Mont-Saint-Michel, << mawn san mee SHEHL, >> is a large, steep granite rock that lies off the coast of Normandy, a region in northern France. Mont-St.-Michel rises 260 feet (80 meters) and covers 16 acres (6.5 hectares). An abbey (home of monks) stands at the top of Mont-St.-Michel, and a small village lies at the base. Mont-St.-Michel’s scenery and architecture make it a major tourist attraction. At high tide, waters of Mont-St.-Michel Bay surround the rock. The water moves back at low tide, and sandy land surrounds the rock. From 1879 to the mid-2010’s, a causeway (paved road) linked Mont-St.-Michel to the mainland. A bridge for foot and vehicle traffic opened in 2014.
Mont-St.-Michel was important in religious practices of the Celts, a people who inhabited the area in ancient times. In 708, a local bishop built a church on top of the rock. The present abbey replaced the church in 966. Later building programs added such features as a chapel and tower.
