By local, experienced and English-speaking proposal and engagement photographer Sabina Dumont.
Hi, I’m Sabina Dumont. I’m a British photographer and I’ve been living in Normandy, France since 2004. I’ve lost count of the times I’ve photographed the world-famous Mont-St-Michel either for pleasure or for projects for the regional and local tourist boards.
In addition, in the last few years I’ve photographed dozens of couples each year at this incredible place, capturing perfect Mont-St-Michel Proposals
When I’m helping someone plan their perfect proposal I spend a lot of time helping them organise their trip to the Mont-St-Michel so I thought I’d share some of my experience and offer 10 Tips for organising your trip to the Mont-St-Michel so you can get the best out of your vacation.
The best weather in Normandy is generally the summer therefore June, July and August. The downside of this time of year is how busy the Mont-St-Michel is. The time of year may not be something you have a choice about but if you do, I would recommend Spring or Fall.
The weather in Normandy is a temperate climate and somewhat unpredictable but the island is incredible to visit whatever the season. Winter isn’t that cold in Normandy and there is probably only a day or two with any snowfall each year and even then it isn’t significant and wouldn’t affect your stay.
Spring, Summer, Autumn or Winter…They’re all great seasons to visit the Mont-Saint-Michel.
Check this link to see the monthly average temperatures in the area
If you’re early-birds I would definitely take the opportunity to arrive early. Most people start arrving from 10am onwards. If you can, get there as early as possible and you can feel like you’ve got the island to yourself.
A great tip is to skip breakfast to enjoy the sunrise time and then enjoy brunch on the island after you’ve enjoyed the island whilst it’s peaceful and quiet.
Is the Mont-St-Michel open all year round?
Yes! It’s a French town with a mayor, a priest, a postman, a municipal police officer. There are about 20 full-time residents known as ‘les Montois’.
The Abbey is open every day as it is a religious site. You may even see Monks or Nuns and you can attend church services. Please check the Abbey and tourist office as there are sometimes special events that might require booking or additional costs.
Most people travelling to France arrive via Paris and then want to visit the Mont-St-Michel during their trip, so let’s base these travel tips on that.
So what are the best ways of getting from Paris to the Mont-st-Michel?
The Mont-St-Michel is about 4 hours drive from Paris. It may not be the cheapest option but driving there offers the most flexibility for you, especially if your planning to visit other Normandy sites such as the D-Day Landing Beaches or further afield in France.
To compare car rental prices check out Kayak or Discover Cars
To visit the Mont-St-Michel by car you will have to park in one of the main car parks. The fee for this depends on the season and how long you visit. Ranging from 10€ -28€ per day (If you’re booked into one of the hotels on-site then they usually have their own car park which is included in the cost of your stay)
There are two ways to reach Mont Saint-Michel:
You can’t catch a train directly to the island. The nearest traint station is Pontorson. There is a good bus service from the train station that brings you straight to the island and runs regularly.
Trains run easily from Paris to Caen or Rennes and then you can catch the train to Pontorson.
Check our train times and prices on the main website SNCF Connect
If you want to visit the Mont-St-Michel in one day and don’t want to have to think about the travel, consider doing a day-trip from Paris.
It’s a long day, yes but you can sit on the coach taking in the Normandy countryside and just relax.
Check out Viator or Get your Guide
You’ll see that many websites say 2 hours to visit the Mont-St-Michel. Yes it can be visited in a couple of hours (and if that’s all the time you have then that’s fine, of course) but if you can I recommend allowing more time.
As well as visiting the Abbey (Ideally book in advance here, to avoid queueing) enjoy discovering all the ramparts, little alleyways and courtyards as well as having time to enjoy a meal in one of the many restaurants.
If your trip allows for it I highly recommend staying the night (either on or off the island, details below). There is something very special about visiting the island during the evening and at night.
I say to the couples that I photograph at the Mont-St-Michel that it’s like being on the film set of Harry Potter or being transported back to Medieval times. And the bonus is that the island is very quiet at night when all the other visiters have gone home. It has an entirely different atmosphere and it’s WONDERFUL !
