Page 80 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Brittany

78  BRIT T AN Y REGION B Y REGION

o Mont-St-Michel The abbey in the
10th century
Wreathed in mist and surrounded by water, Mont-
St-Michel, which stands at the Couesnon estuary,
bet ween Brittany and Normandy, is one of the most
extraordinary sights on the French coast. The rocky islet
was originally known as Mont-Tombe, and a small The abbey in the
oratory was built here in the 8th century. Work on the 11th century
abbey began in the 10th century, and by the 16th
century it had increased the height of the mount almost
two-fold. The mount drew many pilgrims, particularly
during medieval times. During the French Revolution it
became a prison. In 1874 its upkeep was entrusted to
the Service des Monuments Historiques. Austrian The abbey in the
architect Dietmar Feichtinger designed the Passerelle mid-17th
Mont-Saint-Michel to replace the old causeway that first century
connected the island to the mainland. For the first time
in 134 years, the Mont becomes an island again in 2015.

Chapelle St-Aubert
Built on the rock in the 15th
century, the chapel is dedicated
to St Aubert, who founded
Mont-St-Michel in AD 708.

. Ramparts
The town was fortified during the
Hundred Years’ War, to protect it
from attack by the English.
Entrance

1211–1228 1434 Final 1877–1879 The dyke is built 1895–1897 The tower, spire
966 A Gothic attack by 1789 During the and statue of St Michael
Benedictine buildings of the English. Revolution, the mount is Archangel are added
abbey is La Merveille Ramparts used as a prison for 1922 Church
founded are completed are built political dissidents services resume
700 1000 1300 1600 1900 2015
1516 The abbey 1874 Upkeep of the 1969
1017 Work starts
on the building of 1067–1070 declines mount is entrusted Benedictine 2015 Mont-St-
the abbey Mont-St-Michel is depicted to Monuments monks return Michel becomes
708 St Aubert in the Bayeux Tapestry Historiques to the mount an island again
builds an oratory 2001 The Benedictine
on Mont-Tombe Detail of the Bayeux Tapestry monks leave once more
For hotels and restaurants see pp224–5 and pp234–5

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