LIVE from the Camino Chemin du Mont-Saint-Michel (Ouistreham)

[Vacajoe]

This overlooked route is one that English pilgrims would have followed after crossing the channel to France. About 120 miles long, it’s a beautiful (and relatively flat!) walk across Normandy from one beach to another! The path starts at a D-Day beach and ends with a traverse across the tidal beach to MSM itself - definitely a thrilling end to a pilgrimage! If you had the energy, you could continue on to SdC from MSM, but we will end at journey there.

We have 11 days planned and I’ll update daily with a few remarks about the completed stage since there is very little in English about this route.

 

[roving_rufus]

Looking forward to hearing how it goes.
I did some of the Cherbourg to Mont St Michel route this summer ( before heading off towards SdeC and getting as far as Nantes, to be picked up next year). It was very special to stay in the maison du pelerin on Mont St Michel

 

[Vacajoe]

DAY 1: Ouisterham to Caen (23km)

This stage isn’t listed on the official website ( www.lescheminsdumontsaintmichel.com ), but it’s where the ferry boats from Portsmith, England dock, both now and centuries ago! It’s easy to reach the beach here via a 20 minute bus ride from Caen (1.6€), a city which is a 2 hour bus or train ride from Paris. We took time to remember those who died at “Sword Beach” during the D-Day invasion and visited a few memorial sites before heading off on the Chemin. If you are a WW2 buff, this entire route is walking through familiar names of battles and key villages.

You leave Ouistreham via a paved bike path adjacent to the shipping canal, which you can follow all the way into Caen. We took an alternative route after a few miles which passed over the Pegasus Bridge and then followed along the bank of the nearby river, providing a natural walking surface rather than asphalt. Oddly, the way-marked path seems to purposefully avoid towns/churches/cafes, so one needs to detour off of it to find support services.

As we entered in to Caen, we went off-path to visit the Petite Lourdes church and the Abbey of the Dames (there is one for men on tomorrow’s stage) - both worth seeing. Stamps for our credential are hit-or-miss and we spend a lot of time exposing what exactly we are doing; for a significant pilgrim path, there seems to be little awareness, though everyone is quite nice about it. Our route ended at the remains of the Caen castle in the middle of the city. Caen has an abundance of restaurants and accommodations (none specifically for pilgrims), plus a world class WW2 museum.

Overall, a good stage: flat, easy to reach, and with much to see on it. Zero pilgrims.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Very interesting. I thought I’d have a look at the map.

 

[roving_rufus]

I got little recognition of the pilgrim route from Cherbourg (except a very special pilgrim gite in La Rozel) until I got to Genets.

 

[Vacajoe]

DAY 2: Caen to Evrecy (23km):

A really interesting day as you start in the middle of a modern city with all of its noise and commotion, but end in the incredibly peaceful Normandy countryside. Generally flat, but the rolling hills of this region start making their appearance at this point (and a lot of rain for us!) The route is frequently marked with the MSM logo or blue blazes, so it was easy to follow without a map. Sadly, though, it seems to be purposefully routed to avoid city centers; this means you have great country walking but no easy access to food or churches. It’s really odd, since the original pilgrims would have specifically headed for village centers to access those things. So walkers either need to go off-route to reach those things or carry their own food for lunch and possibly dinner. Fortunately we found a pizza kiosk and a baguette vending machine in the wild . QAlso, the stated stages land you in areas that may not have accommodations. For example, we had to walk 30 minutes past Evrecy off-route to reach the nearest gite. Very odd that this is a stage end-point.

The tourist office at Caen and the Men’s Abbey both had Chemin stamps, which was a nice surprise, while the churches/bars/etc on the path did not. Stopped into the small city office in Evrecy and she gave us a date stamp, but was surprised to hear that the Chemin literally passed steps from their front door. She even ran out the door after we had left to express amazement that we were actually walking, not driving a car or on a bike. Like I said, it’s a very unfrequented route!

