Lost in the tranquility of the mountain city — the almost real yet dreamlike Mont-Saint-Michel

Text & photos by /A moment of happiness in life in the UK

I impulsively booked a trip departing just two days later because of a photo of a winter mountain city shrouded in mist. It was my first time doing something like that — crazy, really, since all the last-minute transport and accommodation were prohibitively expensive. I guess it was the first time in my life I’ve been so spontaneous, but I desperately needed to recharge, which is how this trip came to be.

From York in northern England all the way to Mont-Saint-Michel in France — a journey involving trains, buses, ferries, taxis... and other means of transport to finally arrive.

The long-distance bus heading to the ferry port was driving right at sunset.

Scenes outside the bus window unfolded like pages of life passing by.

There were office workers just off work, carrying bags of fruit and milk bought from the Sainsbury’s on the corner, wearing headphones, one hand scrolling their phones as they waited to cross the road.

A fit, tanned girl with long hair, dressed in a tight running outfit, jogged along a path bathed in the setting sun outside the park, listening to music.

The bus continued on, and a shopkeeper at an Indo-Pakistani grocery store was arguing with a customer.

Even under the setting sun, for some reason, it felt especially easy to slip into a movie-like mode.

As the bus drove on, a couple of Asian students were taking a stroll outside their campus dormitory, reminding me of the feeling of hope and excitement when I had first arrived in the UK to study.

Before long, I dozed off on the bus. Though it was technically sunset, it was almost 10 PM by then — summer daylight can be surprisingly persistent.

When the bus was loaded onto the ferry, it was already midnight. Probably due to summer break, the European students on board, neither too few nor too many, were acting like they were on a graduation trip — the later it got, the wilder they became. The ferry had plenty of big sofas you could lie down on to sleep, and cafes that stayed open, where you could grab something warm to drink. When the announcement came that we had arrived in France, everyone scrambled back onto the buses on the ferry, waiting to be taken to the next transfer point.

In a daze after several hours, I was on a train and couldn’t even tell which country I was in anymore, until a girl with a chic short haircut sitting in front of me leaned against the window, reading a yellowing little book, occasionally twirling her short, curly brown hair that wouldn’t hold a curl. That’s when I suddenly realized, ah — I’m already in “France.”

French girls always have this… emmm, special vibe. They’re also very sensitive, and of course, there’s their choice of earth-toned outfits that perfectly suit their style. It’s not about following trends, but honestly, it really works for them. Compared to that, British women are really more...

The train finally arrived at the small-town station near Mont-Saint-Michel. It was pouring rain, my train was delayed, so I missed the connecting bus. It was a tiny station.

You could already sense the size of the town, and how clean it was.

Aside from the ticket officer, there was only one foreigner, and a Taiwanese couple. Ah, overhearing their conversation made me feel instantly at home, so I struck up a chat with them.

Having lived in York for a while, I always want to chat with fellow Taiwanese when I see them. Since there was still over an hour before the next bus, the Taiwanese couple decided to take a taxi, and they actually invited me to join them too — how touching.

The heavy rain showed no signs of letting up. In the distance, I could see that dreamlike castle from the photos.

Just as everyone had warned me before I left: “It doesn’t actually look like that in real life.” Ha, of course I knew beautiful sights require patience.

Fortunately, I spent four days and three nights in this little mountain town just to wait for that magical moment.

Actually, it wasn’t really ugly either, just that the dreamy feel… was a bit less imaginative.

What surprised me wasn’t its appearance, but the fact that this mountain town isn’t actually on a mountain — it’s a small island by the sea. So the wait for the scenery was really tough, with nothing but icy sea winds blowing nonstop. Looking at those pure white dresses I had packed in my suitcase felt almost laughably naive.

I arrived when it was already late, and due to the overcast and rainy weather, the sky was covered with thick clouds, keeping the sunset light blocked far away on the horizon.

And so, because of the strong winds, the weather changed rapidly. The beautiful sunset I had hoped for might get swallowed up again by thick cloud cover in an instant, leaving me standing in the wind, waiting.

Waiting and waiting, it turned out to be midnight. The shuttle driver rang his bell, as if to say, this was the last bus, hurry up if you’re leaving. I took one last shot and said goodbye to the town.

But it was also these precious, quiet four days filled only with the sound of the sea breeze that helped clarify some things for me, calming my heart which had nearly capsized. Everything around me was so serene, as if wise elders were telling you lessons you usually wouldn’t listen to.

It’s amazing how in just a few short days you can gain a bit of strength. I think that’s the gift of traveling solo.

The mountain city is small — you could probably walk through it in about two hours — but because it was summer vacation, the endless stream of people on the streets scared me off, so I retreated to the seaside to have a quiet conversation with it. After several days and nights, it’s finally time to leave. Why do I suddenly feel a bit reluctant to go..................................

After staying in this fairyland for a few days, I suddenly felt like my beloved Paris had suddenly become so mundane XD People, huh.

Author of this article: Chien Ju-Ling
Currently based in York, UK, she is a Taiwanese photographer from Tainan who has lived in the UK for 12 years. She uses her lens to tell one story after another, with each photo capturing a moment of happiness. With every click of the shutter, she preserves memories, leaving her mark on life, and shares her view of the UK with the public through Facebook.
Ju-Ling Chien's Facebook Page – Happy Moments of Life in the UK