After sunset, noisy day-trippers deserted the island, leaving the medieval ramparts whisper-quiet and uncrowded for exploration.

But the real nature show soon followed: A full moon together with a surging 30-foot high tide, sounding like galloping horses, according to folklore, swiftly engulfed the rocks and bare sand below.

Think Mother Nature a la francaise.

The French call Mont Saint Michel “La Merveille,” the Marvel, the Magnificent. The abbey, carved out of granite, with monumental stone added, was built beginning in A.D. 709 with completion in the 16th century. The mount served as a prison during the French Revolution. Benedictine monks still live at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of France’s top five tourist destinations.

Today the monastery and tiny medieval village, its cobblestone paths, crenelated ramparts, steep stone steps (no disability aids here), plus modern hotels, restaurants and, of course, souvenir shops, make the Mont an overrun mecca toured by pilgrims and tourists of every language.

The best-kept secret to manage the crowds? Book a room on the mount where there’s a front-row seat to experiencing the abbey, the full moon and the charging tide.

There are two lodging options: staying on the Mont (our preference) or on the mainland. If you arrive by car, whether rooming on the Mont or not, you’re required to park on the mainland and take the free buses to the island. The buses, called “navettes,” stop a full 100 yards from the main entrance, so walking shoes and small suitcases work best.

For our 2015 visit we researched the dates of the full moon and highest tides (Aug. 29) and made room reservations (Auberge Saint Pierre). We packed our wheeled bags carefully, knowing there would be no elevators and uneven stone steps throughout.

We prefer trains to driving, so we plotted our train and bus transport (Paris to Rennes by train; Rennes to the Mont by bus). Being well-versed travelers in France, we made all our connections and were feeling quite comfortable as a FIT (free and independent traveler) group of two.

We carried new chip charge cards and euros in our pocket. We even bought new iPhones with international calling plans to have France at our fingertips. We were outfitted and ready.

Except we were oblivious to the 2014 road changes, which have worsened flooding at high tide, nearly leaving us stranded on the island at our departure time.

In 1994 a wide causeway, ample enough for parked cars, connected the islet to the mainland. The causeway existed for 135 years, more or less controlling high water. But silt buildup became a major problem. French engineers decided to demolish the roadway and replace it with a 2,500-foot bridge held up by 40-foot pillars. The new bridge allows seawater to flow completely around the Mont. Silt problem solved.

But high water swamping increased.

Luckily, in 2015 we arrived on a sunny, Saturday afternoon at low tide, when a span of sand appears, connecting the bridge to the island. From the bridge I spotted riders on horseback in the bay, next to a guided group of barefoot hikers, pants rolled up to their knees. We lingered to take pictures.

Two days later, on Monday morning, rain pelted us as the swirling tide cascaded over the walkway leading to the bridge and buses. The mount now surrounded by water, the Frenchman next to me exclaimed to his wife, “On est piege!” (“We’re trapped!”)

We would’ve been marooned if a local police officer hadn’t warned us to cross over to the bridge immediately. A tip for savvy travelers: Check the twice-daily high tides to make sure your arrival and departure go smoothly.

Huddled on the bridge under dripping umbrellas, jackets zipped and hats pulled low, we strained to see the navettes in the morning fog. We scampered aboard, relieved to have escaped the high tide but exuberant about our two-day adventure.

———

Joyce K. Torrey, a reading and language arts tutor, lives in Kahala.