Pilgrim's Walk in Mont Saint-Michel - Where are Sue & Mike?

During the Middle Ages, pilgrims had to walk their way to Mont Saint-Michel during extreme low tide. It was considered very dangerous. Back then, people who planned to go to Mont Saint-Michel first made out a will, in case they didn’t return.

We crossed the bay barefoot on the mudflats, including sections of quicksand. Timing is critical, as the deep tide comes in swiftly with strong currents. The danger is being unable to swim against the current to reach shore, or worse – being stuck in quicksand, and drowning as the tide comes in over your head. We tried the quicksand, of course! We sank in at about an inch a second.

: That’s Mont Saint-Michel off in the distance. Smaller than this tiny shell.

: “And you’ll walk across any territory, and any darkness, however fluid, and however dangerous to take the one hand and the one life, you know belongs in yours.” David Whyte

: An egg case for a shark, known as a mermaid’s purse.

: Little bits of nature remind us that there was a high tide here just hours ago.

: This is a hike that rates as a 1 for difficulty and a 10 for beauty. What a payoff!

: We stood together and jumped up and down to make the sand into quicksand. It was like trying to walk on a waterbed.

: The wet sand was warm, and not unpleasant at all.

: Quicksand! I have already worked one leg out, and am trying to crawl out on my knees.

: The deepest water we had was about mid-shin.

: Almost there! The trek took us about four hours.

: How do you like these pedicures?

: At high tide, Mont Saint-Michel is an island with a narrow causeway. The difference between high and low tide is 50 feet – the third largest tide in the world.