Mont Saint-Michel is a name that has a lot of charm, it sounds almost poetic and lyrical. But don't let it fool you: Mont Saint-Michel is a small rocky tidal island situated on the north-west coast of France.
The island has held strategic fortifications since ancient times, and since the eighth century AD has been the seat of the monastery from which it draws its name. The structural composition of the town exemplifies the feudal society that constructed it. On top God, the abbey and monastery, below this the Great halls, then stores and housing, and at the bottom, outside the walls, fishermen and farmers' housing.
This place is characterized by the highest tides in Europe (up to 14 meters high), steep rocks, and quicksand. Its surrounding waters can move 18 kilometers away from the island and 20 kilometers deep into the coast. For centuries all these features made Mont Saint-Michel an impenetrable fortress.
The island was named after Archangel Michael. The medieval legend, which is quite grim, says that in 708 Archangel Michael (Michel) instructed the Bishop of Avranches, from a small nearby town, to build him a sanctuary on a rocky islet. Bishop had three visions of Archangel Michael but did not act on the request, because he wasn't sure as to how exactly he should interpret these visions. Only after Archangel Michael pushed his finger against the Bishop's head (according to other story he burned a small hole in his cassock with the sword) did he start the construction of the sanctuary.
One of France's most recognizable landmarks, Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are part of the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites and more than 3 million people visit it each year.
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