On Monday morning, we headed out to Mont St. Michel. It was another beautiful day and we were really excited about seeing and experiencing this place together for the first time. It is an island commune just off the coast and is an absolutely beautiful sight from the shores of the mainland. We went not knowing exactly what to expect, and came a bit unprepared. The parking is about two kilometers away from the actual commune, and the visitors are shuttle in by bus or a horse drawn buggy. We brought way more than we needed not knowing what to fully expect, and in doing so opted to bring the stroller which we quickly found out, although a bit too late, that Mont St. Michel is most definitely NOT stroller friendly. The streets are small and to simply say over crowded would be a bit of an understatement. This French landmark is one of the top tourist spots in France, and is flooded with visitors all year long. Between the crowds and difficulties maneuvering the stroller while climbing stairs upon stairs, we had a quick lunch of a famous omelet beat to a specific rhythm and a quick walk around the lower level of the commune before grabbing an ice cream cone and a few souvenirs and heading back to the mainland. It was a quick trip, but a good one and we were thankful to have been able to go despite the inconveniences. We will go back again when you are older and explore a bit more!
Extremely fishy seafood soup that you couldn't get enough of...stinky!
Since we finished at Mont St. Michel by 3:30 and you both were ready for naps, we decided to keep driving west a bit for a quick stop in St. Malo. St. Malo is a walled port city just over the border of Brittany. We watched a Travel Channel food show about this little city and were so happy it worked out to go for a quick visit. We walked the quiet streets inside the tall, stone walls, ate local foods, explored the boats on the port, and spent a warm evening playing in the sand on the beaches while the sun went down. The people were so welcoming and kind and some day we will go back to see more of the lovely Brittany.
It was a long day, but a very fun day. You both were so well behaved and seemed to enjoy ever bit of our adventures. We made it back to the house just before midnight and all slept in the next morning ready for more fun on the beaches of Normandy before heading off to Paris.
When I was a kid and we visited Mont St Michel, they would actually let people park at the base of the mountain, but you HAD to be back by a certain time to move your car or it would be washed away when the tide came in, and the super crowded streets made it hard to get back to your car in time! I remember being SO tired of walking up the steep, steep narrow roads. Such a mess, but such a cool and unique place :)
When I was a kid and we visited Mont St Michel, they would actually let people park at the base of the mountain, but you HAD to be back by a certain time to move your car or it would be washed away when the tide came in, and the super crowded streets made it hard to get back to your car in time! I remember being SO tired of walking up the steep, steep narrow roads. Such a mess, but such a cool and unique place :)
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