How to Get to Mont-Saint-Michel + Tips for a Day Trip

I had never heard of Mont-Saint Michel until I moved to Paris, and suddenly – my Tik Tok feed was filling up with videos of this castle that looked like it could have come straight out of Rapunzel.

Even though weather in France has been less than optimal this past Spring and now summer, my best friend and I decided to take a trip for the weekend from Paris.

View of Mont Saint Michel from afar; June 2024

Also thinking of traveling to Mont-Saint-Michel and possibly taking a day trip from Paris?

Here’s everything you’ll need to know about traveling to Mont Saint Michel:

Transportation

The most challenging part of Mont-Saint-Michel is getting there. Usually, major cities in France have what’s called, “TGV” – or high speed trains to get you from one point to another at rocket speed.

However, there is not TGV train from Paris to Mont-Saint-Michel. My friend and I ended up taking the TGV to Saint Malo (a small beach town, think Bruges meets beach), stayed there for the night – and then took a bus to Mont-Saint-Michel, which is around an hour from Saint Malo.

You can also rent a car in Paris and drive to Mont-Saint-Michel, which would be around a 4 hour ride – but this would still require you parking on the outskirts of Mont-Saint-Michel.

Returning to Paris, we took a regular speed train direct from Pontorson (the closest station from Mont-Saint-Michel, which takes around 10 minutes by driving to get to from Mont-Saint-Michel) – which took around 4 hours.

Ultimately, I recommend taking the train from either Saint Malo or Rennes.

View outside the church in Mont Saint Michel; June 2024

Food

Maybe it’s the fact that I grew up in Washington D.C., am the daughter of a father from San Francisco, a mother from New York City, and now living in Paris – but the prices for food and souvenirs in Mont-Saint-Michel were surprisingly affordable to me.

My friend had muscle and fries for around 14€ and I had a massive garden salad for 12€. These prices in Paris don’t exist, but if you’re from the Midwest of the U.S. – the prices may be on the higher side.

Muscles & fries and garden salad in Mont Saint Michel

Luggage Hold

You can leave you luggage at the tourism office 2€, and from there – it’s around a 30 minute walk or a few minutes on the “Navette” – or the little trolly bus you can take to cross the bridge and bring you back to the tourism office.

Cost

Souvenirs and eating are relatively affordable on Mont Saint Michel despite it’s remote location and charming experience.

The most costly thing to plan for will probably be the ticket up the church, or the “abbaye” – which cost around 13€ or free if your a resident in the EU under 26.

Just remember, there are no grocery stores or pharmacies on Mont Saint Michel!

Therefore, it’s best to bring any snacks or medications you may need with you for the day.

View of the bay or “moat” in Mont Saint Michel; June 2024

Accommodation

There are hotels on Mont Saint Michel itself, but they can be expensive.

I’d recommend looking into one of the hotels near the tourism office if you’re really set on staying in Mont Saint Michel.

How long should I stay in Mont Saint Michel?

One day in Mont Saint Michel is plenty.

Honestly, Mont Saint Michel is so tiny – you can do it within a few hours.

It makes for the perfect day trip, as there really isn’t more to do there for more than a day.

Can I do a day trip to Mont Saint Michel from paris?

You can do a day-trip from Paris to Mont Saint Michel, but it would be extremely tiring – as it would take a minimum of 4 hours to get there via train and possibly longer via bus or car.

It’s best to stay the night, even if it’s in a nearby city such as Saint Malo or Rennes.

Things to Do in Mont Saint Michel

Since Mont Saint Michel is so tiny, there isn’t a whole lot to do besides these 4 main things:

Explore the Town – Eating at local restaurants with a view of the bay, exploring gift shops, or wandering around is the selling point of Mont Saint Michel.
Quick Sand Tour – If the rising and low-tide of the bay surrounding Mont Saint Michel intrigues you, we saw people on guided tours to explore the moat of the island. If you opt for this, you may want to consider stay in Mont Saint Michel for the night to be able to wash off later and have enough time to do everything else calmly, as this is likely to take up most of the day.
L'Abbaye Mont Saint Michel – For the best views of the bay and a miniature version of the Alahmabra, this is really a must-see attraction while at Mont Saint Michel.
Walk Around the “Beach” – It smells like the beach, but the sand won’t slip between your toes – as it feels more like clay. If it isn’t too windy, it’s a nice way to enjoy a book, people watch, or write in a journal.

Tips for Mont Saint Michel

Here are some of the things I wish I knew about Mont Saint Michel before going:

Seagulls will try to eat your food in this region of France. We had one steal a caramel beurre salé crêpe right out of our plate! It’s best to sit in a covered restaurant if you don’t feel like sharing your food.
There’s only one “free” bathroom we could find on the island. Make use of your time when in restaurants to use the bathroom.
It gets crowded at the end of the day. If you can stomach is, going to Mont Saint Michel earliest is best to avoid the mass of people and enjoy to its full potential.
If you want to walk around the beach, try and look up when the tide is expected to reach a high – or go whenever you see that it’s walk able before it’s covered in water!
You can use card every where on the island, don’t worry about needing cash.

Want to see a snippet of our Mont Saint Michel adventures in action?

Watch my YouTube video below!

If you’re looking for other travel ideas in France – click here!