For battle enthusiasts, the route crosses Hill 112 and there is a nice memorial there with information on the battle. It’s hard to imagine the horrors that were visited on such a beautiful place.

All in all, a great second day.

 

[Vacajoe]

Day 3: Near Evrecy to Near Hamars (26km)

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. Despite the beauty of the countryside we are crossing, it was a frustrating day due to the actual “official” route. What could have been a 15km walk ended up at 26km because there were ZERO places to get food on the way-marked route, resulting in a 5km detour to reach the only restaurant in the vicinity. Fortunately, we also found a baquette vending machine.

Truly an odd choice on how to route a walk and, even odder, the posted gps tracks don’t always follow the physically marked route. . Even odder, the route makes some very questionable choices (see below for one example), resulting in extra walking for no known reason. If it went by an important monument or church or unique landscape, then I would understand, but there was nothing different than what we had been doing. I don’t get it.

On the plus side, it was a gorgeous day of mixed walking surfaces and beautiful long-distance views. Even the road walking was okay as there are few vehicles out here. We passed a lot of livestock and villages, too. Really got a sense of the Normandy countryside.

Once again we had to walk past the stage endpoint and off the route to find an accommodation. Sadly, dinner is not offered, so we are sharing a vending machine loaf of bread and some “emergency” food we carry for this exact circumstance.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Is that the battle site in the middle of the map?

 

[Vacajoe]

Is that the battle site in the middle of the map?
View attachment 134916

Hmmm, I can’t read that map. The battleground was near Esquay-Notre-Dame. I corrected it above to the correct: Hill 112

thehill112.com

 

[Tiffany Linda]

This overlooked route is one that English pilgrims would have followed after crossing the channel to France. About 120 miles long, it’s a beautiful (and relatively flat!) walk across Normandy from one beach to another! The path starts at a D-Day beach and ends with a traverse across the tidal beach to MSM itself - definitely a thrilling end to a pilgrimage! If you had the energy, you could continue on to SdC from MSM, but we will end at journey there.

We have 11 days planned and I’ll update daily with a few remarks about the completed stage since there is very little in English about this route.

What is MSM??

 

[Vacajoe]

What is MSM??

Shorthand for Mont-Saint-Michel.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Hmmm, I can’t read that map. The battleground was near Esquay-Notre-Dame. I corrected it above to the correct: Hill 112

thehill112.com

Sorry. Posted at silly resolution.
Obviously it is the place. Thanks for the reference.

 

[Slkalina]

DAY 1: Ouisterham to Caen (23km)

This stage isn’t listed on the official website ( www.lescheminsdumontsaintmichel.com ), but it’s where the ferry boats from Portsmith, England dock, both now and centuries ago! It’s easy to reach the beach here via a 20 minute bus ride from Caen (1.6€), a city which is a 2 hour bus or train ride from Paris. We took time to remember those who died at “Sword Beach” during the D-Day invasion and visited a few memorial sites before heading off on the Chemin. If you are a WW2 buff, this entire route is walking through familiar names of battles and key villages.

You leave Ouistreham via a paved bike path adjacent to the shipping canal, which you can follow all the way into Caen. We took an alternative route after a few miles which passed over the Pegasus Bridge and then followed along the bank of the nearby river, providing a natural walking surface rather than asphalt. Oddly, the way-marked path seems to purposefully avoid towns/churches/cafes, so one needs to detour off of it to find support services.

As we entered in to Caen, we went off-path to visit the Petite Lourdes church and the Abbey of the Dames (there is one for men on tomorrow’s stage) - both worth seeing. Stamps for our credential are hit-or-miss and we spend a lot of time exposing what exactly we are doing; for a significant pilgrim path, there seems to be little awareness, though everyone is quite nice about it. Our route ended at the remains of the Caen castle in the middle of the city. Caen has an abundance of restaurants and accommodations (none specifically for pilgrims), plus a world class WW2 museum.

Overall, a good stage: flat, easy to reach, and with much to see on it. Zero pilgrims.

