Last Updated on August 17, 2023
Such a beautiful and historical island…with such horrible service in a Mont Saint-Michel hotel
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
By Jim Ferri
We had a problem in our Mont Saint-Michel hotel.
On the southwest coast of Normandy near Brittany, France’s Mont Saint-Michel is world renown. It’s only a three-hour drive from Paris, six hours from Brussels, and a bit over seven from Luxembourg.
Beautiful and idyllic, Mont Saint-Michel is built on a huge rock that is entirely surrounded by water at high tide. You’ve likely seen it in magazines, advertising, and, perhaps, a movie set in the beautiful French countryside.
We finished our road trip to Normandy staying overnight in a Mont Saint-Michel hotel on this beautiful island.
It was a mistake, one that I hope you won’t replicate.
Don’t get me wrong – Mont Saint-Michel is well worth a visit, especially to the incredible monastery at the top of the island. It’s a spectacular place with great historical significance.
But many of the island’s hoteliers, restaurateurs, and even tourism officials have ruined the experience. This sentiment was also shared with me by a Frenchman in the hotel business.
It’s been ruined because on the island at night you’re part of a captive audience. There’s no need to treat you respectfully or find talented chefs. After all, why spend the money when the customer has no other place to go?l
At our Mont Saint-Michel hotel, L’Auberge Saint Pierre, we had to climb seven flights of stairs to reach our small room, after walking a hundred yards or so up the steep cobblestone street. Thankfully, the woman at the desk helped us with the luggage, knowing my wife was recovering from a knee operation.
Asked at Our Mont Saint-Michel Hotel – “Would You Like Pizza for Dinner?”
The hotel’s restaurant was uncomfortable, the manager and servers surly. In France, the epitome of gastronomy, when we were seated, we were told they had a new chef who was Italian and asked if we’d like pizza or pasta for dinner.
We opted instead for two different lamb dishes since in our individual experiences we’ve found the French often superbly prepare them. Both of ours, however, were tough, over-cooked, and lacking flavor. My wife commented it was the worst meal she had ever had in France.
But there’s another problem if you’re driving to your Mont Saint-Michel hotel. A new causeway was constructed several years ago, which now, thankfully, protects the local environment. All cars are relegated to a series of hidden lots a mile or so away.
There you board a trolley bus that transports you to Mont Saint-Michel.
Well…not quite to Mont Saint-Michel – it stops halfway across the causeway, where everyone is told to disembark. From there you must carry your own luggage 1/4 mile to the gate and then up the steep street to your Mont Saint-Michel hotel. There are no carts or porters to help anyone.
You may also enjoy: Normandy from Paris: an Easy 2-Day Trip / Normandy: Culture, Cheese, Cider and Calvados / Where to Find 8 Wonderful Walks in Paris
You Should Visit Mont St. Michel
I’m not suggesting that you don’t go to Mt. St. Michel. In fact, I think you should, if just to experience the magnificent monastery that crowns the island.
I’m suggesting that in lieu of staying in a Mont St. Michel hotel, you instead stay in one of the little hotels on the other side of the causeway. Hotels should also be less expensive there. And in the early morning, before the crowds arrive, you can come across and have the island (almost) to yourself.
And one further benefit: there are also restaurants there that compete on quality and price. You likely may even find a nice lamb dinner…
If You Go:
Normandy Tourism
https://en.normandie-tourisme.fr/unmissable-sites/the-mont-saint-michel/
I’d echo those comments, for a slightly different reason but which still supports the claim that the tourism business there are exploiting and ruining the experience of visiting: I did book one of those small rickety hotels several years ago, several months in advance of a trip through Normandy and Brittany. It was one of the more affordable ones by the standards there, but not cheap either and it looked basic, but would suffice for a night. Perhaps two weeks before our trip, I received an email saying there had been an overbooking, but helpfully (that’s sarcasm) they’d booked us a room in a hotel on the mainland, which wasn’t even that close to the causeway and at the same above average price that we’d paid with the expectation of staying on MSM, with zero other benefits for us. Clearly they dumped us to accommodate a larger tour group who they could charge even more of a premium. In the end we simply cancelled and bypassed MSM entirely, and spent more time in Cancale, which I can only recommend. Spend your money elsewhere, perhaps on the great oysters that are so abundant and affordable.
