Where to sleep near Mont Saint Michel?

Are you going to visit Mont-Saint-Michel, one of the most visited historical monuments in France? This is where to sleep near Mont-Saint-Michel!

Second most visited monument in France after the Eiffel Tower , Mont-Saint-Michel – ranked on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979 – is a rocky island where the famous abbey dedicated to Saint Michel, built in the year 708. Mont-Saint-Michel, located in the department of the Channel on the border between Brittany and the Cotentin in Normandy, is a high place of pilgrimage and a major tourist destination. The bay of Mont-Saint-Michel houses a very rich fauna and flora and is the place where we find the largest tides of continental Europe, with up to 15 meters of tide. As a result, the bay is almost entirely discovered at low tide and the mountain becomes a high tide island.

An emblematic monument of French historical heritage, the site is also a subject of traditions and creation in all arts (litterature, cinema, photography, painting, sculpture, engraving, music) since the Middle Ages. With only 37 permanent residents but more than 2 million visitors a year, where to sleep near Mont-Saint-Michel? Here is our mini-guide on accommodation in the surrounding municipalities.

Le Mont-Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel is the point of entry to visit the historic medieval monument but also refers to the homonymous commune of the monument where we find the famous abbey . Sleeping in Mont-Saint-Michel is useful if you want to access the island on foot, visit the mountain, its architecture, its views and its heritage in peace – especially the crêpes and biscuits of the Mother Poulard - make the crossing of the Mont-Saint-Michel strikes with a tourist guide (see also the rock of Tombelaine). There are few hotels where you can stay in Mont-Saint-Michel, so think about making your reservation in advance, especially in the summer.

Pontorson

Pontorson is a commune of the Channel, located 9 kilometers south of the monument, bordering with Île-et-Vilaine (Bretagne) and crossed by the Couesnon (the famous river that fed rivalries between Normandy and Brittany on the belonging of Mont-Saint-Michel). With 4,350 inhabitants, it will be easier to rent a accommodation where to sleep near Mont-Saint-Michel. The city center between the city hall and the SNCF station , has several bars and restaurants, shops and hotels where to sleep in Pontorson. Loger in Pontorson will also allow you to make beautiful pictures of Mont-Saint-Michel!

Avranches

Located 22 kilometers east of the Mont, Avranches is a city of 10,068 inhabitants, and perhaps your refuge if the hotels where you stay in Mont-Saint-Michel show complete. Replaced at the bottom of the Norman-breton Gulf, the city houses some bars, restaurants, museums and some hotels where to sleep. If it is pleasant to walk in the city centre, social life is rather calm. Nearby is the commune of the Val-Saint-Père , with a superb view of the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel.

Granville

A well-known seaside and climate resort in the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, Granville is a tourist and pleasant city to live. As a native of the Channel, it is one of my favourites in the department, both near Mont-Saint-Michel and the beaches (Jullouville, Saint-Pair-sur-Mer, Donville-les-Bains, Coudeville-sur-Mer, Lingreville to the Passous beach in Agon-Coutainville). Granville has a real urban life with all the amenities and bars and restaurants where to go out, many cultural infrastructures. If you can ride a bit (one is an hour's drive from Mont-Saint-Michel), book a accommodation where to sleep in Granville is an excellent choice.

Cancale

You can also choose to sleep near Mont-Saint-Michel on its Breton slopes: in Cancale (35), a small town populated by 5,144 souls, renowned for its oyster park and its location on the Côte d’Émeraude. Staying in Cancale allows you to explore the sublime bay of Mont-Saint-Michel and the city of Saint-Malo .