Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France Nov 29, 2024

Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy, France

A tidal marvel and a slice of medieval life all rolled into one rocky outcrop—welcome to Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, northern France. The story of this "Wonder of the West" goes back to the early 8th century, when Archangel Michael was said to have appeared to the bishop of Avranches in a vision. The divine message was clear: build a sanctuary on this rock. Taking this angelic advice seriously, the bishop laid the foundations of what would eventually become the abbey that dominates the island today. Over the centuries, this UNESCO World Heritage Site grew in size and reputation, attracting monks, pilgrims, and invaders alike.

© Captain Skyhigh/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Nov 29, 2018A Christmas market with a long history
Nov 29, 2019Opt outside today
Nov 29, 2020New Zealand s loneliest mountain
Nov 29, 2021Rainbow Mountain
Nov 29, 2022Giving Tuesday
Nov 29, 2023Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting
Nov 29, 2025Red deer stag in De Hoge Veluwe National Park, Netherlands

More Desktop Wallpapers:

May 31, 2024Gunnerside, Yorkshire Dales National Park, England
Sep 12, 2021A grand event
Dec 27, 2023Kirkjufell, Iceland
Nov 21, 2019Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé!
Sep 11, 2022Patriot Day
May 18, 2024International Museum Day
May 13, 2020Of moose and Maine
Mar 18, 2020A stroll above the stratosphere
Mar 8, 2019‘Think equal, build smart, innovate for change’
Aug 18, 2022Surströmming Day
Jan 16, 2021Oh, to sleep under the northern lights
Oct 31, 2022Wychwood Forest, Oxfordshire, England
Apr 17, 2023International Haiku Poetry Day
Apr 20, 2021Terraced fields of green
Jan 4, 2025Bản Giốc–Detian Falls, Vietnam
Mar 11, 2019You re feeling sleepy
Jun 23, 2023Pollinator Week
Sep 13, 2019The moon rises for Mid-Autumn Festival
Nov 1, 2019The National Museum of the American Indian
Oct 31, 2023Halloween
Aug 26, 2023Museum Night in Berlin
Mar 5, 2022Mont-Saint-Michel
Oct 8, 2023World Octopus Day
Jan 18, 2023White Sands National Park turns 90
Mar 21, 2024International Day of Forests
Dec 11, 2020Mountains fit for a queen
Nov 2, 2025Maple and bamboo forests in Arashiyama, Kyoto, Japan
Mar 1, 2019Forward-thinking women of history
Jan 9, 2021The stylish Spanish shawl
Jan 29, 2018Vacuum Chamber 5 at Glenn Research Center