Wednesday, November 02, 2005

 

Mont St. Michel, Normandy

A "sea change" from from yesterday's entry: Mont St. Michel, a 1,000-year-old Benedictine abbey just off the coast of Normandy, built on a rock that juts up out of the sea. The abbey is atop, with a little village at the base of the rock. Here is how this mysterious place looks as you are approaching it from the mainland on a gray and misty day:

Mont St. Michel

And here is a view from the parapets, high up on the rock. I loved the angularity of the structures set against the endless reach of the tide flats. In winter, you can feel the ascetic loneliness of the place.

For nine centuries, travelers to Mont St. Michel had to wait for the tide to go out, as it has in this photo, in order to cross to the abbey. As one who grew up in Montana where the "official" history lessons date back only 150 years, I found Mont St. Michel to be most wondrous.


Mont St. Michel, Normandy, originally uploaded by Bitterroot.


Comments:
E I just realized that I missed your b-day when we were down in California. I was going to try to remember it! Well, happy belated birthday to you. I hope you had a wonderful day (did you spend it with Sophie and her parents?)

btw - I like the photo of Mont St. Michel through the sea mist from the parapets. Very atmospheric.
 
Thank you for the b-day wish! Yup, the family was together and celebrated in fine style!
 
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