Last week I witnessed magic with my own eyes.
My wife Kate and I were on a long-planned vacation to England and France. We had already visited London, Liverpool, and Paris, and our next destination was a place that Kate wanted me to see. She had been there when she was younger and was eager to see it again.
That place is called Mont Saint-Michel.
Mont Saint-Michel is a tidal island and commune located in Normandy, France. It’s renowned for its medieval abbey, which sits atop a rocky hill and is surrounded by tidal waters. The island's name is derived from the abbey that is dedicated to the archangel Michael.
The history of Mont Saint-Michel dates back to the 8th century when the first church was constructed there. Over the centuries, the abbey was expanded and fortified, becoming a pilgrimage site during the Middle Ages. It served as both a place of worship and a strategic fortress. The abbey actually celebrates its 1000th year in 2023.
One of the most remarkable features of Mont Saint-Michel is its unique tidal phenomenon. During high tide, the island becomes isolated from the mainland, surrounded by water, but during low tide, a causeway is visible, allowing access to the island by foot.
Today, Mont Saint-Michel is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts more than 2 million visitors each year. Its picturesque architecture, narrow cobblestone streets, and panoramic views make it a popular destination for tourists and history enthusiasts alike.
Now, despite all of this, I wasn’t especially excited about this particular vacation destination. As a Beatles and WWII history buff, our excursions to Liverpool and Omaha Beach were forefront in my mind; they were bucket list destinations for me.
Then we stepped off of the shuttle bus that took us to the causeway that led to Mont Saint-Michel. As we started our walk toward the site, I was astonished at its beauty, scale, and especially its otherworldliness. It was like Tolkien’s Minas Tirith, but it was real and I was seeing it with my own eyes.
The single thought that permeated my experience was: “I can’t believe this is real.” Someone willed Mont Saint-Michel into existence and it was an extraordinary thing to behold.
I still feel that way. It felt like magic. Real magic.
As a visual storyteller, I spend most of my time traveling to imagined settings. I’m not much of a real-world traveler, mostly because the magical lands of my imagination are more than enough to satiate that urge. Real life simply can’t compete.
But I’m here to tell you that there is a real place of magic in this world, and it sits on the coast of France. If you ever have the chance to make the journey there, you won’t regret it. You’ll remember it forever and part of you will always believe it was all a wonderful dream.
Thank you, Kate, for showing me that real magic exists.
-Otis
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