Ever had hopes of visiting that medieval fortress in France located on a tidal islet, oftentimes completely surrounded by water, and that puts all of Walt Disney’s dreamiest fairytale-like creations to shame?
Starting this winter, you can take a direct train from Paris all the way to Mont Saint Michel in Normandy, without complicated transfers, and without switching to a bus along the way, and if you’re wondering how much tickets will cost, that’s roughly $30 for you!
Here’s everything you need to know about Mont Saint Michel, and the magical new journey there setting off from the City of Lights:
The Storybook Place That’s Almost Too Pretty To Be Believed
Mont Saint Michel is an imposing citadel built in the Middle Ages located a half mile off France’s northwestern coast, in Normandy, distinguished for being one of Europe’s best-preserved medieval citadels still inhabited, with only 29 lucky people calling it home.
Dating back over 1,000 years, it is a national symbol of France, second in significance only to the Eiffel Tower, as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site attracting over 3 million visitors every year, despite its remoteness.
High or low tide, and come rain or come shine, Mont Saint Michel is nothing short of fascinating, with narrow cobbled alleys lined with centuries-old shops and intact half-timbered buildings, as if it were still the 15th century, and not a car in sight.
The picturesque Grande Rue (Main Street) has its fair share of storied inns and eateries: don’t leave without La Sirene‘s cheese-filled galettes, and do make sure you stop by Auberge Saint-Pierre, even if you’re not staying the night, for their fish soup.
Other must-sees include the Church of Saint Pierre, a small church located on the nether parts of the citadel, dating back to the 11th century, the ramparts and fortifications that were built to protect the township from assailants, and that can be walked on, and the magnificent abbey.
Sitting at the very top of the medieval maze, with with its easily-recognized pointy spire, the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel is the main reason why tourists make the pilgrimage here from Paris, thanks to its unique blend of Romanesque and Gothic elements, and rich History.
Also part of the UNESCO-protected zone, the tidal bay surrounding Mont Saint Michel is not to be missed, either, particularly if you’re a photography enthusiast: from the boardwalk, to the sheep farms, to the zig-zagging river, there are many stunning locations to be shot.
Oh, and if you’re hoping to optimize your time in the mount, as there’s truly so much to be seen and so little time for most, we’d strongly suggest you book this guided walking tour, with an optional ticket for the abbey, from $52.72 per person.
France is truly so much more than just Paris!
Say Goodbye To Complicated Journeys!
A whole 221 miles northwest of Paris, and some 40 miles away from the nearest major city (Rennes), getting to Mont Saint Michel has always felt like a Homeric journey if the French capital is your starting point.
If you’re not driving, which is the case for most tourists, for years the easiest way to get there from Paris had been to take the train to Rennes, in the Brittany region, and then a shuttle from the local bus station towards the mount.
There is a bridge linking the mount to the mainland, and it’s only rarely submerged during high tide.
In the unlikely event the bridge is submerged temporarily, it typically subsides within an hour, and then passage is allowed again. Just be patient!
Previously, the Rennes route could take up to 5 hours, so it’s not like you could do it as a day trip, either… unless you’re booking one of those Viator tours covering the long distance in a coach, with more time spent on the road than at your destination, proper, to the tune of $190.
Well, from December 20, getting to this icon of French History will no longer have to be this hard, nor as expensive.
SNCF, France’s national railway company, is relaunching direct service from Paris to Mont Saint Michel every weekend, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, with tickets starting at only $27.34.
What can we say? The French loves their $30 trains to storybook places as much as they love reblochon cheese, and we ourselves love them for it!
This Is Still Not A Day Trip
Now, you might be wondering how exactly can there be a train from Paris to Mont Saint Michel when it is, well, located on a tidal island, and you’re quite right: the train doesn’t reach the mount, but the nearby municipality of Pontorson.
The good news is, from Pontorson it’s a short 10-minute drive to the fortress, and your $30 ticket includes the shuttle leaving straight from the Pontorson – Mont-Saint-Michel train station.
Not bad, huh, considering the next best option is paying an exorbitant amount of money on an exhausting bus excursion.
With the direct train and shuttle service, it will take you a much shorter 3h48 to make it there.
Still not our go-to destination for a day trip, but luckily, there are plenty of accommodation options in Pontorson, from as cheap as $95-a-night.
If you plan on visiting Mont Saint Michel as a day trip, the best alternative remains booking a spot on a coach tour with early morning pick up from Paris.
Train tickets from Paris (Gare Montparnasse) to Mont Saint Michel can be purchased directly at this link.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
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