Has anyone visited Mont St Michel (1 Viewer)

[vanmaneddie]

Hi, has anyone visited Mont St Michel with a motorhome? I'm planning a family trip for the end of summer and would love to hear any tips or recommendations from those who have been there before. Specifically, I'm wondering about parking options, shuttle bus services, and any other must-see sights or activities apart from t eh Monastery on the island. Thank you in advance for your help! Also, would it be considered a family resort?

 

[Puddleduck]

It's 50 years since I was there and not in a motorhome!!! Was a tourist trap then and I doubt much different now.

Nicer from a distance than close up!!

 

[Zoobec]

We love visiting Mont st Michel but haven’t been in the van, it’s usually very busy in the car parks but they are very well organised with shuttle buses.

 

[Chris]

It’s been a while but I recall parking in the car park on the mainland and then walking along the causeway to the castle. We got the boat back.

I thought it was pretty crap and as Puddleduck suggested - better to look at than visit.

 

[NRM]

Visited last June and there is a dedicated car park for motorhomes, which from memory you can also overnight in although I stayed on a large layby nearby. Access to the island is by shuttle bus, along the causeway.
I got there early, as soon as the shuttle buses started operating for the day, and it was a pleasure to walk around for the first hour or so, but by the time I left at midday it was very crowded. You can book online for a tour of the church/monastery, at the top of the rock. Suggest you do this at least a couple of days before to get an early slot.

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[NRM]

This is the official site for tickets:-

https://tickets.monuments-nationaux.fr/en-GB/families?site=2032864763370400282

 

[Kups]

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g196646-d207387-Reviews-Abbaye_du_Mont_Saint_Michel-Mont_Saint_Michel_Manche_Basse_Normandie_Normandy.html

Personally disliked the place. Overcrowded, eatery then tat shop then eatery repeat x 20. Look at it from the coast, take a photo and move on. Motorhome parking is well organised and the recent hydrology work has made major tidal improvements.

 

[vanmaneddie]

It's 50 years since I was there and not in a motorhome!!! Was a tourist trap then and I doubt much different now.

Nicer from a distance than close up!!

Thanks for the reply, your comments have been noted

 

[vanmaneddie]

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g196646-d207387-Reviews-Abbaye_du_Mont_Saint_Michel-Mont_Saint_Michel_Manche_Basse_Normandie_Normandy.html

Personally disliked the place. Overcrowded, eatery then tat shop then eatery repeat x 20. Look at it from the coast, take a photo and move on. Motorhome parking is well organised and the recent hydrology work has made major tidal improvements.

Sounds a bit to touristy possibly. I may have to put my thinking cap back on.

 

[Jenben]

It is very touristy, however if you stay overnight ( sorry, I haven’t been since they introduced new parking area but I presume motorhomers can stay overnight ) and get up first thing in the morning to visit then you will find it very quiet . This is what we did years ago.

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[suavecarve]

If you have a good lens then Arromanches aire (just up in the adjacent gardens) will give a great view in the early morning if there is a low sea mist. I ought to add that it would be good with a setting sun as well

We motorbiked in from there and as per all the other comments about it being a toursit trap that has to be done once so that you know it is exactly that.
On a par with Carcasonne for us. Ticked off never to return

 

[Jewellbags]

We stayed here . Perfectly nice aire , bit of a stroll . Island is worth a look but take a pic nic - service and cost in the restaurants was not good

Aire de Camping Car Beauvoir - Mont Saint-Michelin
+33 2 33 60 96 12

https://maps.app.goo.gl/BU8V8u2Qowgxhwy9A?g_st=ic

 

[scousebird]

We stayed overnight in the "new" motorhome parking section in July 2019. You can either walk or get a shuttle bus to Le Mont. It can get extremely busy. We walked in and were half way long the causeway when the heavens opened, we got to the first bar like a pair of drowned rats

 

[Chris]

It’s been a while but I recall parking in the car park on the mainland and then walking along the causeway to the castle. We got the boat back.

I thought it was pretty crap and as Puddleduck suggested - better to look at than visit.

I have just realised I am a complete fraud.

I was talking about the one in Cornwall

 

[Googlebot]

We stayed here . Perfectly nice aire , bit of a stroll . Island is worth a look but take a pic nic - service and cost in the restaurants was not good

Aire de Camping Car Beauvoir - Mont Saint-Michelin
+33 2 33 60 96 12

https://maps.app.goo.gl/BU8V8u2Qowgxhwy9A?g_st=ic

We were there last week. This has now been taken over by camping car parks. Was costly for them at €16.50.

