Paris Day 3, Part 2 & Day 4

We got out of the rain and toured the abbey in the afternoon. The abbey was built around 700 AD and became a prison after the French Revolution in the 1790s. It became an abbey again sometime after but never regained it's previous splendor. Our audioguides were helpful in visualizing the spaces as they once had been. It is an active abbey today.

Abbey on the hilltop.

Inside the chapel. These stone walls were once covered with plaster and murals.

A view towards the altar. It was very dark in nearly all the spaces. Minimal lighting worsened by the clouds outside.

Altar closeup. Or as close as we could get.

The cloisters. I always thought that word meant "the place where the choir sings" for some reason.

This was the pulpit in the dining hall. A monk would get up during dinner and read from the bible. Beyond that, no talking was allowed.

Beneath the dining hall, where everyone other than the monks ate.

Karl's fancy photo up the chimney. There were two fireplaces, each large enough to fit all the von Trapps, while standing.

The chain attaches to a giant wheel in the abbey that was used, along with the cart attached to this end, to haul supplies up to the abbey.

Karl donning his St Michel wings. I thought it was a sculpture at first, Jon figured out they were meant for just this type of photo op.

At the very top of the spire, you can just make out St Michel's wings. This guy's likeness is EVERYWHERE in France. And in case you missed it, the place is called Mont St Michel. Get it?

Buh-bye!