Pandemic Cuts Off France’s Mont Saint-Michel

For Yan Galton, the commune’s outgoing mayor, the lockdown has returned the Mont Saint-Michel to a charming bygone era—but with painful consequences.

An aerial view shows the deserted Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France, April 17, 2020. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

MONT SAINT-MICHEL, France—The sound of prayer flowed around the centuries-old abbey atop the Mont Saint-Michel, a tidal islet amidst vast sandbanks off France’s northwest coast, drifting down towards its deserted alleyways and past empty restaurants.

In normal times, the mount draws more than 2 million visitors a year. Now it lies empty except for 30 local residents whose restaurants, souvenir shops, and cafes depend on the influx of tourists.