Mont St Michel is a beautiful French town in Normandy on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. It is a UNESCO world heritage site and has been since 1979. The town was originally built by Benedictine monks in the 8th century. These monks built a small monastery on a small island in the middle of what would eventually become a tidal river, and it is from this monastery that the town of Mont St Michel was born. The town is most well-known for its iconic Abbey of Mont St Michel. The monks were very dedicated to their work and lived a very strict life, only coming out for mass, meals, and prayer. They built a bridge from the monastery to the mainland, which required them to live in isolation from the rest of France for over 600 years. They were only allowed visitors when they were on retreat. One such visitor was King Louis VII who came on an official visit in 1147. After his visit, he set up the maritime customs station that still exists today. The customs station would eventually become the heart of Mont St Michel and it is where many people come to shop and eat today. Mont St Michel's beauty and history is what has made it so popular and so beautiful.