This is the view from our hotel window. Okay, so the window was in the hallway. Our rooms faced outward. But, it was a lovely way to greet the morning!
Then it's time to climb all the stairs!
It seems you climb for a long way before you get to the part where you have to pay money.
St. Michel is in gold on top of the spire.
The abbey chapel ceiling.
The chapel is spartan and at the top.
The scales of justice?
Right outside the chapel is a garden.
The walkway alongside.
Looking back into the garden.
Looking out from the garden to the west.
The monks would scribe and copy scripture in this room.
The tops of the tables were so glossy, but not so smooth.
The arches to the sides had embellishments. I liked this guy who was harvesting grapes.
Fireplace in kitchen.
St. Michael who appeared to the monk telling to him to build this abbey. During different invasions, the statuary were vandalized.
Notice that there are more arches in this room, a little lower down.
Between buildings.
The gargoyles are very old.
It's kinda cool to see all the moss and lichen.
In a lower room was a small alcove chapel for praying. It was the Chappelle Sainte Madeline.
The glass had shells done in it.
We kept going lower.
You'll notice that we're deep down, and the arches are closer together, and the pillars are larger. That's how they could build up in the old days.
The Crypte des Gros Piliers.
The crypt of the big pillars.
The walls are really thick. You can see how they put arches to keep things up, but getting a little light in was an effort!
How did they get the stones up? This wheel!
You can see how it looks like a mouse exerciser, but people would get in it and walk.
It would pull up the stone and items.
If you're the guy on the wheel, you couldn't be very tall!
Then it comes through the window.
Looking out towards the farms.
Time to keep going down, and out.
There were so many fun places to walk through!
Another room for eating.
Stairs for going up the turrets.
St. Michel, wings and all!
More pictures of him appearing to the original monk telling him to build.
As we exited, it was on to a side lawn.
Different parts of the abbey built on the rock.
Seagull that was willing to pose.
one of the stone outhouses, I believe, WERE outhouses!
Me and my flowers.
A group of students hiking out...
...to the other island.
Looking up from the lower side.
You really see how much they built up on the rock to make this very large abbey!
I would recommend to anyone to stay on the island so that you get a quiet morning to explore and feel the peace the monks must have felt in the quiet and solitude.
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