The Mont-Saint-Michel bay is one of Europe's most precious wetlands: UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Ramsar site, Natura 2000 zone. Its 500 km² blend salt marshes, polders, sandflats and channels — a remarkably biodiverse ecosystem you can explore on foot, by bike or kayak.
? What birds can be seen in the bay?
Over 120 bird species frequent the bay, including hundreds of thousands of migratory waders. Dunlin, Eurasian curlew, black-tailed godwit and shelduck are the iconic species. The bay is one of France's five most important sites for coastal birds.
? What are the herbus and pré-salé?
The herbus are natural meadows flooded by the highest tides, colonised by salt-tolerant plants. Pré-salé sheep graze freely there from April to November, giving their meat a unique flavour recognised by PDO status since 2006.
The herbus cover around 3,500 hectares of the bay. Their main plant species are glasswort (Salicornia europaea), sea purslane (Atriplex portulacoides) and cord grass (Spartina anglica). This dense vegetation retains sediment and forms the first link in the bay's food chain.
Frequently Asked QuestionsSCHEMA FAQPage
When is the best time to watch birds in the bay?▾
Spring migration (March–May) and autumn (August–October) are the richest periods: hundreds of thousands of wading birds pass through. Winter (November–February) brings impressive concentrations of sandpipers and curlews.
Can you see seals in the Mont-Saint-Michel bay?▾
Yes: a colony of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) can be seen from La Calle beach in Cancale and Pointe du Grouin. Best period: November to April. Do not approach within 100m.
What is pré-salé lamb?▾
Lamb raised on natural salt marshes (herbus), flooded during spring tides. Their diet of halophyte plants gives the meat a lightly iodised, salty flavour. It has held Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status since 2006.
Is the Mont-Saint-Michel bay a Natura 2000 site?▾
Yes. The bay holds multiple designations: UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (1984), Ramsar wetland site, Natura 2000 (Habitats and Birds directives), and UNESCO World Heritage Site (1979, extended 2007).
Can you fish in the bay?▾
Shore fishing is permitted in non-protected zones (cockles, mussels, clams). Commercial fishing is regulated. Guided shore-fishing walks are organised by local tourist offices.
📖 Glossary
- Waders (limicoles)
- Order of shorebirds that feed in mudflat and sandflat zones: sandpipers, curlews, godwits, redshanks, plovers. The Mont-Saint-Michel bay is one of France's five most important sites for these species.
- Halophyte
- Plant adapted to saline environments (glasswort, sea purslane, cord grass). These plants colonise the bay's salt marshes and form the natural diet of pré-salé sheep.
- Intertidal zone
- Area alternately covered and exposed by tides. In the Mont-Saint-Michel bay, this zone can cover 250 km² at spring tides — one of the largest in Europe.
- Polder
- Land reclaimed from the sea by embankment and drainage, turned into farmland. The bay's polders were created between the 17th and 19th centuries and cover several thousand hectares.