We had a lovely time staying at Polly’s house in Moyon.  Amy particularly loved it because she got to play with the two girls who lived there (Polly’s daughters). We did manage to drag her away long enough to go sightseeing though.

The main reason for staying in the region was to visit Mont St Michel:

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From a distance

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Getting closer

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Now we’re there!

Pretty amazing view. Mont St Michel is an abbey that use to be on an island, built around 1000 AD (and over the following centuries).  Nowadays there is a causeway out to it, so it is no longer cut off by the high tide (like in the movie “The Scarlet Pimpernel”, sink me!)

We enjoyed walking around.. take a tour with us:

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Tides in as we approach.

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Walk through the entrance to the village and make your way up to the abbey, past all the souvenir shops.  No Dollar Value here..

Did you hear me say walk up? Take a few stairs..

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Keep looking up, the buildings are interesting..

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Oops, slipped that one in there, he’s interesting to me..

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There he is again..just checking you’re paying attention.

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Before you go into the church, look at the sea surrounding the island.

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That’s the causeway.

Notice the mason’s initials on the stones.  A thousand years ago you got paid per brick, no tea break allowance or sick leave..

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Inside the abbey church, it’s not fancy like the Basilica of St Peter, but pretty special still.  Benedictine monks did not believe in ornate decoration, so the church was much simpler than others we’d seen.

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Go through to the cloister

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Some green amongst all the stone

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The dining room was large and use to be quiet as the monks did not speak.

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Take some more stairs.., look at all the arches

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More stairs..

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More arches..

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Don’t miss the huge wheel used to pull up supplies to the top of the abbey from the ground far below

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Don’t look down..

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After that climbing up and down, stop for a coffee, even if it is only small..

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Phew, pretty good tour, pretty good day..

(Week 29A: Saturday, 1 September 2012 – Tuesday, 4 September 2012)