This overlooked route is one that English pilgrims would have followed after crossing the channel to France. About 120 miles long, it’s a beautiful (and relatively flat!) walk across Normandy from one beach to another! The path starts at a D-Day beach and ends with a traverse across the tidal beach to MSM itself - definitely a thrilling end to a pilgrimage! If you had the energy, you could continue on to SdC from MSM, but we will end at journey there.

We have 11 days planned and I’ll update daily with a few remarks about the completed stage since there is very little in English about this route.

Hi Vacajoe. Have a great Camino. I might join you on a stage or two.

 

[Vacajoe]

Hi Vacajoe. Have a great Camino. I might join you on a stage or two.

Bring food!!! . Seriously!!! In a land known for its spectacular cuisine, we have entered a food desert where grocery stores and restaurants only exist in towns we can see on the horizon but are too off-trail to reach. Looking ahead, though, it all changes tomorrow.

Today we were going to go totally off-route to reach a pizza restaurant that is about 2.5km from our accommodation tonight (5km RT)…but it’s only open 2 weekends a month and this isn’t one of them . Thankfully we get breakfast today and I can stand to shed a few pounds…

But if anyone is in the area and wants to day-walk with us, it would be lovely.

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Day 3: Near Evrecy to Near Hamars (26km)

Okay, this is getting ridiculous. Despite the beauty of the countryside we are crossing, it was a frustrating day due to the actual “official” route. What could have been a 15km walk ended up at 26km because there were ZERO places to get food on the way-marked route, resulting in a 5km detour to reach the only restaurant in the vicinity. Fortunately, we also found a baquette vending machine.

Truly an odd choice on how to route a walk and, even odder, the posted gps tracks don’t always follow the physically marked route. . Even odder, the route makes some very questionable choices (see below for one example), resulting in extra walking for no known reason. If it went by an important monument or church or unique landscape, then I would understand, but there was nothing different than what we had been doing. I don’t get it.

On the plus side, it was a gorgeous day of mixed walking surfaces and beautiful long-distance views. Even the road walking was okay as there are few vehicles out here. We passed a lot of livestock and villages, too. Really got a sense of the Normandy countryside.

Once again we had to walk past the stage endpoint and off the route to find an accommodation. Sadly, dinner is not offered, so we are sharing a vending machine loaf of bread and some “emergency” food we carry for this exact circumstance.

Hmmm. We know that "a pilgrim must suffer", but starve?

 

[Vacajoe]

We’ve walked in France before and packed some food just in case, especially because of Sundays and Mondays. It’s interesting, though, how sparse it is out here versus in Spain where nearly every village has some form of a bar/cafes.

 

[Vacajoe]

Day 4: Hamars to St Jean Le Blanc (13km)

A short day, but a strikingly beautiful one! A mix of forest walking plus countryside and a village or two. It’s a rainy Sunday and there is a petrol strike on in France, so the roads were empty of traffic - perfect walking conditions! This section of Normandy is amazingly quiet - no trains or planes, few highways, etc - and the rolling hills provide long vistas to contemplate while walking. We passed a number of dairy farms and orchards, too, so the smells were very organic and a welcome change from the modern city.

There are NO restaurants/bars/stores on this stage, nor are there any water faucets. The hamlets you pass through MAY have a church and possibly a village center, but they have all been closed. With today being a Sunday, absolutely nothing is open. Sadly, we passed several storefronts which would have had food in the past but which are now permanently closed. You really get the sad feeling that village life in this part of Normandy is fading away.

Our route was so short, though, because we abandoned both the gps track and the marked Chemin in favor of reaching our accommodation before the rain arrived. As noted previously, the provided gps track was oddly routed along roads and in a path that made little sense given the abundance of farm roads and mountain trails available. I’m beginning to think it was done on a bicycle as it avoids some excellent hiking paths in favor of more bike-friendly routes. It also started and ended in country intersections away from anything - very odd!

