Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France 29 Nov 2024

Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France

A tidal marvel and a slice of medieval life all rolled into one rocky outcrop—welcome to Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, northern France. The story of this "Wonder of the West" goes back to the early 8th century, when Archangel Michael was said to have appeared to the bishop of Avranches in a vision. The divine message was clear: build a sanctuary on this rock. Taking this angelic advice seriously, the bishop laid the foundations of what would eventually become the abbey that dominates the island today. Over the centuries, this UNESCO World Heritage Site grew in size and reputation, attracting monks, pilgrims and invaders alike.

© Captain Skyhigh/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

A day for giving
29 Nov 2023Rockefeller Centre Christmas Tree lighting
29 Nov 2025Red deer stag in De Hoge Veluwe National Park, Netherlands

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Connecting the dots
The envy of postcards and snowglobes
A prehistoric pavement
23 May 2025World Turtle Day
28 Jun 2024Stonewall uprising anniversary
18 Dec 2023Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA
Will we be ready for the ‘big one?’
Black sands in a tropical paradise
18 Jul 2025Staghorn coral in shallow ocean
17 Nov 2025National Hiking Day
Blackpool’s light fantastic
Tis the season for travel
A grand view
15 Jun 2024Trooping the Colour
4 Nov 2025Tower Bridge, London
Aug 27, 2023Jeju Island, South Korea
23 Oct 2025International Day of the Snow Leopard
Sequoias of the sea
26 Jul 2025International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem
Stretching to the sky
A remote oasis in Texas
Turtle-y nice day for a swim
A world within a world
A view that’s out of this world
29 Sep 2023Castell Coch, Wales
A bevy of buzzers
2 Dec 2023Angkor, Cambodia
Rugged rocks and ancient history
The animal kingdoms great migration
A postcard-perfect landscape