The association the Mont-Saint-Michel Trail

Exhibition at La Trinité in Falaise

Identification of historic routes
The Association carries out extensive historical research into pilgrimages to Mont-Saint-Michel and the cult of Saint Michael. It relies on all sources likely to provide information on the old communication routes and paths taken by pilgrims (travel accounts, land registry, manuscripts, old maps, etc.). To carry out its work, the Association has a Scientific Committee made up of European academics, researchers and other specialists who support the Association with their expertise and advice. It also has a collection of documents available on request, including thematic files, books, engravings and photographs.

Heritage inventory
The Association is compiling a database of historical records and heritage linked to the pilgrimage and worship of Saint Michael. In this way, it helps to promote and appropriate the heritage along these routes (bridges, crosses, fountains, churches, chapels, etc.). It has also built up a photographic collection of the items listed.

Road rehabilitation
The routes are set up in collaboration with local authorities and organisations involved in walking (departmental tourist committees, parks, countries, communities of communes, municipalities, etc.). Taking into account the changes that have taken place over the centuries, the evolution of the road network and the numerous land consolidations, the Association has recognised and validated continuous routes, respecting the historical reality and favouring dirt tracks or small roads.

Path marking and maintenance
The Mont-Saint-Michel itineraries cover more than 3,600 km of paths, and the Association regularly checks the quality of the signposting, which is monitored by its volunteers and team. Path maintenance is carried out in consultation with local associations and local authorities.

Publishing and editing documents
The Association publishes guidebooks and distributes leaflets to help people get to know the routes and the heritage along them. It also provides pilgrims and walkers with practical information such as lists of accommodation and the Carnet du miquelot, which can be stamped at each stage of the walk.

Organisation of events
The Association regularly organises events on the Mont-Saint-Michel Pilgrimage Route for the general public (exhibitions, tours, walks, etc.). It also takes part in colloquia and historical conferences on the subject of pilgrimages to Mont-Saint-Michel. Every two years, on Saint-Michel's spring day, 8 May, it brings together academics and researchers to present the results of their work at its Rencontres historiques. Every year, the Association organises a number of cultural walks, a spring walk lasting a few days without arriving at the Mont and the September walk (one week) on one of the Mont-Saint-Michel paths, finishing at the Mont on 29 September, Saint-Michel's Day. On the programme: a number of stages to discover and share, and a little-known natural and historical heritage to rediscover and share with as many people as possible.

Tourism promotion
The Association works in collaboration with accommodation providers, tourist organisations and local authorities to support the stay of walkers and pilgrims on the Chemins du Mont. It signs partnership agreements with the "Communes des Chemins du Mont-Saint-Michel" to ensure that the local authorities take ownership of the project and make it a complete success.

His achievements

Ten itineraries corresponding to 4,000 km of signposted routes, linking different regions of France and Europe.

In England
With the Pilgrims' Trail (47 km) from Winchester Cathedral to Portsmouth harbour to join the Normandy routes from Cherbourg or Ouistreham

The Cherbourg Way
9 stages, 202 km

The Barfleur Way
9 stages, 202 km

The Caen-Ouistreham route
9 stages, 190 km

The Route to Amiens via Rouen
6 stages; 135 km from Amiens to Rouen and 16 stages, 360 km from Rouen to Mont Blanc.

The Road to Paris
22 stages, 522 km

The Orleans Chartres route
23 stages, 455 km

The shared routes between Santiago de Compostela and Mont-Saint-Michel
To link the two major shrines, the Association "les Chemins du Mont-Saint-Michel" has signed friendship pacts with the associations of Friends of Santiago de Compostela in Anjou, Brittany, Normandy, Touraine and Sarthe. Today, three routes link Mont-Saint-Michel to the Tours route to Santiago de Compostela.

The Atlantic Route ("Voie des Capitales en Bretagne") crosses Brittany and the Vendée, via Surgères, Montaigu, Clisson, Nantes, Rennes and Pontorson.

