You need to visit Mont Saint-Michel at least once in your life! Here are the crucial details to know before discovering this magical place listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: tickets, guided tours, parking, bus to get there, but also some nice spots where to eat for Mont Saint-Michel. What do you need to know before visiting Mont Saint-Michel:
- Best things to do in Mont St-Michel 💫
- Schedules, tickets, guided tours, tips 🎟
- Where to stay in Mont St-Michel 📍
- Where to eat? 😋
- How to get there: car, parking, bus, train 🚗
- How long should I plan to visit Mont St-Michel? 🕘
1. TOP 5 things to do in Mont Saint-Michel
- The visit to the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel (prices for the skip-the-line tickets)
- A walk in the alleys of Mont Saint-Michel: feel free to leave the main street.
- A tour of the ramparts of Mont Saint-Michel (free, take the staircase on your right close to the entrance)
- Taste the Mère Poulard omelet (for the curious) or lunch with a view of the bay
- A guided walk in the bay (in option)
There are also several museums, but I didn’t find them very interesting. I then just visited the knight’s house, and it was pleasing. It was curious to enter on the ground floor and exit upstairs.
2. Visiting Mont Saint-Michel: tickets, guided tours, when to go?
What to do in Mont Saint-Michel? Access to Mont-Saint-Michel itself is free. You may want to take a bus instead of walking from the parking (on the continent) to the island. What is absolutely worth visiting is the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, the bay, and the mountain itself.
2.1. Tickets to the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel: timetables, prices, and skip-the-line tickets
It is possible to visit the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel every day except on January 1, May 1, and December 25.
- May 2 to August 31: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., last admission at 6 p.m.
- September 1 to April 30: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., last admission at 5 p.m.
- Go on the Abbey of Mont St-Michel website for further information.
The entrance fee to the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel is 10 euros for an adult, 8 euros for 18 to 25-year-olds (upon presentation of proof), and free for children under 18-year-olds.
The audioguide costs 3 euros. There are also conference visits to the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel for 13 euros. The guide was brilliant, and the visit was super interesting, especially since it gives access to other parts of the Abbey, inaccessible without a guide. Book guided tours in advance because they are quickly sold out during peak season.
2.2. Where to buy skip-the-line tickets to visit Mont-Saint-Michel?
You can buy tickets on the spot, but when there is a large influx of tourists, there can be a long wait. To save time, you can take skip-the-line tickets online, then exchange them once on-site without queuing.
- Buy skip-the-line tickets
- Once the voucher is printed or just on your phone, you can go directly to the counters to collect the ticket and significantly reduce the queue.
2.3. Guided tours for visiting Mont Saint-Michel
There are many walks to visit Mont Saint-Michel, but also all around. The bay is beautiful, so several guides offer walks around the mountain.
You can also opt for a guided walking tour in the village of Mont Saint-Michel: a 2-hour guided tour. Indicate the number of people and the day of the visit to know the final price.
Good to know. Do not try to take a walk alone in the bay of Mont Saint-Michel. The tide may surprise you! Join a group on a guided tour or hire a private guide to avoid any risk.
From Paris. If you have no time to visit Normandy or don’t want to take a car, you can also take a 14-hour guided tour to Mont-Saint-Michel from Paris.
2.4. Tips for visiting Mont Saint Michel without crowds
Mont-Saint-Michel is taken by storm as soon as the weather is nice. We have been to Mont Saint-Michel several times, and the difference between high and low seasons is so major! In December, Mont Saint-Michel is almost deserted. There were then only 3 small groups on the whole mountain that we kept coming across during the visit and even in the restaurant in the evening. On the other hand, in April, there are already many people at Mont Saint-Michel, and walking on the main street is challenging.
Good to know. We recommend going to Mont Saint-Michel outside school holidays, on weekends, or in the low season (November to March), to enjoy the serenity of the place and avoid crowds.
3. Where to stay at Mont Saint-Michel?
It is almost impossible to stay at Mont-Saint-Michel during peak season for reasonable prices. On the other hand, the rates are more accessible in winter.
Staying a night on the Mont-Saint-Michel is an exceptional experience. In the evening and the morning, you are almost alone. The views are fantastic over the bay, and we can enjoy them in pleasant calm. We recommend staying at the Le Mouton Blanc hotel.
Where to stay near Mont-Saint-Michel? To reduce accommodation costs and visit Mont-Saint-Michel during the day, you must stay in another town. For example, there are guest rooms Au p’tit Mont in Ardevon, just 6km from Mont-Saint-Michel.
Find out more in our blog post: Where to stay at Mont Saint-Michel or around.
4. Where to eat in Mont Saint-Michel?
First of all, the prices in the restaurants of Mont-Saint-Michel are pretty high. The restaurants are all located on the main street of Mont-Saint-Michel. On the other hand, a large part is located on the ground floor, and only a few restaurants have a view of the bay.
Bay view. If you visit Mont-Saint-Michel in high season and want to eat in a restaurant with a bay view, we recommend booking in advance, for example, at the Hotel du Guesclin, which has tables upstairs with a view of the bay. If you climb on the ramparts, you will easily find which one has a bay view.
French crêperie. The Crêperie La Cloche is quite good and also one of the cheapest places to eat in Mont Saint-Michel.
Where to eat the Mère Poulard omelet at Mont Saint-Michel? You will hear about it from Mère Poulard and her famous omelet! The restaurant La Mère Poulard is close to the entrance to the Mont Saint-Michel. It is possible to reserve the table via their website.
5. How to get to Mont Saint-Michel?
There are two major options for visiting Mont Saint-Michel.
5.1. Going to Mont Saint-Michel by car: parking prices
If you go to Mont Saint-Michel by car, a vast car park awaits you on arrival. It works like a usual car park: you enter, then pay at the automatic payment machine at the exit. Remember to note your location, because the car park is vast. Discover the rates and other parking information: Parking rates at Mont-Saint-Michel.
5.2. Visiting Mont Saint-Michel by train and bus
From Rennes by bus. A friend went from Rennes to Mont Saint-Michel for 15 euros one way. Plus, it’s free for kids under 12. The trip takes 1 hour and 10 minutes, so it’s pretty quick. To find additional information, you can go to the website of the Keolis bus company, which provides this route.
6. How long does it take to visit Mont Saint-Michel?
It takes at least a whole day to visit Mont Saint-Michel. It is often the choice travelers make, but the high prices of accommodation on site also explain it. On the other hand, if you go during the low season and stay 2 days there, you will not be bored. If we take our time to visit Mont Saint-Michel, we discover this place differently because visiting the Abbey already takes a few hours.
Idea! Did you know Saint Malo is only an hour’s drive from Mont Saint Michel? Read this article for more info: Visit Saint-Malo and its surroundings. On the road, we also recommend taking a break at Mont Dol and enjoying a magnificent view from the little chapel!
When are you planning to visit Mont Saint-Michel? We hope this blog post has given you some answers to prepare for this visit!
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