Tag:church
The island abbey of Mont St Michel had been on my bucket list since I first saw an image of it years ago. So it was definitely on the list when we planned our trip. Mont St Michael is four hours from Paris, so it was a fourteen-hour day on the bus tour between travelling and time on the island.
The island is just a few hundred metres from the mainland and only accessible at low tide. This makes it accessible to pilgrims at low tide but defensible at high tide. Some people still cross to the island across the mudflats in the traditional way of pilgrims hundreds of years ago. Apparently, you need a guide to take you over to avoid the quicksand. (we took the shuttle!)
World Heritage site
Before constructing the first monastic establishment in the 8th century, the island was called Mont Tombe. According to legend, the archangel Michael appeared in 708 to the bishop of Avranches and instructed him to build a church on the rocky islet. A small church was consecrated just over a year later on 16th October 709. In 966, a community of Benedictines settled on the rock at the request of the Duke of Normandy and the pre-Romanesque church was built before the year one thousand.
With the Hundred Years War outbreak in the 14th century, protecting the abbey behind a set of military constructions became necessary. This enabled it to hold out against a siege lasting 30 years. Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. Over 60 buildings on the island are protected in France as monuments historiques.
Car free island
In 2014 a new causeway was opened that gave access to the island to shuttle buses and pedestrians. The old road covered at every high tide was then removed. However, the area is known for spring ‘super’ tides, and in 2015 the tide was so high it covered even the raised causeway. We arrived around midday and enjoyed a delicious lunch with a pear cider before taking the shuttle bus to the island. No cars are allowed on the island. Even residents must take the shuttle bus from the mainland carpark across the causeway or walk. We all had headphones supplied by the tour company, and the guide supplied loads of info about Mont St Michel. While setting a cracking pace up the 350 steps to the top!
Construction
At the base of Mont St. Michael are shops and houses – the island has a permanent population of 50. Just below the top sits The Merveille (the marvel). Added in the 13th century, its three layered levels culminated in a height of 35m supported by 16 powerful buttresses. The Merveille took 17 years, and each level had different functions. The building of which was an amazing feat of engineering for the time.
On the ground floor is the cellar for storing food and the chaplaincy for welcoming pilgrims. The second floor contains the dining hall with its imposing fireplaces, reserved for special guests. On this floor is also the so-called “knights” room, the former scriptorium. The “knights” room was also called the scriptorium. For a long time, the scriptorium was thought to have been the place where manuscripts were produced and illuminated. However, it would seem that it was, in fact, used for reading and studying. The final level contained the cloisters and the monks’ refectory.
At the very top stands the church – topped with a 32m steeple and a statue of St Michael.
What a Day!
Once at the top, the guide left us to our own devices for a couple of hours. We had to be back on the bus by 4.30 pm. We meandered our way back down (much slower than the going up), taking photos along the way. Boarding the shuttle bus back was problematic as the first one was packed. I couldn’t squeeze on, we were running out of time to get back, so when the second shuttle bus came, we were a bit more aggressive and managed to squeeze on. Fortunately, we returned to our tour bus with about 5 mins to spare. Though being stuck on St Michel overnight wouldn’t be such a bad thing.
The tour bus left Mont St Michel at 4.30 pm. After a 30min stop halfway back to Paris for toilets, food, and drink, we arrived back in Paris around 9 pm. Found a cab. Cabbie spoke only french, we spoke only English. Rue de Rennes merci… confusion… Rue de Rennes. I showed him the address on my phone…. ahhhhh!! Oui, Rue de Rennes… I thought I said that! 10 euros later we were back at our hotel, and I think about ten mins after that I was in bed asleep!
Day 3 in London and we were taking a bus tour to Canterbury and Leeds Castle. As the tour didn’t leave till 8.30 am, and it was just the two of us, we decided to take the train in. Woodside (on the northern line) to Euston Station, swap lines to the Victoria Line, get off at Victoria Station, and it was an 8min walk to Victoria Coach Station. Victoria Coach Station is a big bus terminal where all the national line buses leave from as well as the tour buses.
Leeds Castle
We were travelling with Evan Evans tours for our tour, and our first stop was Leeds Castle. Constructed in 1119 during the reign of William the Conqueror’s son Henry 1, the Castle was a Norman stronghold. However, it was also the private property of six of England’s medieval queens; a palace used by Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon; a Jacobean country house; a Georgian mansion; an elegant early 20th-century retreat for the influential and famous; and in the 21st century, it has become one of the most visited historic buildings in Britain.
Maison Jansen
The last private owner was Hon. Olive, Lady Baillie, a wealthy Anglo-American heiress who acquired Leeds Castle in 1926 when it was sold to pay death duties. In the 1930s, Lady Baillie entrusted the design of her interiors to Stephane Boudin (1888-1967), president of Maison Jansen, a leading design firm in Paris. He was considered the foremost designer of grand interiors in the French taste, and his other clients included the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Jacqueline Kennedy. The glamorous and luxurious interiors he created at Leeds Castle from 1932 onwards can still be seen today. Lady Baillie’s bedroom suite is a high point of his work, with its delicate Louis VIX style panelling. Leeds Castle History
Landscaped gardens
The castle’s grounds include 500 acres of parkland and beautifully landscaped gardens with swans and ducks swimming around the lake. Shortly before Lady Baillie died in 1974, she put plans in place to create a charitable foundation and transferred the castle and grounds to it. The foundation now manages the castle and attracts around 600,000 visitors a year.
Canterbury
Leaving Leeds Castle, we travelled to Canterbury to visit Canterbury Cathedral. The cathedral is the ‘mother’ church of the worldwide Anglican community. Unfortunately, scaffolding covered part of the outside, so it wasn’t terribly photogenic (the perils of visiting places in the offseason is that’s when they do repairs). The cathedral is over 900 years old, with the Quire and stained glass windows dating back to the 12th century.
Thomas Becket
The cathedral is most famous for the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in 1170. After a long-lasting dispute, King Henry is said to have exclaimed, “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?” four knights set off for Canterbury and murdered Thomas in his own cathedral. A sword stroke was so violent that it sliced the crown off his skull and shattered the blade’s tip on the pavement. The murder took place in what is now known as The Martyrdom. Shortly afterwards, miracles were said to occur, and Canterbury became one of Europe’s most important pilgrimage centres. Cathedral History
The interior is beautiful, and I loved the ornate ceiling over the Quire – amazing to think the workmanship was from Mason’s 1400 hundred years ago! All handtools!
Days End
After leaving the Cathedral, we headed for lunch. It was really windy out, and we couldn’t find any tables and chairs free inside any of the cafes. We finally ended up going to Burger King. Bad choice. I felt sick for the rest of the afternoon. From Canterbury, the bus took us to Dover. It was a big bucket list tick for me like Stonehenge, the Eiffel tower, and the northern lights. My father always talked about the white cliffs of Dover and the Vera Lyn song. In fact, the White Cliffs Of Dover was played at his funeral.
Biggest disappointment of the whole trip. We had a 15 photo-op stop-off. The guide said quote, “it’s not the best place to see them, but it gives you a look. You have 15 mins” WTF?? If that’s all we get, why bother stopping there??? She was right; it was a crappy location, and I didn’t take one picture on my camera. Just happy snaps on my phone (I was starting to dislike bus tours, and by the end of our trip, I had sworn I would never do another one, more on that later)