Two cultural icons of France’s Normandy region are the
Bayeux Tapestry and Mont Saint Michel. Both are impressive, so much so they are
World Heritage Listed. There is a link between them.
Mont Saint Michel
We have all seen pictures of Mont Saint Michel. Gabriel
Gateaux visits it most years of the Tour de France and makes the traditional local omelette.
Mont Saint Michel is set on top of a tidal island just off the coast of
Normandy and is visible for miles around. It is an island with the biggest tides in Europe, some 15m. On the spring tide the sea goes out 15km from the coast and comes in again very quickly.
Throughout history it has been a Roman Church, an Abbey, a
fortress and a prison. It has been added to and adapted many times and is now a
warren of buildings, rooms and corridors. At its base is a small village that
serviced the Abbey. The Abbey has three levels: the top level was where the
monks lived at its centre is the chapel, the second level was where important
guests were received and housed, the third level was for ordinary pilgrims.
Mont Saint Michel was converted to a fortress during the
hundred year war between France and England. It proved impossible to capture as
the English army only had a few hours to attack each day between tides making
the Mont an island again. Siege machines were dragged across the soft sand and
often they and horses sank in the soft sand.
Today there is a large walkway connecting the island to the
mainland so the Mont can be accessed at any time.
Bayeux Tapestry
The tapestry was made as a contemporary celebration of the
Norman conquest of England in 1066AD. There is some conjecture over who made it
and why. The most popular theory is that it was commissioned some thirty years after the battle by Odo, William
the Conquerors half-brother and Bishop of Bayeux.
The tapestry is 70 metres long and contains 71 numbered
panels.
It is the story of the Norman
conquest of England and the events leading up to it. Here is the story in 60
seconds (if you read quick).
In the early 1,000’s, Edward the Confessor is King of
England. Edward has no children and when he dies there are two likely contenders
for the throne. To try and ensure ongoing peace Edward chooses William the
Bastard, an illegitimate son of his great aunt to be his successor.
Edward sends the other contender, Harlold Earl of Essex to Normandy
to pledge allegiance to William. Harold lands in the wrong part of France and
gets himself into a mess and has to be rescued by William. Harold then pledges
loyalty to William and goes home to England.
When Edward dies, Harold has himself crowned as king despite
his pledge to William. William learns of this and is very ticked off. He raises
an army and heads for England, landing on the south coast near Hastings.
Harold raises his army and dashes to Hastings to confront
William. On the 14
th Oct 1066 there is a massive bloody fight that
goes on for fourteen hours. The fight ends when Harold is shot in the eye with
an arrow and dies. The English (Saxons) flee and nobody ever calls Willian a
bastard again. He is now William the Conqueror.
Mont Saint Michel is depicted twice in the tapestry once as
a scene of a great feast when Harold is united with William and the second time
as an assembly point for William’s army.
The tapestry is also a moral fable: Don’t make promises you
don’t intend to keep.
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