Standing on the north
coast of
France, the Mont St Michel is perhaps the most famous
monastery in the
country. It stands on a rocky
crag and is surrounded by stout walls, once used for
defence.
The top of the
hill is crowned by the elegant monastery. The
Gothic pinnacles and soaring
spire of the
church seem to reach into the
sky. Yet it is not the beautiful church nor the impressive walls which are the most famous feature of Mont St Michel.
The rock on which the monastery is perched stands in the middle of a
vast sand flat. At low
tide the sand is exposed as a wide sheet stretching out in several directions. When the tide comes in, the waters rush across the flat sand faster than a
horse can gallop. Within a short time the Mont St Michel is surrounded by the
sea and
boats can
sail right up to the
moor there.