The Plantagenet Way comes from Anjou, via Le Puy-Notre-Dame, Angers, Pouancé, Vitré, Fougères and Saint-James, and from Aulnay-de-Saintonge via Niort and Parthenay.

- Le Grand Chemin montois vient from Tours, via Le Mans, Mayenne, Saint-James (324 km)

These routes are signposted in both directions, allowing miquelots coming from the "south" to reach the Mont using the Saint-Michel signposts, and vice versa, offering jacquets leaving from the Mont the chance to reach Saint-Jacques by following the Compostellan shells,

Enhancing tourism
working with partners in tourism and culture, local and regional authorities (and the State), publishing flyers, taking part in trade fairs, educational tours, conferences, various events, etc.

Cultural walks
To help people discover these different routes, the Association organises several heritage walks each year, the "Spring Walk", a weekend walk, without arriving at Mont-Saint-Michel, to promote a town that takes 2 to 3 days to get to know, and the "September Walk", to arrive at Mont-Saint-Michel on 29 September, Saint-Michel's Day, each time with historical breaks and visits, welcomes, meetings...

Historical Encounters
In response to public interest in research into pilgrimages and the cult of Saint Michael, the Association organises a one-day conference every two years, on 8 May, the spring Saint Michael's Day. The proceedings of these conferences are published by the Association and are available from the Association (see heading Shop

Temporary exhibitions
The conferences
Publication of the conference proceedings
Publication of guides
Participation in conferences

Mont-Saint-Michel, one of the most visited sites in France, is currently suffering the negative effects of mass tourism: pollution, environmental degradation, urbanisation, etc. This is why, in order to minimise these impacts, Les Chemins du Mont-Saint-Michel is committed to the sustainable development of tourism by :

Preserving natural and environmental resources:

• encouraging the use of non-polluting modes of transport (walking, mountain biking, horses, donkeys) or low-impact transport (railways)

• using recycled paper (leaflets, letters)

• by encouraging a better distribution of tourist flows throughout Normandy and in small groups
• Respecting the cultural authenticity of the areas we cross: by enhancing and restoring the heritage along the paths
• Ensuring economic activity :

• by showcasing local craftspeople and producers

• by promoting local shops

• encouraging the provision of group accommodation
• by the activities offered on the paths or in the towns crossed by the association, which attract history and nature lovers
  

  

  How can I be a responsible walker?

  Gestures that make a difference :

• Prefer public transport or car pooling to get to and from your starting point (there are many stations along the Chemins du Mont!).
• Respect the highway code

• Follow the signposted paths and respect the environment

• Do not pick flowers or plants

• Be a discreet and attentive guest of nature and take the time to discover the terroirs and heritage that line these paths.

• Remember to close the fences after your visit

• Do not touch, feed or frighten animals

• If you're walking with your dog, remember the lead

• Find out about the rules governing access to protected areas (nature reserves, nature parks, grasslands, etc.) and obey the warning signs posted (hunting seasons, pedestrian access only, etc.).

• Don't leave any rubbish, take it with you to the next bin

• Choose products with little packaging and from local producers

• Don't make fires in the open

• Use solar equipment or rechargeable batteries

• Invest in reusable equipment (water bottle, dynamo lamp, etc.)

Since its creation in 2015, Les Chemins du Mont has been part of the Réseau des grands itinéraires pédestres, founded on the initiative of the association "Sur le chemin de Robert Louis Stevenson", the FFrandonnée and the Grande Traversée des Alpes. It now brings together 20 major walking routes, from the north to the south of France, run by associations or local authorities, whose remit is to run and promote itinerant routes, alongside the FFRandonnée, which sets up and marks out the famous GR®. It brings together hiking professionals and volunteers who have decided to join forces to promote what is known as long-distance hiking. According to the Network's charter, long-distance trekking is practised on paths and tracks that take more than 7 days to walk.

