Cloister of Mont Saint-Michel Abbey, France (© Monkey Business Images/Rex Features)

【April 17 2015】Less than a mile off the Normandy coast in northwestern France is the rocky island settlement Mont Saint-Michel. The centerpiece of the island is the Mont Saint-Michel Abbey, which traces its origins back to the early 8th century, when it was founded by Saint Aubert, the bishop of Avranches. Legend tells of the Archangel Michael appearing to Aubert in a vision, commanding him to build an oratory on the tidal island. At first the bishop ignored the archangel’s directives, but after three visions (!), Aubert finally accepted the commandment and finished the oratory in 709. Mont Saint-Michel adopted its Romanesque architectural style with the design of the abbey, which was commissioned in the 11th century.Explore breathtaking Gallery from the HuluTrip homepage over the past 5 years..