

After browsing the Saturday morning market, we found ourselves in Thomas Becket Square, once the location for the town’s cathedral and today a grassy hilltop space with sweeping views over the bay. A stone pillar marks the spot where Henri II was pardoned by the Pope’s envoys for Becket’s murder in Canterbury Cathedral. And because no proper girls’ trip is complete without coffee and cake, we then indulged ourselves at Mont Chocolat on Place Littré, which boasts a surprising selection of scrummy pâtisseries to suit gluten-free Liz.

Wherever you hit the coast around the bay, you’re treated to great views so, sugar levels topped up, we headed north from Avranches and took an idyllic walk through meadows white with giant daisies to join the cliff path to Carolles. Beyond, the coast arcs in a golden curve through Jullouville to Granville.

Château de Chantore is an elegant 18th-century B&B near Avranches. Photo: Gillian Thornton

Late afternoon brought an assignation in a car park with Sébastien Provost of Birding Mont-Saint-Michel to discover some of the 250-plus species that can be spotted in the bay across the year, many of them migrant visitors. It isn’t difficult to spot gulls wheeling past the cliff face, but hedgerow and woodland birds are another matter. Sébastien brought the countryside alive with his ability to identify several bird calls at once: I lucked out after the cuckoo, but he alerted us to chiffchaff and wrens, blackcap, linnets, and even a short-toed treecreeper. A magical soundtrack to any country walk.

Sébastien of Birding Mont-Saint-Michel . Photo: Gillian Thornton

Having chosen to try a different lodging every night, we slept over at the tranquil Auberge de Carolles, and next morning made for Granville, which marks the northern limit of the bay.

The historic upper town juts out on a narrow peninsula, whilst below the once-strategic harbour, fishing boats combine with a pleasure marina and ferries to the Channel Islands and Îles Chausey.

The Corsair statue at Granville. Photo: Gillian Thornton

Here we found the pontoon for La Granvillaise, a replica bisquine or traditional sailing boat once used for fishing. Take a full-day trip to the Îles Chausey or do as we did and enjoy a four-hour cruise around the bay. Muck in and lend a hand, or simply sit back and watch the four permanent crew and able volunteers do the physical stuff. The silhouette of Mont-Saint-Michel came into view as we made our way beyond the headland, and on a sunny May afternoon, there seemed no lovelier place to be.

Granville Haute Ville, as seen from on board La Granvillaise. Photo: Gillian Thornton

HOME TO AN ICON

On the north side of Granville’s historic old town, we could clearly see the pink clifftop villa that was Christian Dior’s childhood home. Today it belongs to the town and hosts a different exhibition each year. This year, the museum celebrates the association between the House of Dior and Princess Grace of Monaco. So once back on land, we toured the bewitching mix of frocks and photos, magazine covers and perfume bottles, before enjoying an al-fresco drink and snack at the museum’s new garden tearoom, La Bonne Aventure.

Les Rhumbs which is home to the Musée Christian Dior. Photo: Gillian Thornton

We spent our last night at the Outremer et Terre, a delightful B&B just minutes from our final destination – the impossibly tranquil Abbaye de la Lucerne, where pilgrims once rested on their way to Mont-Saint-Michel. Founded in the 12th century by the Premonstratensian order, it was turned into a weaving factory after the Revolution before being largely abandoned until the 1950s when local priest Marcel Lelégard launched a campaign to save the site.

Abbaye de la Lucerne. Photo: Gillian Thornton

No religious beliefs are necessary to appreciate the spirituality of this idyllic spot, especially on a spring day when sunbeams pass through stained glass onto ancient stones, and mirror images of monastery buildings sparkle in still water. Our sense of wellbeing thoroughly enhanced, we reluctantly turned the car towards Cherbourg and home, already planning a return trip for next year’s birthday.

Sunset over Portsmouth Harbour as Gillian set sail on Brittany Ferries. Photo: Gillian Thornton

MONT-SAINT-MICHEL BAY ESSENTIALS

GETTING THERE

BY CAR

Mont-Saint-Michel is around one hour by car from Saint-Malo, and two hours from Cherbourg or Caen-Ouistreham. Gillian travelled on Brittany Ferries and stayed in the Manche département.

WHERE TO STAY AND EAT

Le Château de Chantore
L’Auberge de Carolles
Outremer et Terre B&B
L’Obione
Le Pont Bleu

FOR INFORMATION & ACTIVITIES

www.ot-montsaintmichel.com
www.cheminsdelabaie.com
www.kayaklabaie.com
www.birding-msm.com
www.lagranvillaise.org

A bust of Christian Dior in the rose garden at Les Rhumbs. Photo: Gillian Thornton

DIOR AND GRANVILLE

Christian Dior was born in 1905 in Les Rhumbs, an elegant villa that takes its name from the 32-point marine compass featured on one of the tiled floors. He launched his first collection, the New Look, in 1947 but died suddenly in Italy from a heart attack just ten years later.

The museum gardens are open free of charge throughout the year, with a small fee for the annual exhibition between April and November. To mark what would have been Grace Kelly’s 90th birthday, the museum is staging ‘Grace de Monaco, Princesse en Dior’, with nearly 90 dresses and personal possessions lent by the Grimaldi family (until November 17). Dior and Grace Kelly never met but were both successful at a young age and shared a passion for gardens. Both died at 52.

The elegance of Grace Kelly is explored in an exhibition at the Christian Dior museum. Photo: Gillian Thornton

As both a Hollywood actress and then as a princess, Kelly’s elegant frocks, renowned for their simple cut, were designed by Marc Bohan, creative director of Maison Dior from 1961 to 1989. She became the ‘godmother’ of the Baby Dior range in 1967. Swoon over the embroidered long dress in flowing coral jersey; the floaty peach evening gown worn at the wedding ball for her daughter Caroline; and the white blouson dress with blue spots worn for Princess Diana’s wedding in 1981. A must for anyone who loves film stars, princesses, or just good old-fashioned glamour.

From France Today magazine

Granville as seen from the bay. Photo: Gillian Thornton