 

[oursonpolaire]

Day 4: Hamars to St Jean Le Blanc (13km)

A short day, but a strikingly beautiful one! A mix of forest walking plus countryside and a village or two. It’s a rainy Sunday and there is a petrol strike on in France, so the roads were empty of traffic - perfect walking conditions! This section of Normandy is amazingly quiet - no trains or planes, few highways, etc - and the rolling hills provide long vistas to contemplate while walking. We passed a number of dairy farms and orchards, too, so the smells were very organic and a welcome change from the modern city.

There are NO restaurants/bars/stores on this stage, nor are there any water faucets. The hamlets you pass through MAY have a church and possibly a village center, but they have all been closed. With today being a Sunday, absolutely nothing is open. Sadly, we passed several storefronts which would have had food in the past but which are now permanently closed. You really get the sad feeling that village life in this part of Normandy is fading away.

Our route was so short, though, because we abandoned both the gps track and the marked Chemin in favor of reaching our accommodation before the rain arrived. As noted previously, the provided gps track was oddly routed along roads and in a path that made little sense given the abundance of farm roads and mountain trails available. I’m beginning to think it was done on a bicycle as it avoids some excellent hiking paths in favor of more bike-friendly routes. It also started and ended in country intersections away from anything - very odd!

View attachment 135014View attachment 135015View attachment 135016

You will find that most cemeteries have a standpipe of drinkable water.

Village France has, in the past 20 years, changed drastically in character. When I walked from Mont Saint Michel to Nantes I found that almost no hamlets retained cafés or shops. They have turned into dormitory communities for nearby towns. The only place open was the mairie, and then only for a few half-days a week. If the local church is particularly historic, there will sometimes be a concièrge/docent who will be delighted to see another human being-- they are often retired teachers or newly-graduated history students happy to have the job. Not far from Clissons, the official told me that church attendance was very low, and about half of the congregation were resident foreigners, primarily English and Irish.

Grocery vans will sometimes appear-- at times known to the locals- to sell produce, meat, and fish. Keep an eye out for restaurants routiers near major roads, as they provide good-value meals for truckers.

That having been said, locals will be friendly and helpful, and are especially pleased to see pilgrims from faroff places-- Australia, Canada, the US. Frequently I would be able to obtain water from houses or farms along the water (and sometimes a gift of fruit). Younger people will often have some English, but few farmers or villagers will have any, as one would not expect much French from the inhabitants of Canton, NY, or Mudfarm Episcopi in Hampshire.

 

[Vacajoe]

We have found the French locals to be very friendly despite our ignorance of the local language. However, we rarely see anyone as we walk - even cars - and so have not had much interactions. Interesting note about water spouts at cemeteries as we had the same idea but most have been cemented/asphalted/graveled over and are so without the need for water that we haven’t been able to find water at any of them (a frequent trick when walking in Spain ).

What I find fascinating is that this route must have been originally way-marked at a time when these villages provided enough pilgrim support to cause the path to veer in their direction rather than directly to towards the Mont. But now, the villages seem to be slowly disappearing and the shops with them. Tonight we are staying in what was once the butcher shop for the village, but now hosts only the occasional traveler. Some houses now act as pop-up restaurants (mostly pizza, oddly), but it’s only a few days of the month and the weekly market day with the grocery can visits have unfortunately now coincided with our progress.

All that said, I would still encourage folks to make this journey, just with the forewarning that you should really carry a few days supply of food these first few stages to supplement the morning breakfasts you may get at accommodations.

 

[Vacajoe]

Day 5: St Jean Le Blanc to Souleuvre en Bocage (15km)

Short day due to the lack of accommodation and food on this stage (not only is it rural France, but it’s off-season AND a Monday!). Our Day 5 and 6 stages could be combined into a long day but we did not want to rush the scenery plus the sun rises late and it’s raining - all good reasons to take it slowly! . The gps tracks followed the waymarks for most of the day, too, which was unusual.