Once you’ve arrived by car or coach you have two choices as to how to get onto the island at the Mont-St-Michel :
You can walk : If you’ve got the energy I recommend walking to the island, crossing the bridge on foot. It’s an excellent way to take in the incredible view of this historic location. It takes about 35/40 minutes.
Or you can take the shuttle bus* : The Mont-St-Michel runs shuttle buses throughout the day and evening and they are free of charge. They run every 10-12 minutes from next to the Tourist inforlation centre near the carparks. (Extra tip : use the restrooms at the visitor centre before going to the island)
*In summer time if you arrive in the middle of the day you will have to queue for a shuttle bus and this can take a while as many visitors arrive at the same time. If the queue looks like it’s got lots of people, consider walking, it can be quicker.
If you’re arriving by bus from Pontorson after catching the train then the bus will drop you right at the entrance to the island.
It’s entirely up to you as both experiences are great :
On the island : You experience wandering around the site late into the evening, staying in the historical 1000 year old location.
Off the island ‘The Caserne’ : You can walk from your hotel and experience the view of the island lit up at night from the Dam (Le Barrage).
If you want to chose a room with a view of the island then choose Le Relais Saint Michel hotel
*You’ll be able to park in the off-site hotel car parks (At The Caserne, on the mainland) and check in easily. On the island you have to travel with your suitcases via the shuttle bus.
There are many places to stay at the Mont-Saint-Michel both on and off the island. The on-island hotels and other accomodations offer a once-in-a-lifetime experience of staying in this one thousand year old location.
The hotels off the island are all within the site called ‘The Caserne’. This means your in the area just on the mainland. Not all hotels have views from the rooms to the island so make sure you check if that’s what you would like.
Click on the images to enlarge or if you’d prefer to download in pdf click here to see the helpful maps showing all the hotels provided by the Mont-St-Michel tourist board.
There is no entrance fee to the island as it is a French town.
The mainland car parks charge a fee per vehicle depending on the length of your visit/stay and the time of year. Gerneally it is 10€-28€ per day. If you’re using one of the mainland hotel car parks then that’s usually included in the cost of your room.
Visitng the Abbey costs around 13€-16€ per person depending on the time of year.
Once you have organised your schedule I would recommend buying your Abbey tickets online before you arrive. It ensures your places and means you avoid having to queueu up for tickets with the other visitors.
There are a few museums on the island that each ahve their own entrance fee.
No! Despite there being a lot of talk online about the tides cutting off the island, it doesn’t actually happen that often. When the new bridge was built in 2014 the new area at the entrance was well designed so that most of the time the island is accessible.
The island is only truly cut off a few days of the year during the ‘Spring’ tides linked to the full moon. These dates change. Check out this year’s tide table.
Even if it is day of ‘Grandes marées’ (Spring tides) the island is only actually cut off for about 1.5/2 hours twice a day (and often one of those times is after dark). It is a spectacle that is rare enough that it attracts locals and visitors that come to either stand on the bridge looking at the island or those staning up on the ramparts to feel what it is like being on the island as it’s separate from the mainland.
I was once caught out at the end of a surprise proposal photoshoot but it wasn’t an issue. Like others, I simply took off my shoes and waded through the shallow water that only reached slightly past my ankles.
By experienced landscape and portrait photographer Sabina Dumont.
Whether you’re a couple, a family or a group of friends visiting the Mont-St-Michel, if you’re interested in making extra special memories of your visit to this historic and emablematic French location with a photoshoot, don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Keep on scrolling to discover some of my 70 5-star reviews, all of which are openly available to view on Google.
And after that, discover my blog with just some of the Mont-St-Michel surprise proposals I’ve captured in the last few years.
Sabina was an absolute GEM find for our surprise engagement. My now fiance is camera shy and she made the experience comfortable, fun and she let our personalities show. Thank you for irreplaceable memories!!! 500 star review!
