Saint-Malo

Solidor Tower

Solidor Tower is a strengthened keep with three linked towers, located in the estuary of the river Rance in Brittany. It was built between 1369 and 1382 by John V, Duke of Brittany to control access to the Rance at a time when the city of Saint-Malo did not recognize his authority. Over the centuries the tower lost its military interest and became a jail. It is now a museum celebrating Breton sailors exploring Cape Horn.

Saint-Malo Harbor

Dinard Peninsula across the river from Saint Malo (Taken from our balcony)

The ramparts of the old walled city of Saint-Malo. We did not tour this as we were headed for Mont Saint Michel

Fort National

Fort National is on the tidal island a few hundred metres off the walled city of Saint-Malo. It was built in 1689 to protect Saint-Malo's port.

Water towers in the country side outside Saint Malo.

On our way to Mont Saint Michel

Mont Saint Michel

An elevated causway is being built to allow the flow again around the island. Since the old causeway was built connecting the island to the shore, silt has built up forming a large marsh around the mount.

All this land has been built up by the sea as a result of the causeway preventing it's natural flow around the island.

This shot shows all the land that has been deposited by the sea . You can see the new elevated causeway being built. When completed the Mount will be completely surrounded by water, as it was for centuries.

A model of the Mount

A scene from the village at the base of the mount.

A good view of the sand bar formed by preventing the sea to flow freely around the mount.

Another view of the sand bar.

The west face face of the church

The mall in front of the church entrance

The main chapel.

The chapel has not been in use for over 150 years.

One of the few statues in the monastery. It was not exactly what I was expecting.

The Cloister

A ring of arches surround the cloister.

One of several chapels in the monastery complex.

These columns are more than decoration. They are holding up the main chapel.

The Abby served as prison a during the early 1800s. This was a the main wheel of a pulley system to haul food and supplies for the prisoners.

The pulley system was powered by several prisoners walking in this wheel like squirrel-cage

One of several towers around the base of the mount used to house archers for protection.

The village at the base of the mount reminded me of a Dickens novel