The path mostly followed the ridge line through forested areas on a road, but traffic was non-existent. This area was heavily impacted by WW2 and you’ll see the remnants of impact craters throughout the bocage. Hard to visualize such death and destruction in what is now quite picturesque. The ridge provides beautiful views across valleys in both directions and a lot of shade if the sun were out.

Upon arrival in Souleuvre, we found the one brasserie that was supposed to be open closed due to their family holiday. Fortunately, the church was unlocked and we stayed there out of the rain for a two hours until our gite opened (scheduled for 5pm, but the owner allowed us in early at 4pm when she arrived). This is a nice village with a lot of services, just not on Mondays.

 

[roving_rufus]

I am surprised at the cemeteries not having a tap as generally they are under management of the mairie and people use them to put flowers on graves. I found taps in the vast majority while walking from Cherbourg to Nantes and on Via Francigena - but sometimes they were hard to find - some at gate, some near maintenance shed, some attached to the church building- a mini treasure hunt! But I also found locals more than happy to fill a bottle for me if I got stuck.

I agree that the collapse of rural France makes walking difficult with a lack of little shops, bars, bakeries. I did find the use of pilgrim hosts useful in more remote spots as they generally provided a meal. (For others benefit - the Mont St Michel pilgrimage website has lists of hebergement including pilgrim hosts but only in French version not the English translated version, as do many of the regional French compostelle associations.)
I also carry a stove of some sort in France and some dried foodstuffs like couscous, instant mash, soup etc that could make a meal - because you could never rely on somewhere being open. My rule of thumb in France was to go in everywhere that was open - I had a very nice coffee in a hairdresser once (the only business in the village, apparently the ladies still need their hair and beauty done - more than happy to top up water bottle and provide a coffee in return for a topic of conversation for her clients)

 

[Vacajoe]

Love the idea of alternative places to find water/coffee! In Spain, the gas stations are an oasis of snacks and draft beer! Always a joy to stumble upon one in areas where nothing else exists.

Since you posted about the cemetery spouts, we’ve made a concerted effort to search for them and still must say they don’t exist in Normandy. Perhaps because it is so wet here they don’t need it? Vire is the only village so far to have a public water spout in the old town center. Fortunately, it’s been cool and we’ve carried it enough to last

 

[Vacajoe]

Day 6: Souleuvre en Bocage (Le Beny-Bocage) to Vire (17km)

What a shame that more do not walk this route - it’s truly beautiful and peaceful! Today was a slight downhill for the first third and then level for almost the rest of the way. Walking into central Vire was a slight uphill, but nothing of note. But through it all, beautiful countryside full of horses, cows, and wide-open spaces. Still no fellow pilgrims, but a few other walkers on the route which was a nice change.

Once again we diverted from the official Chemin to reach the town of Vire, a lovely place full of shops and restaurants plus history - William the Conquerer’s son once was in residence here and the remains of the city gate and walls quite interesting to see. Unfortunately, the Chemin bypasses this place about 3kms away, a true travesty yet one repeated over and over by whomever routed this modern pilgrimage.

Fortunately, I did locate the official guidebook here and finally possess the official route map which DOES vary from the gps tracks posted on the official website! Oddly enough, the book’s suggested stages also result in several endpoints without accommodation and bypass major cities enroute. I just don’t get it.

On a final note, I am happy to report that the food shortage has officially ended!

 

[Vacajoe]

Day 7: Vire to St Sever-Calvados (23km)

Can’t say how much I enjoyed spending an evening in a real village with a choice of restaurants! . The fact that the Caen route to MSM skips Vire is a real shame culturally and historically, but mostly practically since its a great place to “resupply”. The route from Rouen to MSM passes through her, so perhaps they want to keep the paths separate? Certainly NOT what would have been the case in pilgrimage times.

From our hotel back to the Chemin was just about 5km, longer than the way in last night because we didn’t want to backtrack. Fortunately the roads here are seldom traveled and the local petrol refinery strikes have really diminished vehicular traffic. More of the same beautiful Normandy - farm animals, rolling green hills, bocages - over a mix of tarmac and country paths. This is a lovely time to walk this route since the harvest is done and the sun low on the horizon; I’d imagine summer and early fall would be a lot different without the same mild weather and general solitude.

