UNESCO World Heritage Site in the northern edge of France…read more.. I didn't understand why my pregnant friend wanted to go to Mont Saint-Michel before she gave birth. This was decades ago - way before Yelp. I was just being a supportive friend. I cannot remember the details of that vacation. I think it was crowded, rather far, and involved an uphill climb. This time, I did some research and found out that there are about 350 steps up during the Staircase Climb. Ouch! An important improvement is the Free Shuttle from the parking lots to the base of Mont Saint-Michel and back. It runs every 12 minutes until 11pm. We weren't able to do the Abbey Tour because we visited on May 1st, which is a major holiday and the Abbey was closed. That's why there were so many school children around! We did go early when it was less crowded! We stayed overnight in a hotel and walked about 40 minutes to Mont Saint-Michel after breakfast. The sheep along the way were so cute, playing and eating in the green pastures! The architecture is awesome! The historical walkways were charming! The views were amazing! The restroom at the bottom of the hill was 1€, while the "WC" (water closet) right outside of St. Peter Church was free. There was a long line for this unisex single-stall facility. There were many shops and restaurants along the way. We stopped in at the bookstore and got some great gifts as well as a good tip from the cashier. She said that there was a noon mass at The Abbey. We waited outside of the Abbey with a group of Asian students and got counted in for the free admission! Yay! Mass was all in French language. We enjoyed the a cappella singing and wonderful acoustics! For me, this was a workout! I took a couple of water breaks to catch my breath. I appreciate my souvenirs from the bookstore even more now! We returned after dinner to catch the sunset at 9:20pm. It was a peaceful walk back to the hotel, along the wooden pathway that ran along the bridge over the water. It was cool to take photos at the dam, and at low tide vs high tide. If you're in France, make it a point to visit "The Wonder of the West". It is a fantastic tribute to the Archangel Saint Michael! Look for him as a golden figure on the top of the Abbey!

This place is so amazing as you come upon it. After you park there is an option for a free bus…read moreshuttle or a walk. We opted to take the nice easy walk and glad it wasn't too hot. It's just so impressive from a distance and as you get closer it's even more cool. We also did the entry to the Abby and had a nice walk around. It wasn't much to see and had some art exhibits that I wasn't really keen on but very happy to give this place a visit. It's still impressive even if you don't go inside. There's lots to see and the beachy area around is nice.

La Pointe du Hoc is a 110 ft (35 meters) cliff that juts out into the sea overlooking the English…read moreChannel on the northwestern coast of the Normandy region in the Calvados department of France. Trying to imagine the soldiers who scaled these cliffs seems unthinkable! In World War II, on the morning of June 6th, Pointe du Hoc was one of the most daring operations of the Allied landings. This was a crucial German stronghold and you can explore the remnants of German bunkers, machine gun posts, and bomb craters that are now filled with wild flowers and bright green grass. Suffice it to say that this incredibly beautiful scenery is a very poignant testament to the courage and determination of those who fought here in battle. Managed by the American administration, like the nearby American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, it is free to visit with ample parking. As of March 2026, they are currently doing construction around the parking. NO DOGS ALLOWED. I strongly suggest looking up the history of this incredible place as I cannot do justice to this very sacred piece of land, and YouTube has some great videos about it. God bless the troops and thank you for your sacrifices to fight for freedom, always! 3/12/26

Hubby and I wanted to visit Pointe du Hoc because it is a significant World War II site featuring…read moredramatic cliffs and historic remnants. We arrived with a tour group and were able to see the amazing 100 ft cliff that the soldiers had to scale and bunkers that are still standing. To climb the cliff Rangers used ropes, grappling hooks, and ladders to ascend the cliffs under fire from German forces above. To see this in person puts what these soldiers went through in perspective. This again is another amazing historic site, and a must see

From the owner: Un des édifices les plus prestigieux du patrimoine breton - Classé au titre des Monuments…read moreHistoriques La construction du Parlement de Bretagne a duré plus d'un demi-siècle et c'est sans doute pour cela qu'il est devenu l'un des plus beaux monuments de France. Créé en 1554, il se fixe définitivement à Rennes en 1561. Le 15 septembre 1618, la première pierre est posée. Le chantier démarre sous les ordres de Salomon de Brosse, architecte royal. Pendant les années qui vont suivre, le Parlement va connaître d'autres maîtres d'oeuvre et subir plusieurs transformations. Dans la nuit du 4 au 5 février 1994, il brûle. Les dégâts matériels sont considérables et rien ne subsiste de la couverture de l'édifice. La plus grande partie des oeuvres d'art et des tapisseries a pu être sauvée. Après plus de cinq ans de travaux, le Parlement est à nouveau visible depuis octobre 1999. Il est possible de le visiter en appelant le 02 99 67 11 66, en s'inscrivant. Un guide conférencier informera le public

From the owner: La principale entrée de la ville Construites vers 1440, elles constituaient la principale entrée de…read morela ville qui en comptait dix. Elles comportent deux tours symétriques rehaussées de mâchicoulis avec double pont-levis. La face latérale de ces tours comportait deux rangées de canons, permettant ainsi de doubler le tir, ce qui était exceptionnel pour l'époque. Avant de se faire couronner à la cathédrale St-Pierre, les ducs de Bretagne franchissaient les portes Mordelaises après avoir prêté serment de défendre l'indépendance de la Bretagne et de préserver les droits royaux du duché.