"Mont Saint-Michel at Night" (2011)
It took far longer than expected to get out of Paris, something to the tune of about 2 extra hours. After sorting through the traffic and navigation issues, my companions and I slowly made our way from the city to an isolated tidal island on the coast of the English Channel called Mont Saint-Michel. The island has a long history, due to it’s convenient coastal location. Before it was settled as a monastery in the 8th century, it was a cultural hub of what was left of the Roman-Breton civilization. Once the monastery was established, the abbey was expanded over time to include heavy armaments and defensive structures. The fortification of the island was so successful that William the Conquerer used it as his base of operations in the 11th century when he claimed the English throne, and it proved to be unseizeable by England in the Hundred Year’s War. So when I say that this island has some serious defensive capabilities, you have some idea of what I’m talking about.
If one can make it to the island (it used to depend on whether it was high or low tide), there’s only one way to enter the medieval city; the front door. But there are about three “front doors” in the first section of the city’s entrance; clearly layers of doors to help increase it’s barricading abilities. If one was able to get themselves through these doors, they’d find themselves in a small enclosed area with archers lining the adjacent rooftops. But hey, let’s say the archers took the day off, no worries about them. Still, one has to make their way through what is essentially an inner front door, complete with an iron gate with spikes that lowers on command. Oh, and then there are those pesky wooden doors again, two to tree layers thick, that one would have to make it through as well. But if one can get through all of that, congratulations, the city is their oyster. Oh, but wait…
Mont Saint-Michel isn’t just an island; it’s an island that is essentially one giant hill. As I made my way through it as an invited guest (they don’t have many other kinds these days), I found myself quickly winded. The paths on the island traverse their way to the top up to the city’s crown jewel, the Chapel. And of course, the climb up doesn’t get any easier the closer you get to the Chapel. But once up there, I had a great view of the city and the English Channel. But the amazing view didn’t happen until after sunset, when the city lights up to highlight the island’s best features. This is a view of the city from the narrow land bridge that connects it to mainland France. As I was waiting for the 30 second exposure I used, I couldn’t help but think how much Disney ripped this place off. But at least imitation is a from of flattery? Either way, Disney didn’t do it justice.
