Mont-Saint-Michel in winter
Spring tides, winter light, pool at 28 °C
Off season
From October to March the bay changes face: the Mont can be visited without queuing, the equinox spring tides fill the bay within hours, and our cottages in Vessey, 10 minutes from the Mont, keep their indoor heated pool open all year. Here is what you need to know for a good winter stay.
The Mont without the crowds
In winter the abbey and the Grande Rue can be walked without queues, and the low late-afternoon light over the bay is the finest of the year. The Mont is a 10 minute drive from our cottages; the shuttles run all year from the car parks.
The spring tides
Several times a year, on spring tides with a coefficient of 100 or more, and above all around the March and September equinoxes, the sea comes in “as fast as a galloping horse” and surrounds the Mont. Watch it from the ramparts or the footbridge, about two hours before high water. Dates and coefficients are published each year in the official tide tables and by the tourist office; we give them to you when you book.
Crossing the bay barefoot, with a guide
Even in winter the bay can be crossed barefoot or in boots, only with a certified guide: quicksand and tides do not forgive improvisation. Crossings leave from Bec d’Andaine, 15 minutes from our cottages.
The pool at 28 °C while it freezes outside
This is our signature: the indoor heated pool is open from 11am to 10pm all year round, and the traditional sauna on its terrace is available as an option. After a day in the wind of the bay, a swim is part of the stay.
Low-season rates and discounts
From October to March our cottages are at low-season rates, and length-of-stay discounts apply automatically: −15% from 2 nights, up to −35% from 14 nights. Saint-Malo, Dinan, Fougères and Granville are under an hour away for rainy days.