The sea temperature at Mont-Saint-Michel today is 16 °C (61 °F) – icy water, most people reach for a wetsuit. The usual October average is 16.1 °C. Over the last 30 days the sea has cooled from 19.4 °C to 16 °C. Swimmable from July to September, when the sea averages 18 °C or more. Source: Sea Temp Map (seatempmap.com) – NASA MUR satellite data and the Copernicus Marine sea forecast.
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.8°C / 46.0°F | 8.2°C / 46.7°F | 8.5°C / 47.3°F |
| February | 7.6°C / 45.6°F | 7.9°C / 46.3°F | 8.5°C / 47.3°F |
| March | 8.5°C / 47.2°F | 8.9°C / 48.0°F | 9.3°C / 48.8°F |
| April | 10.4°C / 50.8°F | 11.0°C / 51.9°F | 11.6°C / 53.0°F |
| May | 13.0°C / 55.4°F | 14.1°C / 57.4°F | 14.8°C / 58.6°F |
| June | 16.6°C / 61.9°F | 17.2°C / 63.0°F | 17.7°C / 63.8°F |
| July | 18.7°C / 65.6°F | 19.3°C / 66.7°F | 19.8°C / 67.7°F |
| August | 19.2°C / 66.5°F | 20.0°C / 67.9°F | 20.7°C / 69.3°F |
| September | 18.3°C / 64.9°F | 18.9°C / 66.0°F | 19.7°C / 67.5°F |
| October | 15.5°C / 59.9°F | 16.1°C / 61.0°F | 16.9°C / 62.4°F |
| November | 12.6°C / 54.6°F | 12.9°C / 55.1°F | 13.3°C / 55.9°F |
| December | 9.3°C / 48.7°F | 9.7°C / 49.5°F | 10.0°C / 49.9°F |
| Month | Min | Avg | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6.0°C / 42.7°F | 6.4°C / 43.6°F | 7.4°C / 45.3°F |
| February | 6.9°C / 44.3°F | 7.6°C / 45.6°F | 8.9°C / 48.1°F |
| March | 7.7°C / 45.8°F | 8.9°C / 48.1°F | 10.7°C / 51.2°F |
| April | 8.8°C / 47.9°F | 10.5°C / 51.0°F | 12.5°C / 54.6°F |
| May | 11.8°C / 53.3°F | 13.5°C / 56.3°F | 15.3°C / 59.5°F |
| June | 15.0°C / 59.0°F | 16.8°C / 62.2°F | 18.5°C / 65.3°F |
| July | 16.6°C / 62.0°F | 18.2°C / 64.7°F | 19.7°C / 67.5°F |
| August | 17.1°C / 62.8°F | 18.6°C / 65.5°F | 20.3°C / 68.6°F |
| September | 15.8°C / 60.5°F | 17.1°C / 62.8°F | 18.9°C / 66.0°F |
| October | 13.6°C / 56.4°F | 14.6°C / 58.2°F | 16.2°C / 61.1°F |
| November | 10.2°C / 50.3°F | 10.7°C / 51.3°F | 11.7°C / 53.1°F |
| December | 7.6°C / 45.7°F | 8.0°C / 46.5°F | 8.9°C / 48.0°F |
5-year averages (2021–2025). Min/Max are typical daily lows and highs, not record extremes. (Copernicus ERA5)
Mont-Saint-Michel holidays
Mont-Saint-Michel is a rocky tidal island in Normandy, at the mouth of the Couesnon river, crowned by a Benedictine abbey whose spire rises about 170 m above the sea. Together with its bay it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, and the tides in the bay can rise and fall by more than 10 m.
Beaches
Mont-Saint-Michel itself is not a place for bathing: at low tide the sea withdraws for kilometres, leaving sand and mudflats with quicksand, and strong tides make the bay hazardous. The nearest beaches for a swim are on the Normandy coast to the north, such as Saint-Jean-le-Thomas, Carolles and the town beaches of Granville, or in Brittany to the west, around Cancale and Saint-Malo, where a seawater pool below the ramparts keeps water in at low tide. The sea temperature on this page is measured in the bay at the foot of the Mount.
Things to do
The main street, the Grande Rue, climbs past shops, restaurants and small museums towards the abbey, whose church, cloister and refectory are open to visitors, and the ramparts give views across the bay. The omelette of La Mère Poulard has been cooked on Mont-Saint-Michel since the late 19th century. Crossing the bay on foot at low tide is a classic walk, but only with a licensed guide, because of the tides and quicksand. The highest spring tides draw crowds who come to watch the sea surround the Mount. Nearby, Avranches keeps manuscripts from the abbey in its Scriptorial museum, and the walled port of Saint-Malo is about an hour's drive away.
Weather and best time to visit
From May to June the sea at Mont-Saint-Michel gains about 3 °C (6 °F), its biggest monthly rise of the year.
The climate of Mont-Saint-Michel is oceanic, with mild summers, cool winters and rain spread over the year. July and August are the busiest months, when the Grande Rue is crowded by midday, so early mornings and evenings are calmer. Spring and autumn bring the largest tides and fewer visitors.
Hotels and where to stay
Only a handful of small hotels stand inside the walls of Mont-Saint-Michel, reached on foot. On the mainland, hotels stand at La Caserne, about 2.5 km from the Mount, and in nearby towns such as Pontorson and Avranches, and many visitors come on a day trip.
Signature hotels: Le Relais Saint Michel (La Caserne)
Airport and getting there
A bridge opened in 2014 links Mont-Saint-Michel with the mainland, and free shuttle buses run between the car parks near La Caserne and the foot of the Mount, which can also be reached on foot. Rennes Airport (RNS), with scheduled flights, is about an hour's drive away; Dinard Bretagne (DNR) is also nearby, but check whether it has passenger flights for your dates. From Paris, high-speed trains to Rennes connect with direct buses to the Mount.