These major itineraries are characterised by their significance: geographical singularity, literary epics, ancestral walking practices (transhumance routes, customs trails) and, of course, ancient pilgrimages (Santiago de Compostela, Saint Guilhem le Désert, Mont-Saint-Michel). Varying in length from 180 to over 1,000 km, these routes are combined with the 110,000,000 km of GR®-approved footpaths made available by the FFRandonnée, a non-profit-making association under the law of 1901. The FFRandonnée is also a delegate of the Ministry of Sport for the practice of hiking, for which it defines the standards.
The aim of the network is to pool experience in order to improve the range of services available on walking routes (accommodation, catering, transport of luggage and people, signposting, guidance, public facilities, cultural and heritage information, accessibility, etc.). The group also provides a forum for joint reflection on the latest trends in walking, its benefits for health, its link with respect for nature and its contribution to the economic development of rural areas.

Great Walking Routes Network portal

French Federation of European Cultural Routes
Les Chemins du Mont is one of the founding members of the FFICE, which since May 2010 has brought together European cultural routes, whether or not certified by the Council of Europe. The FFICE has strong values: respect and solidarity, compliance with the associative spirit, responsibility and sustainability, dialogue and sharing, curiosity and generosity, transmission, education and citizenship.
It works to promote awareness of a European cultural identity and citizenship, based on a set of shared values. It aims to encourage intercultural and inter-religious dialogue and to preserve tangible and intangible cultural heritage as a factor in sustainable development.
FFICE federates the cultural routes that criss-cross France, to improve their visibility; it liaises with public authorities and national bodies to implement joint projects; it promotes new information technology tools and campaigns for a different, diverse and intelligent form of cultural tourism.
FFICE website

Network of Saint-Michel sites and paths
In October 2013, in Caen, at the conclusion of the "Rencontres européennes des sites et des Chemins de saint Michel", organised by the Association, the statutes of the new federation of sites and paths of Saint-Michel were agreed. The head office of the new European association is at the Maison de l'Europe in Paris, and its current president is Davis Nicolas, mayor of Avrances. This European network brings together the associations of the Chemins du Mont-Saint-Michel, Autour de Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe, Amis de Saint-Michel de Cuxà, the municipalities of Aiguilhe and Monte Sant'Angelo, the Confrérie de san Miguel de Aralar (Navarre), Italian associations, and others. Le Vie di San Michele (Lombardy) and I Cammini di San Michele (Marches), St Michael's Mount (Cornwall).... For more information on Network of Saint-Michel sites and paths

  Federation of Historical and Archaeological Societies of Normandy (FSHAN)
The Chemins du Mont-Saint-Michel belong to this federation of learned societies in Normandy (Upper and Lower Normandy considered together since its foundation), which organises an annual congress that brings together participants and speakers on a common theme, such as pilgrimages or communication routes. The Chemins du Mont have also played an active part in these congresses, confirming their commitment to scientific research and the promotion of its results to all audiences.
website

