On the road from Pontorson to Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, don’t miss the Moulin de Moidrey, built in the 19th century and put back into service in the early 2000s! Far from the crowds, this pretty windmill is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Taste local products made by a miller while admiring a breathtaking view of Mont-Saint-Michel and its bay? It is possible! Then go to the Moulin du Mont-Saint-Michel.
In this article, we give you all our tips to organize your visit at best.
This opinion is completely independent, based on our experiences. We visited the area anonymously, making our own choices, and paying all our bills in full.
Why visit the Moulin de Moidrey at Mont-Saint-Michel?
Is the Moulin de Moidrey near Mont-Saint-Michel worth a visit?
Completely! This experience was really unusual at the Moulin du Moidrey in Pontorson, we never thought we would be able to enter a windmill still in use where its miller still makes flour.
Why is the Moulin de Moidrey famous?
We really think this is a must see if you are in the area, it is located only 10 minutes drive from Mont-Saint-Michel. The Moulin de Moidrey is one of the 15 things to do in and around Mont-Saint-Michel!
The Moidrey Mill is one of the most beautiful mills in France and one of the few still in operation! Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site a few years after its restoration was completed, this mill was built in 1806.
What we liked best about it
Overall, we loved the whole experience from start to finish! See the Moulin de Moidrey when arriving from the road, enjoy the breathtaking views of Mont-Saint-Michel and its bay from this spot, visit the entrails of the Moulin… And of course leave with flours made and bought on site! So, are you interested?
A little history
Located in the heart of the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, the Moulin de Moidrey is 5km from the Wonder, on a small hill. Thus, the inhabitants of the region operated the Moulin de Moidrey, intended to produce flour, until the beginning of the 20th century.
Afterwards, the mill was transformed into a hayloft until the end of the Second World War. On the other hand, the bombings will not have reason of this authentic place which will find itself abandoned.
Finally, UNESCO classified the Moulin de Moidrey as a World Heritage Site in 2007, 4 years after its restoration and reopening. Its current miller, Mickaël Tranchant, decided to set up his own business to continue producing flour at the end of the 2000s.
Useful tips: Moulin de Moidrey, Pontorson, France
Where is the Moulin de Moidrey?
The Moulin de Moidrey is located at 35 rue des moulins in Pontorson (50170) in Normandy. Moreover, the mill can be seen from the road between Pontorson and the Mont-Saint-Michel.
How to get there
As you can see, the Moulin de Moidrey near Mont-Saint-Michel is more easily accessible by car. Indeed, you can see it from the road.
- Driving time from Mont-Saint-Michel: 10min.
- Driving time from Bayeux: 1h20.
- Driving time from Caen: 1h20.
- Driving time from Rennes: 1 hour.
- Driving time from Avranches: 25min.
OUR ADVICE FOR RENTING A CAR IN Normandy
- Compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars – one of the best rated sites.
- Choose a car that is comfortable enough (distances can be long) but compact (some parking lots and villages are narrow).
- Think of thecomplete insurance (some roads are tortuous and narrow).
- There is a lot of demand, book it early.
Note that access by train is also possible. The city of Pontorson also has an SNCF train station – see prices and train schedules.
Parking
You can easily park next to the Moulin du Moidrey near the Mont-Saint-Michel. Indeed, a sign indicates the mill from the road, you can’t miss it!
Length of visit and main difficulties
Allow 30min to 1h depending on whether you take the guided tour of the Moidrey Mill or a “simple” tour with a few shots of the view and possibly a tour to choose your fresh flour!
In addition, the guided tour is conducted by the miller of the mill, a passionate person who tells you the secrets of his job and the history of the Moidrey Mill with humor! We really enjoyed this visit in a good mood.
If you are a person with reduced mobility, the simple tour will be accessible but the guided tour will probably not be adapted for you.
The Mill of Moidrey with children
It’s a nice visit to make with your family! Your children will enjoy both the interior and exterior of the windmill, the surrounding fields and all the explanations on how a windmill works.
However, there are some steps in the mill, so we advise you to be careful if you are with little ones. Choose the baby carrier, you won’t have room to move around with a stroller inside the mill.
Le Moulin with pets
For reasons of hygiene, pets are not allowed inside the Moulin du Moidrey.
Schedules and prices
Schedules:
- In February, every day from 10am to 12:30pm and from 2pm to 6pm.
- From April to June, every day from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 2 pm to 7 pm.
- In July and August, every day from 9am to 8pm.
- In September, every day from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 2 pm to 7 pm.
- From October to mid-November, every day from 10am to 12:30pm and from 2pm to 6pm.
- Closed from mid-November to early February.
Entrance fees:
- Simple visit: 1€ per adult.
- Simple visit: 1€ per child.
- Guided tour: 4€ per adult.