Hi Myles,
I would think that likely happens way too often.
Thanks Jim fit your honest and insightful comments on this unfortunate choice — always refreshing g to read the truth in travel — not enough of it out there.
MLJourneys
Thanks Maria. I always try to make a short comment about places in my articles, when pertinent. This one, however, required a post on it’s own to explain it.
Jim, I stopped for the day at Mont. St. Michelle April 2019.. Our small cruise ship docked at St. Malo and we took a van across the causeway, then the horse trolley to the abbey. I thought the streets were a mad crush of tourists looking for trinkets. I, by the way, use my photos as souvenirs. However, once we started the climb to the abbey (350 steps our guide told us), we left a lot of people behind. It was worth the climb, and not too difficult, and we were rewarded with a magnificent view of the sea.
Hi Carole,
Yes, I understand what you mean about the mad crush in the streets…and especially about the climb up to the abbey. I think Olympians would relish it…
We had a much different experience on Mont St Michel. Since we were driving, we prepared in advance packing a small overnight bag to take onto the island, leaving our big suitcases in the trunk. We stayed at the La Mere Poulard, a hotel that has been there since 1888. Our room required climbing several flights of stairs, but was very comfortable and was high enough to give us a spectacular view of the waters surrounding the island as the tide came in. One of our best meals of the trip was at the La Mere Poulard restaurant that is famous for their omelets that were heavenly. The best part however was that we had the entire place virtually to ourselves after the crowds had left for the day. I took lots of pictures of the streets empty as they have been for 1000 years and my pictures of the Abbey lighted at night are spectacular. To do over again, I would do everything exactly the same way that we did it before! (And I hope that we can!)
Thank you Terry for your comment.
I think people from the U. S overpack & carry too much baggage (both personal & luggage). Travel light, folks. You can buy what you need when you get there. Yes -don’t expect lifts everywhere. Medieval buildings have not been retrofitted for your convenience.
My experience was totally opposite.
I stood at the same hotel, and I would say that if you stay at Mount Saint Michel after 6pm the people disappears so you have it for yourself.
You can walk around as much and as late as you want and take amazing pictures of the sunset and sunrise.
The most incredible experience is to attend the 6am mass, with Gregorian chants, it starts when there is not much natural light and very slowly the sun light goes through the stained glass. The experience is sublime and mystical experience.
But I agree that you need to enjoy walking and going up and down, remember is a hill so be prepared with confortable shoes and clothes. I would not recommend it to people that have been through any kind of recent surgery or that has issues when they walk.
Regarding the food. I brought my food and had wonderful picnics.
Thank you Alcira.
It’s always good to hear someone else’s opinion. Than you for taking the time to share it.
Jim
Oh my gosh, stay on the Mont! It is fantastic after the tourists leave and you can wander around like it was a hundred years ago. Like Terry above, we stayed at La Mere Poulard, which is practically the first place you encounter when you enter through the gate. Our room was up a couple flights of stairs, but we just brought backpacks and left everything else in the car. I wasn’t expecting much, but the hotel was fine — the biggest bathtub I’ve ever encountered—with a lovely view over the sands and the town, and the dinner was fine too. The restaurant has a ton of history that made it special — everyone famous has dined there, it seems. Before dinner, we went to a Vespers ceremony in the church which was beautiful, don’t miss if it’s held. We always signed on to a guided walk on the sands around the Mont at 2 pm and that was well worth it; we learned a ton. My advice: if you don’t stay on the Mont and revel in it, you’re missing the best of the experience.
Hi Pam,
I’m glad you had a great experience. We did also, except for the hotel experience at our hotel and restaurant. Remember also that even an expert in the hotel industry agreed with me. I still, however, suggest that people visit Mont Saint-Michel. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
Jim
I agree with those who say “stay overnight.” It’s been quite a few years, but we plan to do it again this fall with friends. Having MSM to yourself at night is magical and dinner at La Mere Poulard, where they cooked fluffy omelets in the fireplace (don’t know if they still do) was wonderful. Sorry you had a bad experience.
Hi Susan,
Thanks for your comment. I agree with you that it is almost magical to have MSM to yourself at night. On the other hand, there’s no excuse for bad service and cooking.
Jim