Mont Saint-Michel

Mont Saint-Michel is a tidal island topped by a medieval abbey, one of the most recognizable landmarks in Europe and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The good news for a budget traveler is that most of it is free. The island streets, the ramparts, and the lower parish church are all free to walk. Only the abbey at the very top charges an entry ticket, so the real question is simply whether the inside of the abbey justifies the price once the free climb has already handed over the best of the views.

Getting there cheaply takes a little planning. The mainland car park is paid, but a free shuttle bus and a free causeway carry visitors across to the island, so there is no need to drive onto the rock. The nearest practical budget base is Rennes in Brittany: the cheapest route is the train from Rennes out to Pontorson, the small town closest to the bay, then a short local bus to the island. Either way the standard budget play is the same: take the cheap connection, walk the free causeway, climb the free streets to the top, and decide at the gate whether to pay for the abbey.

The views are the reward that costs nothing. The bay opens out flat and silver from the ramparts, and at high tide the whole rock appears to float on the water. Mont Saint-Michel sits in Normandy, near the border with Brittany and well west of Paris, so it works best as a stop on a wider France route rather than a quick Paris day trip.