- Guided tour: 2,50€ per child.
A MAGICAL EXPERIENCE AT Mont-Saint-Michel
Step 1: Plan and get there
Step 2: Decide on your program
Step 3: decide where to sleep
The entrails of the Mont-Saint-Michel Mill
First, you enter the heart of the Moidrey Mill to discover the secrets of flour making. Going up the stairs from floor to floor, his miller explains his daily life to transform the grains into flour. He will repeat this “choreography” sometimes several times in the same day. During the visit, we received an explanatory sheet to understand the different stages of manufacturing.
A mill still in activity
The Pontorson Mill, near Mont-Saint-Michel, is one of the few windmills still in use in France. The miller’s work begins at the very top inside. He will pour the grain into a funnel called “hopper”. The grain then travels a “long” way down to the bottom of the mill’s entrails, passing through the two millstones where it is crushed. It is the wheel of the mill which will allow to activate the millstones to crush the cereal grains.
Milling” is the name given to the ground cereal grains. This grind is sifted in a sieve, a large sieve used in milling that you see below, to make flour, gruel or bran. These different types of grindings each slide and pour into a dedicated bag on the first floor of the mill. And that’s it!
The result? You can choose between wheat, buckwheat, rye, corn, rice, oat, barley, chestnut, organic wheat and spelt flour. And yes, there really is something for everyone!
Views from the hill
Besides learning a lot about how a windmill works, we loved the magical views of the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel with the silhouette of the Wonder in the background!
The miller has also installed several explanatory panels outside to help you identify where you are and in which direction you are looking! Norman, Breton, north or south, the miller has really thought of everything to make the visit as educational and fun as possible, thank you to him! Ready for your visit?
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Pontorson and the road of the mills
Pontorson is really at the doors of the Mont-Saint-Michel. If you are passing through the area, we really advise you to make a stop there, even if it is only for a short time. Like many surrounding villages, Pontorson has medieval origins, and takes its name from an ancient bridge, now destroyed, “the bridge of Orson” to cross the Couesnon. This river crosses today the village of Pontorson. On the road to Mont-Saint-Michel, leaving Pontorson from the north, you will see market garden plants and above all several old mills, including the famous Moulin de Moidrey.
Lodgings in the vicinity
Near Mont-Saint-Michel, in the village or in the surroundings, there is a good offer of accommodation. You will be able to stay without worry. Here is our tips and our selection to adapt to your tastes and desires.
WHERE TO STAY AT Mont-Saint-Michel
Option 1:
Choose one of the 7 hotels on the mountain, within the city limits – see our article
- The historic Auberge Saint-Pierre Hotel – see prices, photos and availability
Option 2:
Or sleep in the part called La Caserne which is between the parking lots and the footbridge to Mont-Saint-Michel.
- Mercure 4-starhotel – see prices, photos and availability
Option 3:
And if you are looking for luxury, check out our article dedicated to luxury hotels near Mont-Saint-Michel.
- The charming guest house Clos de Gilles – see prices, photos and availability
Option 4:
The Normandy countryside is very green and inspiring. At the bend in the forest or in the fields, pretty villages with beautiful buildings transport you to another world, or even another era.
- Hotel Ermitage at 5min – see prices, pictures and availability
- Château de Boucéel at 30min – see prices, pictures and availability
Nearby restaurants
For lunch, dinner or a snack, you will have a lot of choices! Several restaurants of different styles are installed on the Mont-Saint-Michel (intra-muros), at the Barracks or in the nearby communes.
To make your choice, find all our tips on the 12 best restaurants where to eat in Mont-Saint-Michel and around.
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Our top 3 things to do at Mont-Saint-Michel
Walk to the mount
Many people rush inside the Mont. They get out of their car, get on the shuttle and follow the people inside. But, in our opinion, choosing to walk there from the parking lots is the best option.
The path is flat and easy. Count 40min to 50min of walking.
Enjoy the sea air and the changing landscape as you approach the mountain; with the dam, fields, sand…
The anticipation makes the experience even better!
Visit the Abbey
The jewel of Mont-Saint-Michel is of course the abbey built over the centuries on top of this rocky island.
It is a marvel of architecture and history.
It is particularly known for its cloister built in the 13th century, as if suspended between sky and sea.
Be careful, there are a lot of stairs to visit it.
And you have to book your visit before – bookhere
See all our tips
Explore the ramparts
In addition to the main street and the abbey, do not miss the ramparts.
We recommend that when you arrive at Mont-Saint-Michel, you go up to the abbey by the ramparts and come back down by the main street or other alleys.
Going up the covered way offers you views of the village, the roofs, the abbey and the bay. Probably our favorite part of the visit to the Mont outside the abbey.
And to learn more:
Our complete selection of 21 things to do in Mont-Saint-Michel
