Mont St. Michel

Michel darted into the cave.  There were ancient skeletons scattered around the enormous first chamber of the cave.  Michel said a silent prayer for the dead in this wretched place that reaked of fear and death.   He slid silently into the second chamber, even larger than the first.  It was in this chamber that he saw his prey, snoring ominously on the cold stone floor, next to a pile of dusty bones.  The seven-headed dragon, the demon.

Michel unsheathed his sword and silently counted to three.  He raised the sword above his head and swiftly brought it down on this evil creature's neck.  The tough scales protected the dragon from getting his head chopped off, but the action woke the villainous creature.  The dragon's seven green heads howled in pain and their eyes locked on the man who had caused them that pain.  Michel smiled wryly and artfully dodged the dragon's first charge.  The dragon roared with fury and frustration.  Michel ran with blinding speed towards the dragon and sliced his belly.  The dragon stumbled and howled again in anger.  The beast leapt at Michel but Michel bounded at the dragon and slashed three times at its black heart.  The dragon bellowed with rage and his beady, black eyes focused on Michel, revenge the only thing in its cold mind.  He charged towards Michel, but Michel dodged, ran up the grimy cave wall and leapt at the creature.  He landed on the back of it.  The dragon thrashed around wildly, trying to throw Michel off.  Michel plunged his sword with such force into the creatures back, that he reached the heart and pierced it.  The dragon stumbled weakly, and crashed loudly to the floor, dead.

"Trin, Trin, let's go!" my mum's call  interrupted my reverie as I stared at the statue of archangel Michel,  perched atop the spire of Mont St Michel.  I turned around to my mother and ran towards her.  We followed the tour group into the abbey of Mont St Michel.  It was a huge abbey, one that we were about to  explore ourselves.  We walked through the huge, limestone rooms that dated back to the 700s. They had pillars that stretched up and up.  Some windows were stained, but some weren't .  There were balconies that let you see the land that stretched on and on forever.  We walked through room after room of magnificence and limestone.  The abbey had been home to the Benedictine brothers for centuries.  It truly was beautiful.

After we had finished in the abbey, we had free time.  We left the abbey and went down to the shops that were lined around the hill of Mont St Michel. There were bakeries, souvenir stores, sword stores, and others.  In fact, the way the village was set out, it reminded me of the city of Minas Tirith in the Lord of the Rings.  It was really very pretty.

Finally, it was time to head back to Paris.  I had enjoyed today very much.  I would never forget it.

Mont St Michel was thought to have been built in 708.  It was built to honour the archangel Michel where the legend says he fought and defeated a dragon, which is the symbol of the demon.   Quite soon, it became a major focus for pilgrimage.  In the tenth century, when the Benedictine brothers settled in to Mont St Michel, a village was starting to flourish on the walls.  Three hundred years later, it had grown to the foot of the rock.

Mont St Michel was built as a stronghold during the Hundred-Years-War in France.  It resisted every British attack and became a national symbol of identity.  Following the dissolution of the French parliament, the abbey was used as a prison until 1863.  In 1874, it was classified as a historic monument and went under major restoration.  Now tourists  and visitors may go and see the magnificence of the abbey.  In 1979, Mont St Michel was classified as a world heritage site by UNESCO.

This place has a strong feel of sainthood in it.  I highly recommend it.



Village in Mont St. Michel



Abby of Mont St. Michel



St. Michel statue atop of the spire