Sabina was incredibly communicative. She responded promptly to our emails and messages, and was very flexible with our changing of order number (because we loved so many photos and had the hardest time choosing which we wanted… another testament to her work)! Lastly, Sabina edited and sent the photos to us in a really reasonable amount of time; she even offered to send us a few sneak peaks in a matter of a few days so that we had some to enjoy while she finished editing the entire album. We are overly thrilled with our photos and experience with Sabina and would highly recommend her for any photography needs!
The photoshoot itself was a seamless and comfortable experience with Sabina’s expertise shining through. She gave us helpful suggestions for poses while still allowing us to explore and remain candid – where we needed guidance on how to pose for a photo, Sabina was there to provide her recommendation. We could not be happier to share our engagement moment with Sabina and the photos have turned out stunningly. I have no complaints and I can whole heartedly recommend her to anyone.
Sabina helped me with a surprise proposal photoshoot. She is not only a uniquely skilled photographer but also a great planner. I could not have asked for a better photographer!!
Sabina was absolutely wonderful and an amazingly talented photographer. If you are looking for the best, book with her.
Sabina was friendly, patient, enthusiastic and highly knowledgeable of the area to get us to the best spots. Not to mention being a damn good photographer to boot. She captured our magical moments in stills that we’ll cherish for the rest of our lives. Plus she even surprised us by producing a special montage of the occasion. So in short, if you’re looking for an experienced and extremely talented photographer in France who can sprinkle some pixie dust to make your special day all the more magical, I highly recommend you to get in touch with Sabina!
We asked Sabina to take our wedding photos at Mont Saint Michel. My husband and I weren’t good at English, so we were worried that things would go well, but Sabina’s warmth and kindness was evident from our email exchanges beforehand, so we were able to approach the day with confidence. On the day of the shoot, I had no problems whatsoever and I really enjoyed filming, as long as I had a translation function and a smile on my face. We were able to take many wonderful photos of the distant view of Mont Saint-Michel and various parts of the island, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Attended the Olympics as a volunteer and decided no better time or place to propose, a quick Google search for photographers in the Normandy area and I was very fortunate enough to find Sabina! She was incredibly helpful, going above and beyond in answering all questions and concerns I had while making the entire process as seamlessly as possible. From picking the exact location, the ideal time of day, and game plan to keep this a secret from my better half, I felt completely confident and satisfied with the guidance and expertise Sabina provided throughout! The proposal was perfect, and the pictures, from the process to the end result were breathtaking. We couldn’t be happier with the service Sabina provided… Read more “THE PICTURES WERE BREATHTAKING”
I can’t say enough about the incredible experience that Sabina was able to provide. From start to finish, she exceeded all our expectations and made our special day truly unforgettable. Sabina’s dedication and willingness to go above and beyond stood out right from the beginning. She not only accommodated my request for a unique location but also embraced the adventure with enthusiasm. We decided on Mont St. Michel, and Sabina didn’t hesitate to hike through the mud and fields to capture the perfect angle for our engagement photos.
Sabina was nothing short of spectacular. I hired her to take photographs for a surprise engagement for my now fiancee at Mont Saint Michel. She made the entire planning experience straightforward and was responsive to my questions and provided many helpful suggestions, such as when and where to propose (for the best photos). On the day itself, Sabina was very clear with her location and was kind enough to wait despite us running a little late.
I would really recommend Anibas! Took the time to do planning with me for when/where to do my photoshoot. She chose a really beautiful place and the pictures turned out perfect I am really happy with how everything turned out. Again really recommend her for a photoshoot only took 2 days to have everything ready from photoshoot to having the pictures ready for you
If you’re looking for an engagement photographer who is not only incredibly talented but also willing to go the extra mile to make your special moment perfect, look no further than Sabina. She is a true artist and professional, and we couldn’t be happier with the photos she captured. Thank you, Sabina, for making our engagement day so magical!
I went to Anibas Photography & Design to capture a surprise proposal at Mont St Michel. Both the proposal and the photos turned out great, and I wish I could work with Sabina again for other events in the future. Aside from the photoshoot itself, Sabina also made other aspects of the event very easy. Sabina replied to every email extremely quickly, and her services and pricing were clear from her very first email. She was also sociable and accommodating of my own personal technical difficulties. In line with everything else, Sabina provided us all of our photos very quickly.