The main car park can be overnighted in but was €25 for 1 through to 24 hours, absolute rip off so we stayed at the above.

It was a bit of a walk in, 7 miles there and back once we had walked around it. The shuttle buses are probably about a mile from the site so much easier.

We loved the place, was magical.

That said, we got there about 09.00, by 11.00 the place was rammed and I mean rammed! We were glad we left when we did.

As others have said, something to do once then never again.

Dog liked it though.

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[Heebson]

Has anyone cycled in?

This was my plan in a week or two (staying in an ACSI site on the mainland), but now I’m thinking I won’t be pushing the bike with me if it’s rammed! Are there places to lock a bike?

thnx,
Heeb

 

[Zoobec]

Has anyone cycled in?

This was my plan in a week or two (staying in an ACSI site on the mainland), but now I’m thinking I won’t be pushing the bike with me if it’s rammed! Are there places to lock a bike?

thnx,
Heeb

We cycled in once, from the hotel we were staying in, we chained the bikes up quite close to the main entrance on the outside. This was about 5 years ago though and idk what cycle parking options are available now.

 

[Gaston aires]

One of those places that look better from a distance. Sooo touristy. Been there twice. If you haven’t seen it then go early morning before the crowds.

 

[Googlebot]

Best option is to cycle to the shuttle bus then lock it up somewhere there.

Nowhere to lock them up at the Mont and you can’t push your bike round, too busy and too many steps.

 

[chaser]

When we went a few years ago we found this park up on p4n, free ,it's sort of a park where tourist buses stop for the view.
In the morning when we woke up, this is what we saw and if it's low tide you can walk across.

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[Jimbohorlicks]

When we went a few years ago we found this park up on p4n, free ,it's sort of a park where tourist buses stop for the view.
In the morning when we woke up, this is what we saw and if it's low tide you can walk across.View attachment 740785

I think in theory you could walk across if you were brave enough and had big flat feet to stop from sinking in the mud.
The shuttle bus is better.

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

We cycled in once, from the hotel we were staying in, we chained the bikes up quite close to the main entrance on the outside. This was about 5 years ago though and idk what cycle parking options are available now.

We cycled in also and fastened the bikes up close to the entrance, but that was a few years ago.
we stopped on the aire that was at the end of the road close to the shuttle terminus, but someone mentioned recently that it was closed for repairs . If your overnighting close by you can usually miss the crowds that are bussed in.

 

[Detnor]

There is a long line of cycle racks at the barrage, where you can get on a navette, the shuttle bus, along the last bit of the causeway. If you are using the acsi site in Pontorson (Haliotis), the mh parking area in Carrefour or the site in Beauvoir, you can cycle along the path by the river. Can't get lost, just look up and you can see Mt St Michel. Plenty of places to sit with a picnic along the track. There is a tourist bus from the railway station in Pontorson if you want to park away from the main car parks.

 

[chaser]

I think in theory you could walk across if you were brave enough and had big flat feet to stop from sinking in the mud.
The shuttle bus is better.

Actually loads of people were walking across when we were there , didn't go on the sand ourselves so can't really comment but they all seemed ok.
Folks were getting off a bus and went down so assumed it's a regular thing.
But this is around the coast a bit not the usual route.

 

[chaser]

This is where it is, it says daily parking only but we had no bother staying the night.

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[Coastal Cruiser.]

I have just realised I am a complete fraud.

I was talking about the one in Cornwall

 

[TerryL]

Used to take coachloads of kids there - but only ever went in myself once. As folk say it gets very crowded and is a right rip-off. We used to tell the kids that the souvenir shops got cheaper the higher up you went..................!

 

[ChrisTGM]

Heading there over summer - definitely a 'do once and tick off the list' for us

 

[MichaelT]

We stayed at the Aire in Beauvoir last year and cycled along the canal to the Mont. Really enjoyed it but very busy. The Aire is now a CCP but nice grass hedged pitches or HS if you want.

 

[ontheroadagain]

We went in Sept 2018.
Stayed in a site I think it was called "Camping du Mont Saint Michel" which was within walking distance.
The attraction was very busy and I didn't really enjoy it to be honest.
But it was worth going as we got a fantastic sunset that evening.