The stage ended with a brief traverse of an evergreen forest as we climbed into some elevation just before St Sever. This city is home to a former Abbey and we were happy to see some signs that recognized the pilgrimage we had undertaken. It also provided the first toilet, water taps, and open store of the day! Unfortunately, the few accommodations in town were not available so we walked an additional 3kms out of town to reach our gîte.

A lovely stage and worth it even as just a stand-alone walk. Fortunately, we located an ACTUAL route map to the Chemin on the app Mapy.cz where it is listed as the Chemin du Caen. The physically way marked route is clearly designated and should be the only map consulted when determining your stages and accommodations.

 

[Vacajoe]

Day 8: St Sever-Calvados to Saint Maur-des-Bous (16km)

A short day, but probably the most scenic so far! More pine forest, an abundance of country lane walking, and fabulous views. Our walk was a few km off the suggested length today since we started outside of St Sever and ended short of Villedieu-les-Poeles due to our accommodations. There were more locals out on the path saying hello and a few asked us about the Chemin, but we have yet to see another pilgrim. I highly recommend this stage if you find yourself in Normandy wanting to go for a walk - it was really a wonderful mix of terrain, views, flora, fauna, and on and on!

Our accommodation today is at Appletree Hill Gîtes (appletreehillgites.fr), one of the few accommodations directly on the Chemin and as lovely a place you could hope to stay. Recently renovated by a couple from England, it offers a variety of accommodation options and will provide a discounted “pilgrim room” which is truly luxurious versus other places we have stayed. They can also provide on-site food and pack a picnic to-go if you provide enough notice. Did I mention the rustic hot tub?!?!

The smell of the sea is once again evident and we can sense the end is drawing near. Two full days of walking left, followed by the short traverse across the sand of the bay to the Mont! Our excitement is palpable.

 

[igailfh]

I’m enjoying following your posts, Vacajoe. I may never follow your footsteps but I appreciate your descriptions of your Chemin. Ultreia et Suseia!

 

[Vacajoe]

DAY 9: Saint Mar-du-Bous to Le Haye-Pesnel (27km)

Our longest day, but those walking the “official” stages would have 6km less. A lot of food available near our start at Villedieu, but then absolutely nothing along the way, so happy we packed a lunch! More rural Normandy and surprisingly hilly when we are in our last days before reaching the shore. Today was mostly road walking and traffic has increased a little bit, but still a lively route that I heartily endorse.

Although we saw no other pilgrims, there seems to be more awareness of the pilgrimage route and city offices have stamps and know exactly what we are seeking despite my non-existent French. We even met the mayor and vice mayor of a village of 407 people who welcomed us, offered water and toilet access, and sent us on our way with cookies! Like everywhere in Normandy, the reception has always been warm and welcome.

Accommodation remains an issue, though we were able to stay in town tonight. There is one hotel above the tabac and it certainly is exactly what you’d think a small-town hotel above a bar would be like: functional, but definitely not more than that! Although there are many gitês near this route, there are few within a few miles of the actual Chemin and most require multiple night stays or are closed for the season. Check-in here required a wait in line as the one bartender poured drinks, sold cigarettes and lottery tickets, cashed in paramutuel horse racing bets, and made coffees for the bar/tabac customers. I really didn’t mind, but it felt odd as a sweaty pilgrim looking for a shower

Tomorrow we reach the water and then walk across the sand the day afterwards! So close!!!!

 

[Pilgrim 122]

I walked on les chemins de mont st Michel in 2014, from Cherbourg on my way to Santiago. I got maps off their website, there wasn't really any signage. I stayed with a religious community in Genets and then walked across the sand to the island. What an amazing experience! Im looking forward to reading yours very soon.

