Mont Saint-Michel is a small rocky island turned into an island fortress on the northwest coast of France.
The island is located 285 km west of Paris. Tourists from all over the world are attracted by the picturesque location of the abbey and the surrounding village on a cliff rising near the coast, historical monuments and buildings, as well as unique tides for Europe.
The island of Mont Saint-Michel is located in Normandy, Manche department, on a rocky island rising above sea level at an altitude of 78.8 meters and standing out against the background of the surrounding bays and flat coast. The island is a granite cone-shaped formation formed from weathering-resistant igneous rocks - leucogranites. The age of the rock is late Proterozoic, Brioverian stage.
The defensive structures, which were already in place in the 11th century, still withstand the siege of 1091.
The construction of strong defensive structures around the abbey began in 1311. At the same time, the outskirts of the city received a wall, approaching the foot of the mountain. Then a cistern for storing water was built in the abbey, which made it possible to withstand a long siege. Although the besiegers managed to blow up part of the fortifications in 1425, they did not achieve complete success.
Gabriel Tower During the Hundred Years' War, the mountain was defended by 119 knights. The first bastions were built at this time. The English, who unsuccessfully tried to take Mont Saint-Michel with artillery in 1434, left bombards, which are now set up in front of the second city gate. On June 16, 1450, the English left the island of Tomblen, which was again a victory.
The first line of bastions serves to defend the city, the second, located at the foot of the abbey, protects the monastery itself. After the mountain lost its military importance, a windmill was here for a while.
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