A RETURN TO ANOTHER WORLD
A friend from Canada has
been staying with me for a week after competing in the International
swimming champions in Italy. A childhood dream was to visit Mont Saint
Michael in Normandy. Light years ago I had worked in Saint Malo and
visited the site many times but was interested to do so again despite
the rumours that the new car park was over 2 kilometres from the actual
Mount and navettes were rare commodities. The walking doesn’t worry me.
The other place which I love is Saint Malo. Without any doubt it is one of the most beautiful beaches I know. Some five kilometres long.
While the main attraction of St-Malo remains its grandiose walled citadel, all and sundry are also drawn by what lies on the other side of the ramparts.
The falling tide reveals several sandy beaches of fine white sand and a cluster of rocky islands that may be reached on foot. The latter are home to a variety of fortifications, as well as the tomb of Chateaubriand, and provide great views back to the walled city.
When I was living there it was a favorite evening walk after work - if the wind was not howling and the tide was out. Even in the summer months, the water never seems to go over 18°.
Upon arriving we went off to the old walled citadel and then onto the beach. As you can see it was pretty empty. That’s the way I like it.
Ken found that he had a visitor when he went into his room. The bird appeared the moment T.V. went on and stayed on the window ledge hoping for something. He got nothing but would have come straight into the room if encouraged.
Onto Mont Saint Michel the following day.
Situated in the middle of a bay, the Mont Saint-Michel welcomes nearly three and a half million people every year this includes visitors, pilgrims and tourists. When I first visited years ago, the crowds were already pretty bad. You can imagine what it is like today. However, we got there early, parked in the new car park and started walking. To preserve the site as it is heritage material, the carpark has now been moved 2 kilometres away. There are buses that go back and forth but it is certainly not geared to the hundreds of people who visit. The streets are tiny and wind up to the Abbey. You would be pushing and shoving in the summer months. By the time we came down after a couple of hours, the number of people had multiplied by 10 I would think. The Asians are now there which was not the case when I first visited.
After going through the Boulevard Gate and then the King’s Gate fortified with its portcullis, you find the « Grande Rue » or main street with its museums, shops and houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. The parish church consecrated to St-Pierre, the patron Saint of fishermen is a small edifice from the 15th and 16th centuries. Finally you get to the « Grande Degre » or Grande Staircase which goes up to the Abbey church. There are lots and lots of steps to be climbed but you are rewarded by the beautiful view over the bay.
The Abbey is consecrated to St-Michel or the Archangel in 708. The abbey dates from the XI to the XVI centuries.
Many of these Abbey’s now have modern or contemporary art exhibitions which I enjoy a lot. I love the relationship between the old and the new.
Arnulf Rainer is an Austrian painter internationally renowned for his abstract and informal work. His says that his work for this exhibition is a dialogue with the spirit of the site itself. You can judge for yourself as I certainly didn’t see this in the abstract paintings, but I did like them. I discovered his painting in the Cartier Foundation some years ago and was happy to see such an exhibition in this medieval site.
I was pleased to see Mont Saint Michel again but it will probably be the last time.
Onto Cancale for a late lunch. This is the port for what I describe as the best oysters in France. The port had not changed too much from when I had last visited it whereas I didn’t recognize Saint Malo outside of the beach and the old town. The prices for oysters are so inexpensive too versus Paris. What bliss.
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| Chateaubriad island late afternoon |
The other place which I love is Saint Malo. Without any doubt it is one of the most beautiful beaches I know. Some five kilometres long.
 |
| Shells ? |
 |
| Walking along the beach |
While the main attraction of St-Malo remains its grandiose walled citadel, all and sundry are also drawn by what lies on the other side of the ramparts.
The falling tide reveals several sandy beaches of fine white sand and a cluster of rocky islands that may be reached on foot. The latter are home to a variety of fortifications, as well as the tomb of Chateaubriand, and provide great views back to the walled city.
When I was living there it was a favorite evening walk after work - if the wind was not howling and the tide was out. Even in the summer months, the water never seems to go over 18°.
Upon arriving we went off to the old walled citadel and then onto the beach. As you can see it was pretty empty. That’s the way I like it.
Ken found that he had a visitor when he went into his room. The bird appeared the moment T.V. went on and stayed on the window ledge hoping for something. He got nothing but would have come straight into the room if encouraged.
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| Waiting.... |
Onto Mont Saint Michel the following day.
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| Coming closer |
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| The walk across |
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| Looking up to the abbey and the first steps |
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| closer to the Spire |
Situated in the middle of a bay, the Mont Saint-Michel welcomes nearly three and a half million people every year this includes visitors, pilgrims and tourists. When I first visited years ago, the crowds were already pretty bad. You can imagine what it is like today. However, we got there early, parked in the new car park and started walking. To preserve the site as it is heritage material, the carpark has now been moved 2 kilometres away. There are buses that go back and forth but it is certainly not geared to the hundreds of people who visit. The streets are tiny and wind up to the Abbey. You would be pushing and shoving in the summer months. By the time we came down after a couple of hours, the number of people had multiplied by 10 I would think. The Asians are now there which was not the case when I first visited.
After going through the Boulevard Gate and then the King’s Gate fortified with its portcullis, you find the « Grande Rue » or main street with its museums, shops and houses dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. The parish church consecrated to St-Pierre, the patron Saint of fishermen is a small edifice from the 15th and 16th centuries. Finally you get to the « Grande Degre » or Grande Staircase which goes up to the Abbey church. There are lots and lots of steps to be climbed but you are rewarded by the beautiful view over the bay.
The Abbey is consecrated to St-Michel or the Archangel in 708. The abbey dates from the XI to the XVI centuries.
Many of these Abbey’s now have modern or contemporary art exhibitions which I enjoy a lot. I love the relationship between the old and the new.
Arnulf Rainer is an Austrian painter internationally renowned for his abstract and informal work. His says that his work for this exhibition is a dialogue with the spirit of the site itself. You can judge for yourself as I certainly didn’t see this in the abstract paintings, but I did like them. I discovered his painting in the Cartier Foundation some years ago and was happy to see such an exhibition in this medieval site.
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| View of the gallery and the cross at end |
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| A Wave ? |
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| Saint Michel and the cross |
I was pleased to see Mont Saint Michel again but it will probably be the last time.
Onto Cancale for a late lunch. This is the port for what I describe as the best oysters in France. The port had not changed too much from when I had last visited it whereas I didn’t recognize Saint Malo outside of the beach and the old town. The prices for oysters are so inexpensive too versus Paris. What bliss.
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| Oyster beds |
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| Oysters fir sale or to taste |
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| An unattended stall.... |
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