Mont Saint-Michel and Dinan - Leslie E.

Bonjour!

France has left me speechless since I first stepped foot in this beautiful country. If you didn't think it could get any better than the galettes of Bretagne or les petites maisons à colombages, than you definitely haven't visited the historical Mont Saint-Michel and the medieval town of Dinan. That is exactly what the participants of CIEE had the fortunate opportunity to do aujourd'hui.

We departed for Mont Saint-Michel early this morning, and arrived around 9 am. From afar, before even taking the passenger bus to the actual site, we could all see its beauty. It was something très unique. Upon finally mounting the steep pathway to the abbey's interior, we could really see the beauty of the numerous chapels and alleyways of Mont Saint-Michel. In fact, each student was given a personal audio device by which we could guide ourselves through the small corridors and bit-by-bit learn several new things about the period of the Middle Ages and the history of the monks of Normandy.

After our guided tours, we had the opportunity to eat our lunches and enjoy walks through the narrow, yet adorable, alleys that were once occupied by medieval officials and had-working villagers. It was as though we'd gone back in time to the rough Middle Ages; our curiosity seemed to be at its peak.

Our next stop was Dinan, yet another medieval touristic site that attracts hundreds of visitors each year. We found ourselves surrounded by tall stone walls that once protected a whole town from the imminent danger of war. Our tour guide did a pretty amazing job at helping us comprehend what life was like at the time, going so far as telling us how life has changed in la ville since then. CIEE participants, as well as program leaders (of course) took some time to really discover for ourselves the beauty of the streets of Dinan, taking beaucoup de photos and even enjoying some delicious ice cream. 

All in all, this was such an exceptional day. I'll never forget my visit to the one-of-a kind Mont Saint-Michel and the exquisite Dinan. C'était magnifique!

Thank you CIEE!

Leslie E.