Postcard from Normandy

We recently visited Mont St Michel, a UNESCO World Heritage site in northwest France. Famous for its medieval abbey, this small, rocky island rises majestically from the sands, about 1km off the coast of Normandy.

Mont St Michel

Today, Mont St Michel is one of the busiest tourist sites in France, welcoming over 3 million visitors in 2024. Only 290 metres in diameter, it is surrounded by vast mudflats and the location of some of Europe’s highest tides. At low tide the water withdraws up to 10 miles from the mainland, before rapidly sweeping back in when the tide turns. The speed of the incoming tide, combined with the presence of quicksands, make crossing the bay treacherous.

 

Construction of the first church on the island began in 708AD. The story goes that Aubert, Bishop of Avranches, was visited in a dream by the archangel, Michael, and instructed to establish a place of worship on the rocky outcrop. Building on such unforgiving ground must have appeared like the ultimate act of faith. Possibly madness. Nevertheless, the island was dedicated to Michael - Michel in French - on 16 October 708. It quickly became a place of pilgrimage, welcoming visitors from all walks of life.

 

When we were there the other day, a fleet of shuttle buses whisked tourists across a bridge linking the island and the mainland. In the past, a visit would have been a very different proposition. Over centuries, land around the bay has been reclaimed from the sea, via drainage canals constructed to turn salt marshes into farmland. Consequently, the island is now less than a mile from the shore. In the Middle Ages, however, the journey was over three miles and only possible at low tide.

Eco-friendly shuttle buses
to transport tourists across the mudflats

Between the 12^th and 14^th centuries, the abbey was home to a community of Benedictine monks who produced several illuminated (i.e. decorated with gold leaf) manuscripts. Perhaps most significant is the Cartulary of Mont-Saint-Michel, a medieval manuscript book used to preserve important documents, including an account of Bishop Aubert’s encounter with the archangel. This story was also documented by a young monk at the abbey, who wrote in the local dialect so the history would be accessible to pilgrims who couldn’t read Latin. Many of the abbey’s original manuscripts were destroyed during World War II. However, several are preserved in archives across the world, including the British Library.

Today, on a clear day, the gilded statue atop the abbey’s spire is visible for miles around, glinting in the sun. Standing at the foot of the island the other morning, I was reminded of the ‘city on a hill’ in Isaiah’s vision of Zion (Isaiah 2:2-3; Matthew 15:4).

In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. (Isaiah 2:2-3)

Over 1000 years since it was first constructed, the abbey continues to draw streams visitors, of all faiths and none. Although the surrounding landscape has changed significantly, Mont Saint Michel has withstood the stiffest tests of time. It speaks not only through its Gothic architecture, but also its manuscripts which provide us with a window on the life of a community determined to keep Christ at the centre, no matter what. Just as the sea has not managed to erase the abbey, the challenges of history have not silenced its witness. 

 

Mont St Michel from the mainland

In their example of faith, those medieval authors are part of the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ that surrounds and spurs us on today. (Hebrews 12:1) Our own words - of prayer, encouragement, or testimony - join that same stream. Our stories may be very different to theirs, but we too can bear witness to God’s steadfast love.  What might he be calling you to write today?

Helen Hewitt is a baker, gardener, writer and maker. She lives in southwest London with  her husband and two young daughters. Formerly a doctor and clinical academic, she now runs a social enterprise, combining a microbakery and community gardening project (@nourishandgrow_food). Helen is a member of the Community of Hopeweavers. 

You can find more of Helen's writing on her blog, Warp & Weft.