‘There has been a religious sanctuary of some kind on this huge granulite outcrop since at least the early eighth century’
The northern part of France can seem a bit over-familiar if you live in England. It’s only a hop across the Channel to reach it, after all. Before last year, for example, I had been to the Normandy beaches more than once. I have been lucky enough to swim in Arromanches harbour and at Omaha beach.
I have also been more than once to see the Bayeux Tapestry, and explored Falaise castle, one of William the Conqueror’s strongholds before he became William the Conqueror.
But last year, I realised there are plenty of places in the north of our nearest neighbour that I am yet to become acquainted with. So finding myself with a free week in July, I hopped aboard the DFDS ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe, eager to discover more about the region.
I had seen St Michael’s Mount – the English equivalent of Mont St-Michel – from a distance during a magazine cover shoot some
