DAY 31 - TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH

ROAD TRIP TO MONT ST. MICHEL

From a distance looks like something from space!

No cars allowed inside the walls. Cars can park only during low tide (which they post inside the wall so you can move your car in time.

Post Office

Main Street with shops, restaurants, a couple of small hotels.

Up and up...lots of steps. But I am prepared!

View from top of low tide and stream through the fields.

Inside the main abbey. Since it was founded by Monks, the design is simple and sparce - no paintings or stained glass.

The cloisters on top with a garden.

The very top steeple

St. Michel in gold on top (glad I don't have to clean it!!)

In the 1300's Mont St Michel was a meeting place for the knights and their armies. The soliders had to check their weapons at the gate. Ths knights did not. The knight's hall with 8 large fireplaces where the knights gathered. The building was started in 700 or 800 and the first phase was finished in 1100. So you get the idea. Layers and layers of buildings on top of each other. Amazing feat of architecture and engineering. (And they didn't have computers!)

Architechure design of columns and ceiling to hold the floors above...we are talking very thick and heavy stones!

During the French Revolution in the 1600's the island was used as a prison and many carvings were defaced.






Mont St. Michel is a must see if you get to this area of Brittany (actually it is just inside the Normandy provence.

DAY 30, Monday, September 27th

Errand day. Went to Intermarche to purchase last minute gifts of brandy and cognac and food items. Last trip to the laundry mat. Then we did the Sightseeing trolley that has been making a u-turn in front of our house every 45 minutes for the last 30 days!

Bumping along over the cobblestone streets...

Castle of Princess Ann of Dinan - 1200's.

St. Malo Cathedral - Dinan - completed in 1400.

Fun day!

Information about the cottage in Dinan, France...

Several people have asked about the work space and cottage, so here are some photos. It’s small, only two people would be comfortable here. The studio is appx. 12’x12’ with a clean-up sink. There are seven track lights, one big wooden easel, a couple of straight back chairs, two small tables and two comfortable chairs. (We did tell them at the reception it would be really wonderful to provide a folding work table and a desk-type chair on wheels with a comfortable seat and back.) There are two big windows so I imagine in the summer you would keep these open while working (there is no a/c so I am not sure about weather in the summer months). Wall unit heaters in each room that heat quickly. I did enjoy the fresh air with the windows open.



Le Vignette (gate to the left goes to main House/Museum high on the hill above.)

Main Studio Room

Small Kitchen

The kitchen is well equipped with pots, pans, plates, glasses, etc. Small undercounter refrigerator (has ice). Double stainless steel sink, electric stove and oven and a microwave (which we never mastered other than 30 second express). Also, a bread toaster. Small table with two chairs. It works and easy to use.

A collector's tub!

The bathroom is the oddest part. It has a full bath, but parts on two floors. The first floor had a toilet and odd tub/shower combination. The tub is two levels for sitting with a deeper level for standing for a hand-held shower. The sink and bidet are on the second floor inside one of the bedrooms. So it takes some planning.


One bedroom is larger with a double bed and the second is smaller with a three-quarter bed - comfortable enough and have useable linens.