For centuries, Avranches has stood watch over the bay and the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey, which can be admired from the ramparts. The panorama is well worth the detour, as is the rich religious, historical, and natural heritage the city offers. Here are the must-see attractions in Avranches.
Saint Saturnin Church
Regularly renovated since the 19th century, Saint-Saturnin Church is indeed the oldest religious building in Avranches, where you can admire a listed 14th-century bas-relief and the monumental Renaissance-era “Bell of the Dying.”
Saint Gervais Basilica
Built in the 17th century, Saint-Gervais Basilica houses a treasure that attracts many curious visitors and faithful alike. Having become a reference for religious objects, a museum was created there after the Revolution where wood and stone sculptures sit alongside precious reliquaries, vestments, and liturgical objects. But the highlight of the visit remains the relic of Saint-Aubert, the skull of an illustrious Bishop of Avranches bearing the finger mark of the Archangel Saint-Michel.
Notre Dame des Champs Church
More recent, the history of the neo-Gothic Notre-Dame-des-Champs Church was chaotic from the first stone laid in 1863 until the construction of its two towers and the installation of the great organs in the 1930s.
The Museum of Art and History
In the old town, it is at the Museum of Art and History that you can discover the headdresses, costumes, dwellings, and traditions of the region, as well as several rooms dedicated to the more recent history of Avranches and its importance during the Second World War.
The Scriptorial Museum
In the chapter of science and technology, the Avranches Scriptorial Museum has been the official guardian of the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey manuscripts since the French Revolution. In a very modern setting, you can travel back in time to discover the secrets of creating ancestral manuscripts, from papyrus to the first Encyclopedia, including the craftsmanship of the copyist monks.
Thomas Beckett Square
Numerous parks, squares, and gardens give the city a very special charm, between land and sea. Thomas Beckett Square, near the old Bishop’s Palace, beautifully blends hawthorn hedges, playgrounds, and modern architectural creations in tribute to the lost ancient cathedral, King Henry Plantagenet, and the city’s maritime past, with an unobstructed view of the bay.
The Public Garden
Ancient 13th-century buildings served as the foundation for the layout of the bucolic Donjon et Courtine public garden and the Hortus medieval orchard, where medicinal plants and colorful vegetable patches can be admired.
The Botanical Garden
The Avranches Botanical Garden, delicately perched between heaven and earth, offers arguably the most beautiful view of the incredible Mont-Saint-Michel bay. Its location and the serenity it exudes have captivated illustrious authors such as Hugo, Maupassant, and Stendhal. Today, it consists of a dozen landscapes with different species. You can wander from rhododendrons to maples, from camellia gardens to cherry blossom meadows, and you can even discover a Fruit School!
Art Workshops
The city’s pretty narrow streets and squares are also full of art and craft workshops that set the pace for a pleasant stroll. Beautiful lampshades made of old fabrics and linens are created at Le Bruit qui court. Handmade jewelry, ceramics, and small furniture can be found at La Maison d’en Haut. Introductory workshops in calligraphy and illumination, dear to the monks of the Mont, are offered at Le Parchemin des Limbes.
Featured photo credit: OUEST FRANCE