 

[Vacajoe]

DAY 10: Le Haye-Pesnel to (almost) Genêts (27km)

Wow, it really felt like a Camino day today! Started in a village that offered bakeries and a grocery store, so we ate breakfast and packed a lunch to go! Trust me, that’s a rarity on this Chemin. Interacted with a number of locals enroute, including one who had walked the CF and wished us a Buen Camino .

The route was mostly sidewalks and streets with a few small sections of country lanes through wet grass. Fortunately, the rain stopped prior to us walking so only our feet were soaked by the end of the day. Halfway through the day we followed the trail into a town (!!!) and bought lunch, saving our earlier purchases for dinner since our accommodation was not near any restaurants. No public water taps or bathrooms, but enough restaurants and cafes along the route that it wasn’t an issue.

Best of all was unexpectantly seeing MSM through the trees when we created a hill. Truly dramatic and awe-inspiring. Tomorrow we cross the bay with a guide - a legal requirement actually if you plan to do similar. Definitely book the guide early!

 

[Vacajoe]

DAY 11: Genêt to Mont Saint Michel (15km)

Uh, WOW?!?!? Truly the most spectacular ending to a pilgrimage that one can have: walking 7km across the tidal sands to approach MSM. It’s nicknames of The Marvel and The Wonder pale in comparison to approaching it over two hours from a direction that is daily swamped by the sea. And to know that this ends our time in Normandy and our pilgrimage journey? It’s impossible to state the mix of emotions - joy, sadness, exhaustion, and more - that go through one as the end is in sight. Truly, deeply moving.

So we walked one hour from a wonderful little gitê 2km off the Chemin and arrived outside of Genêt to join a guided walk across the bay. Due to the dangers of quicksand and the tides, a guide is required (25€-35€ per person, large group). Ours spoke a smattering of English, but he understood the importance of the pilgrimage and treated us very kindly. The weather was blustery, but the anticipated rain held off until we reached the sanctuary of the pilgrim accommodation located on the Mont (30€ pp, private room, kitchen provided). We arrived as pilgrims (Miquelots, actually, for this route!), but will awaken as tourists.

Overall, the Chemin du Caen/Mont St Michel was very beautiful, but a bit lacking in spirituality. Most of the churches enroute were closed and we missed mass at the few that were open simply because our schedules didn’t coincide. Until the last few days, no one seemed to be aware of the Chemin and there was little pilgrim support. Definitely follow the route as way marked and shown as Chemin du Caen on Mapy.cz, NOT using the gps tracks provided on the official website. Divert from the path when necessary to find housing, water, and food. Plan on an average of 75€ per day for accommodations and another 30€ to 40€ per person per day for food - this is NOT an inexpensive trip. Trail runners worked fine and I was glad to have a hat since shade was infrequent. French is not required, but it would have made for more interactive evenings if I could communicate with the locals.

So we had a great eleven days and 260+ kms of walking through a beautiful countryside full of lovely vistas, good food, and nice people. Definitely encourage everyone to consider this route. Thanks for tagging along with us!

 

[Pilgrim 122]

Well done on completing your pilgrimage and for making the crossing over the sands, an amazing experience!
Enjoy your time visiting Mont St Michel.

 

[mspath]

Vacajoe,
Félicitations on your arrival !
The posts describing your recent journey have been such a pleasure to read. Thank you so much for sharing these and your photos here on the forum. Enjoy your memories.

"...but the best way of all is on foot, where one is a man like any other man, with the sky above one, and the road beneath, and the world on every side, and time to see all."
Hilaire Belloc,
The Idea of a Pilgrimage

 

[igailfh]

Thank you so much for your posts, Vacajoe!

 

[Tali]

Well done. Thank you

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Ditto. And what a spectacularly atmospheric photo, with the brooding sky over MSM!

 

[Peregrinopaul]

Out of curiosity, what was the name of your accommodation?

 

[oursonpolaire]

This is a wonderful part of France and your descriptions were a rattling good read.

 

[Vacajoe]

Out of curiosity, what was the name of your accommodation?

