Mont Saint Michel

Just for the fun of it, I've been trying several kinds of virtual trips.  I miss being able to actually travel. A few days ago, I "went" to Mont Saint Michel with Context Travels Conversations.   It was the first time I tried that service, so I went on my own to see what it was like.  The program was supposed to be 90 minutes and it went over that, but it was OK because lots of useful information came up during the question and answer time.  The tour guide was Alexander Wilson.

The historical background was great.  The idea for a structure on the site began with Aubert the Bishop of Avronches in AD 708.  According to texts that have been preserved, he was visited three times in his dreams by the Archangel Michael who told him to build an oratory, or chapel.  He ignored the first two commands, but the Archangel poked a hole in his head the third time and so the Bishop obeyed. 

I won't go into all the details Mr. Wilson shared with us (about 65 participants by zoom) but, as the church became a pilgramage site, there was a need for a bigger structure.  The island is small, however, and very steep.  The solution was to build a sort of platform with the church on top.  It ended up as a three-storey structure, with common people using the lower floor, aristocrats on the middle floor, and the clergy on the top floor.  I think this was about the thirteenth century. 

During the French Revolution,  the monks were chased out and Mont Saint Michel became a prison.  The prison closed in 1863 and restoration didn't begin until 1874.  It was a huge project and restoration and research continues to this day.

Mr. Wilson took us through the main rooms of the cathedral as they are today.  My notes about that are not very good.  It is beautiful and I think I was taking in the visuals.  He then took us through the ramparts and village on the island.  He said very few people actually live there, though there are small inns and places to stay and many restaurants, including the most well-known;  La Mere Poularde where omelets are served. 

It was interesting, and worth the time and money, which is about $36 US dollars.  I think I like the longer, more intense virtual "trips" I've taken with Road Scholars.