My fiancé and I had an absolutely wonderful experience with Sabina as she secretly captured our most special moment. She perfectly executed my fiancé’s vision of how he wanted our engagement moment to be captured- it was absolutely stunning and we are so thrilled. Aside from capturing the actual moment, Sabina then walked us through an entire engagement photoshoot, bearing with us as my fiancé and I were both feeling a bit “camera shy”. She made us feel comfortable in front of the camera and offered suggestions for how and where we might pose together for a variety of shots.
Sabina was fantastic! I reached out with a location and she helped me plan all the details about our engagment and photoshoot afterwards. She knew the best places to take photos and helped us get a range of poses. The resulting pictures were excellent and she was quick to make further edits to the finals when we asked for them. She is a master at her craft!
It has been a brilliant experience. Sabina has been very patient during our discussion on the arrangement for the photography session. Would definitely recommend the service.
Not only did she meet expectations with her performance and professionalism, but she also accommodated us on changes last minute. We had similar visions in mind, and I couldn’t have asked for anyone better than Sabina to capture my husband’s and I’s special moment. Also, a special thank you is needed for including my loved ones! If there is doubt about scheduling with her, don’t.
She is very responsive and quite knowledgeable about Mont St Michel. She helped me plan the ideal proposal by offering multiple different options, and suggested the perfect way to set up the moment. She did everything she could to make this successful for us and constantly went above and beyond. She was also very quick with photos turnaround time and they turned out great! I would 100% recommend her as a photographer.
It was a pleasure working with Sabina! Traveled from other country to France and helped me to plan a proposal. Photos were great and the communication excellent!
What I appreciated most about Sabina was her ability to be discreet allowing me to plan and execute a surprise proposal flawlessly. Sabina captured all the genuine emotions and reactions without my fiancé realizing she was there. After the proposal, she was kind enough to capture many more photos all around Mont St. Michael. Sabina’s talent and passion for photography are evident in every shot she takes, she has a gift for capturing the essence of the moment.
Sabina was wonderful in helping me capture my proposal at Mont Saint Michel. She was very responsive the entire time when planning everything (even great dinner recommendations) and helped me completely surprise my fiancée.
She is an amazing photographer and a very nice person! The photo shoot was wonderful, she knows every little bit of Mont Saint Michel. I highly recommend it!
This review is long overdue (totally my bad!), but even now we still can’t express our gratitude enough for the incredible experience that Sabina’s given us! I engaged Sabina for a surprise engagement photoshoot at the Mont Saint-Michel last November. In the months leading up to the big day, I coordinated with Sabina, who was ever-responsive and always willing to accommodate my requests. Most notably, I had asked if it was possible for the proposal moment to be videoed rather than photographed, and instead she managed to come up with a wonderful solution that accomplished both. Of course, Sabina herself was every bit the person you’d expect if you’d corresponded with her online.
Sabina took the engagement shots of me and my fiancé at Mount Saint Michelle in Normandy france. Sabina was excellent the photos were beautiful she knew how to pose us and also provided the photos in a extraordinarily quick fashion. Would recommend to anyone who wants professional photos.
Sabina with Anibas Photography was great. I found her online and looked at her photos and reviews before contacting. As I’m from Canada she made the whole experience very easy for us. We had our 18 month old son with us and she was very accommodating and patient as he wasn’t in the best mood. Our engagement photos turned out great. I would highly recommend her.
Sabina was absolutely amazing to work with! She was extremely responsive which I really appreciated considering having to plan this from the US. She also provided a lot of help and advice on where to do things, for ex. What specific location to have the proposal at Mont St Michel, best timing, where to stay etc. The photoshoot experience was also amazing, with Sabina showing up early and then spending the next hour and a half walking us through Mont St Michel direction us on how to pose and taking us to amazing scenic locations. I would absolutely recommend Sabina if you’re planning a photoshoot in the area!
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