On MSM? We are staying at the pilgrim accommodation here. Very plain, but I have a view of the bay(!) and a private bathroom(!!!), so it feels quite luxurious for an albergue! . Officially it’s called, Maison du Pêlerin and is located at the very end of the lower street after all the shops and restaurants. MSM is magical at night after all the tourists leave - highly recommend being able to stay on the Mont.

The photos are the view from my room.

 

[oursonpolaire]

Commercial accommodation on the Mont is tourist-priced (not a compliment) and I was not lucky in the food I had at an exorbitant price. But I would heartily urge people to stay on the Mont. I was lucky enough to be there during a full moon and walking around the empty town at midnight was an extraordinary- one was on another planet altogether.

 

[roving_rufus]

On MSM? We are staying at the pilgrim accommodation here. Very plain, but I have a view of the bay(!) and a private bathroom(!!!), so it feels quite luxurious for an albergue! . Officially it’s called, Maison du Pêlerin and is located at the very end of the lower street after all the shops and restaurants. MSM is magical at night after all the tourists leave - highly recommend being able to stay on the Mont.

The photos are the view from my room.

You got an upgraded room! But the twin room I had in the summer was fine with a shared toilet and shower.
But being there in high season (a Saturday in August) meant I didn't fancy battling the crowds for food, so I carried supplies with me - the Maison du Pelerin has a small kitchen with microwave and fridge, and plates, cups etc- but lovely views over bay to go along with my meal!
I stayed during a one of the 14 days a year when the tide actually is high enough to make Mont St Michel an island. But with the summer evening light show in Abbey and high tide meant the crowds remained until very late.
Oddly leaving in dark at 6am I met the first group of tourists getting dropped off the shuttle bus- not sure what they were expecting as everything was closed and very dark. I was only leaving as I had 33km planned and thunderstorms forecast for afternoon. But it was very atmospheric to walk down the empty dark narrow streets without seeing anyone, and to walk across causeway with the early signs of dawn.

 

[Vacajoe]

We call it the “marriage bonus” because my wife and I are often upgraded on our pilgrimages by our hosts to private rooms or ensuites when they find out that we are a married Catholic couple!

 

[Kanga]

Unfortunately, the Chemin bypasses this place about 3kms away, a true travesty yet one repeated over and over by whomever routed this modern pilgrimage.

Fortunately, I did locate the official guidebook here and finally possess the official route map which DOES vary from the gps tracks posted on the official website! Oddly enough, the book’s suggested stages also result in several endpoints without accommodation and bypass major cities enroute. I just don’t get it.

It is "Le Sportif"! I often feel on the French chemin (and the GRS) that I am being led up and over and round and about, when a flat short valley road would take me directly. Done in order to give me extra exercise and to avoid any contact with a bar or a shop or a chance to rest!

It is likely that the short flat valley road lies over the ancient pilgrim way.

 

[Vacajoe]

I’m all for the adventure and exercise of roundabout paths, but a pilgrim has to eat! . I think the French just like to suffer…

 

[Tassie Kaz]

@Vacajoe, I'm a bit late to the party but I very much enjoyed your account of walking the Chemin du MSM. Wonderful photos too.
Your description of the trials & tribulations of such an undertaking immediately brought back memories of walking the VF through northern France. More than that, the experiences often mirrored the same frustrations of St Olav's Way in Norway...then low & behold, I scrolled down a bit further & what did I see? A photo of you both at the Pilgrim's Centre in Oslo! So, I guess you know what I mean.
Happy trails!

 

[Corned Beef]

This image just appeared on Twitter when gives a bird's (drone's?) eye view of MSM. Amazing place.

 

[Vacajoe]

This image just appeared on Twitter when gives a bird's (drone's?) eye view of MSM. Amazing place.

Even more so when the tide is in! That IS a fabulous shot of it

 

[Vacajoe]

For those thinking of going, I circled the Pilgrim House accommodation in red. If you are simply a tourist, yellow circle indicates the best place to stay: one bedroom with a balcony overlooking the bay! Both are fabulous in their own (very different) way