Abbaye du Mont St-Michel

Khadija K

Mont St-Michel's one main street, the Grande Rue, leads up the slope – past souvenir shops, eateries and a forest of elbows – to the star attraction of a visit here, a stunning ensemble crowning the top: the abbey.

Most areas of the abbey can be visited without a guide, but check if the 1¼-hour tour is running; English tours (usually) begin at 11am and 3pm from October to March, with three or four daily tours in spring and summer. You can also take a one-hour audio guide tour, available in 10 languages.