KILLED - Mont-Saint-Michel from Paris with Bay Walk & Abbey Tour

Name: KILLED - Mont-Saint-Michel from Paris with Bay Walk & Abbey Tour
Brand: Walks
SKU: 9604982a-6bc0-4fca-a620-94dcf8193920
Price: 205.0 EUR
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.66 (18968 reviews)

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Highlights

Get more time at Mont Saint Michel than any other tour.
Learn the history behind the coveted island.
Hear stories of rulers who tried to claim the land.
Explore in a small group of 19 guests maximum.
Walk out onto the bay with a naturalist guide.
Take strategic round-trip transport to and from Paris.

Summary

Leave Paris behind and visit spectacular Mont St Michel on a day trip, traveling by high-speed train and private bus to allow for more time at this spectacular site than any other organized tour.

Tour info

Duration

14 hours - 15 hours

Pricing (From)

Adult: (15-99 years)

€205.00

Child: (2-14 years)

€195.00

Infant: (0-1 years)

€0.00

Commentary

English

Why take this tour?

There are few places in the world more spellbinding than the monastery and island commune of Mont Saint Michel. Its strategic fortifications have witnessed centuries of wars, sieges, and conquests. On this carefully planned day trip from Paris, you’ll explore Mont Saint Michel in depth, with nearly six hours to spend at the UNESCO World Heritage site. Complete with a bay walk at low tide and a tour of the abbey, there's no better way to explore one of France's standout natural and cultural gems.

Your day starts at Montparnasse train station in central Paris. Meet your expert guide and small group and hop on the high-speed train to Rennes. Zipping along at 200 mph (320 kmh), you'll be there in just 90 minutes. Once in Rennes, transfer to a private minibus for the rest of the comfortable journey to Mont Saint Michel. Most tours from Paris go entirely by bus, which takes an arduous five and a half hours each way (more in bad traffic). That means most visitors only get four hours in Mont Saint Michel, while you’ll enjoy nearly six.

The order of this tour depends heavily on the tides coming into and out of the bay. Most visitors never explore the sand here, but you will. Led by a specially trained naturalist guide, you’ll kick off your shoes and walk out onto the tidal flat to discover the unique natural environment surrounding Mont Saint Michel—and even see a bit of the dreaded quicksand that used to trap pilgrims trying to cross the bay. Don’t worry, your guide won’t let you get stuck, but they will show you how to get out of it. This is also where you will get the most stunning views of the village and monastery, so make sure to bring a camera.

Back in the village, you’ll enjoy a tour of the medieval city streets and fortified walls. Your guide will regale you with the colorful history of this tiny yet strategically important community. From Irish monks and Breton bishops to English barons, French kings, and countless religious pilgrims, seemingly everyone in Western Europe has, at some time or another, wanted a piece of this little rock. Once you head inside the monastery after lunch, you’ll understand why.

After a break for lunch (with plenty of recommendations from your guide for where you can enjoy the local specialty omelets) you’ll head inside the abbey to soak in the Gothic architecture and its history. Your guide can’t accompany you due to site rules, but they will brief you on the building’s history and what to keep an eye out for before you go inside with your audio guide. Because it was used as a prison after the French Revolution, you can see stark reminders of human captivity—like a human-sized “hamster wheel” that was operated by prisoners to haul goods up the hill. Afterwards, you might just want to conquer the village yourself.

At the end of the abbey tour, hop back on the bus, then train, for the journey back to Paris. You’ll be back in the city in time for dinner.

What’s included?

Expertly guided walking tour
Local English-speaking guide
Small group of 19 guests maximum
High-speed train and private minibus transfer to and from Mont Saint-Michel
Exclusive Mont Saint Michel bay walk with expert guide
Skip the line ticket to Abbey with audio guide
Lunch
Gratuities
Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off

Things to know

Before you book

Our group tour utilizes multiple areas that are not wheelchair accessible. Those with wheelchairs should contact us so we can arrange your visit. Please contact us at [email protected] to arrange a wheelchair-friendly tour.
The Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey is subject to closures due to strikes. If time permits, we will reach out to you prior to your tour. For last-minute closures, cancellations may be communicated at the meeting point.
This tour is in English.
This tour involves walking on uneven stairs and ground. We recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes.
The bay walk involves walking barefoot in wet sand for up to 1.5 hours. Please wear bottoms that can easily be rolled up, and bring a towel or tissues to dry yourself afterwards.

Before you go

This tour meets 15 minutes prior to the start time. No refunds can be provided for late arrivals or no-shows.
This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
This tour involves walking on uneven stairs and ground. We recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes.
The bay walk involves walking barefoot in wet sand for up to 1.5 hours. Please wear bottoms that can easily be rolled up, and bring a towel or tissues to dry yourself afterwards.
This tour is in English.
Security measures are enforced at the museum. Only small handbags and backpacks are allowed inside. No item larger than 55 x 35 x 20 cm will be allowed.
Areas visited during this tour are subject to closure. Your guide may need to modify areas visited on the day of the tour.
The Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey is subject to closures due to strikes. If time permits, we will reach out to you prior to your tour. For last-minute closures, cancellations may be communicated at the meeting point.
Tips/gratuities (for your guide) are always appreciated.

Operator Website

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About operator:

Walks (takewalks.com, walksofitaly.com) began over a decade ago (2008, to be exact) in Rome, Italy. We quickly became the premier walking tour company in 7 countries - Italy, Spain, France, the UK, Greece, and Portugal. Our US cities include San Francisco, NYC, Boston, Chicago, and New Orleans.

In 2021, we joined The Hornblower Group (cityexperiences.com) expanding our reach and working alongside this powerhouse travel brand.

Our tour products vary but predominantly we #takewalks, exploring the world by foot - we believe, the best way to get into the heart of a city and its incredible people. From introductory strolls to food tours, day trips, cooking classes, and below the surface, in-depth tours, we have our hand in everything a traveler could want. Oh, and we also like to give our clients exclusive access to the biggest attractions in the world...

Despite the big changes in our brand over the years, our focus has remained simple - to relentlessly create tours with the client experience at the forefront and anchored upon the dedicated, intelligent, and above all, passionate local guides who want to share their cities with you.