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| Walled City of Saint Malo - Brittany, France |
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| Mont Saint Michel - Normandy, France |
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| Streets of Mont Saint Michel - France |
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| Medieval Homes & Streets of Mont Saint Michel - France |
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| Beach Promenade - Saint Malo, Fran |
Mont Saint Michel is a UNESCO World Heritage site located on a small rocky island just off the coast of the northern French region of Normandy. It is best known for the spectacular and well-preserved Norman Benedictine Abbey of Saint Michel at its peak, surrounded by the winding streets and convoluted architecture of the medieval town that dates back over a 1,000 years.
Coming early in the season is wise because only about 4,000 people were here and the Mont Saint Michel's small winding streets were packed. Hard to image what the 10,000 people/day in the summer would be like.
Saint Malo, an hour’s drive from Mont Saint Michel is a small walled coastal town in Brittany, France. Once the feared base of pirates, heavily fortified against Norman (English) attack, today's Saint Malo is one of the top tourist draws in Brittany. It has a long sandy beach that is popular with visitors. Saint Malo's walled city (intramuros) was almost destroyed (80%) in WWII but now beautifully reconstructed.
Some history… In addition to the unique setting and amazing medieval architecture, Mont Saint Michel holds a dear place in the hearts of the French people. During the Hundred Years' War, the English occupied most of France and made repeated assaults on Mont Saint Michel, but were unable to seize it. Even the Germans in WWII did not occupy it because of its exposed position. So, this small place has always remained French. In its past history, the wealth and influence of the abbey concerned people so Mont Saint Michel was closed and converted into a prison. Much of the beautifications were lost during this timeframe. The prison was finally closed in 1863.
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