Brittany Attractions  For a home from home holiday Brittany is the perfect choice - the environment is more Celtic than French, with a climate similar to that of the South West of the UK.  On the other hand there are  unique attractions in Brittany that should not be missed, with fascinating history and outstanding coastline offering rugged cliffs, quaint harbours with active fishing fleets, delightful sandy beaches and excellent attractions that will make a holiday really memorable....read on for Brittany attractions and the incredible Mont St-Michel....

Le Mont St-Michel
Location: To reach Le Mont St-Michel, follow the D976 north from Pontorson in NE Brittany.
General Info: Parking was a reasonable €5 in 2004 (please let us know if you have any more recent info).
Description: A UNESCO world heritage site and the most visited attraction in France, Le Mont St-Michel is an island which rises like a dream off the NE coast of Brittany and is joined by a causeway (above right) to the mainland.  On top of the 80m high island is a fascinating monastery.
Our recommendations:  There is a large car park at the end of the causeway, but in peak season you should get there very early, alternatively you can arrive later in the day as the crowds die down. If you want to avoid the cost of the monastery, go up the steps on the right just after the drawbridge for the walk along the Chemin des Ramparts.  Don’t venture onto the sands around the island at low tide – the incoming tide moves at an incredible pace in this area and can spell serious danger!
For the children: There is a maze of narrow streets lined by tourist shops leading to the monastery, which spoils the place in a way, but adds to the fun for children.  Keep them close to you - the crowds are immense!  They will enjoy exploring the monastery.

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Important Developments at Le Mont St-Michel:

Slowly the sea has been receding from around Le Mont St-Michel and together with the huge car park at the edge of the island, this has combined to reduce the appeal of the attraction.  A massive and ambitious project has been embarked on, with the goal of restoring Le Mont as a true island attraction.  What this will mean for you:

From April 2012 you will no longer park on the edge of the island causeway, but instead will park at a huge new car park on the mainland.  Prices are increased to 8.50 per day per car.

You will have the choice of walking along the causeway to the island, enjoying the incredible views, or taking a shuttle bus (departs every few mins in high season) or a horse drawn carriage (costs 4 for a one way trip).

For more information on the project, please refer to the project website.

Additional information on Le Mont St-Michel:

This information has been provided by third parties in the main but we believe it to be pretty accurate....the Mont gets busy by 9.30AM in high season and is heaving by mid morning.  It's not really the place to go with toddlers or push chairs unless you are extremely patient!  There is an English tour in the abbey at 10AM and it takes a while to climb to the Abbey entrance, so if you would like a guided tour and to avoid the crowds, you are recommended to arrive at 9AM and go directly to the Abbey, only stopping to gather your breath as you climb the main street!

The tide here is said to have the greatest difference between high and low tide, anywhere in the world!  It changes by as much as 15m between high and low tides, whilst the distance between the high and low tide marks is as much as 15km at the extremes.  As a result, the tide absolutely rushes in over the sands in the estuary and is quite impressive to watch.  You want to be in the Mont about 2 hours before high tide to get the best impressions.  The Chemin des Ramparts offers a great viewpoint.  Alternatively there are some great views out to the estuary from the Abbey.

It is possible to walk over the sands at low tide, but due to the fast tide changes and the existence of quick sands in some areas it really is not recommendable unless you have a guide that knows the area.