Ms Marie-Agnès Avenellecturer in Latin at the University of Caen
Ms Sarah BlickInternational Society for the study of pilgrimage art, Kenyon College, Gambier (Ohio)
Mr Pierre BouetHonorary Director of the Office Universitaire d'Etudes Normandes (OUEN)
Ms Catherine BougyHonorary lecturer in Old French, University of Caen
Mr Giampetro CasiraghiComitato Regionale Sacrense, Torino
Mr Paolo Caucci von SauckenEmeritus Professor, Università di Perugia
Mr Jean-Marie CauchiesProfessor, Facultés Saint-Louis de Bruxelles, Director of the CRHIDI (Centre de recherches en histoire du droit et des institutions)
Brother Dominique-Marie Dauzetcurator of the Bayeux diocesan archives, lecturer at the École Pratique des Hautes Études
Mr Henry DecaënsChairman of the Scientific Committee
Mr Julien Deshayesheritage coordinator, Pays d'art et d'histoire du Clos du Cotentin (Valognes)
Claire Etienne SteinerHonorary Heritage Curator, Rouen
Mr Jean-Pascal FoucherDirector of the Archives départementales de l'Orne, Alençon
Mr Martin de FramondHonorary Director of the Haute-Loire Departmental Archives, Le Puy-en-Velay
Mrs Laura Gaffurispecialist in preaching in the Middle Ages, Università degli Studi di Torino, dipartimento di Storia
Véronique GazeauEmeritus Professor of Medieval History, University of Caen
Pierre-Gilles Giraultadministrator of Brou Abbey (Bourg-en-Bresse)
Ms Catherine GuyonLecturer in Medieval History, University of Nancy II
Mrs Ilona Hans-CollasPhD in art history, researcher at the Institut royal du patrimoine artistique, Brussels
Mr Renzo InfanteProfessor, Università degli studi di Foggia
Mr Humbert Jacometheritage curator
Richard JohnsonProfessor of English Literature, Harper College, Palatine (Illinois)
Mr Graham JonesSaint John's College, Oxford
Mr Bruno JudicProfessor of Medieval History, University of Tours; President of the Saint-Martin European Cultural Centre, Tours
Mr Vincent Juheldirector of the association
Dominique JuliaHonorary Director of Research at the CNRS
Mrs Angela LaghezzaUniversità degli studi di Bari Aldo Moro
Mrs Elisabeth LalouEmeritus Professor of Medieval History, University of Rouen
Mr Jean Laspougeasemeritus lecturer in contemporary history at the University of Caen
Mr Yann LeborgneDoctor of Geography, researcher
Mr Stéphane LecouteuxAssociate Researcher, University of Caen, CRAHAM
Mr Jean-Luc LeservoisierHonorary Curator of the Avranches Municipal Library
Mr Saverio LomartireProfessor, Università di Vercelli
Mr Emmanuel Luisresearcher, General Inventory and Cultural Heritage Department, Normandy Region, Caen
Mr Bruno MaesLecturer in Modern History, University of Nancy
Mr Christophe ManeuvrierLecturer in Medieval History, University of Caen
Mr Jean-Marie MartinÉcole française de Rome, director of research at the CNRS, specialist in southern Italy in the Middle Ages
Mr Jean MeyersProfessor of Latin Language and Literature, University of Montpellier III, Deputy Director of the Montpellier Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Mr François NeveuxEmeritus Professor of Medieval History, University of Caen
Mr Giorgio OtrantoHonorary Professor, Università degli Studi di Bari, Aldo Moro
Mr Fabien PaquetLecturer in Medieval History, University of Caen
Dr Werner ParaviciniHonorary Director of the German Historical Institute in Paris, specialist in North Germany in the late Middle Ages
Ms Céline PérolLecturer in Medieval History, University of Clermont-Ferrand
Mr Simone PiazzaSenior Lecturer, History of Medieval Art, University of Montpellier
Mr Jean-Michel PicardProfessor, University College Dublin, Department of French
Mr Marco PiccatHonorary Professor of Romance Philology, Università di Trieste
Mr Georges ProvostLecturer in Modern History, University of Rennes II
Dominique RigauxProfessor of Medieval History, University of Grenoble II, head of the PréAlp European project (CNRS and Ecole Française de Rome)
Mr Paulino Rodriguez Barralprofesor del Instituto Español 'Giner de los Rios', Lisbon
Mr Daniel RussoProfessor of the History of Medieval Art, University of Burgundy
Mr François Saint-Jamescultural action officer, Centre des Monuments Nationaux, Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey
Mr Giuseppe SergiProfessor of Medieval History, Università di Torino
Mrs Katherine Allen SmithAssistant Professor of History, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma (Washington)
Mr Renato StopaniDirector of the Centro studi Romei, Florence
Mr Jean-Pierre Suauemeritus lecturer in art history, University of Montpellier
Mr Fabrizio VanniCentro studi Romei, Florence
Mr André VauchezHonorary Director of the École française de Rome
Catherine VincentEmeritus Professor of the History of the Middle Ages, University of Paris X-Nanterre
Cécile Vincent-CassyHonorary Senior Lecturer, Department of Spanish, Paris XIII-Nord