Rare, dazzling supertide envelops France’s Mont Saint-Michel

Mar 23, 2015

Rare, dazzling supertide envelops France’s Mont Saint-Michel

Kalani Gordon 0 Comment Weather, World equinox, Europe, moon, tides

A supertide turned France’s famed Mont Saint-Michel into an island on Saturday and then retreated out of sight, delighting thousands of visitors who came to see the rare phenomenon.

The so-called “tide of the century” actually happens every 18 years. Although the tide rushes in and out along the whole northern French coast, it’s especially dramatic at the UNESCO world heritage site, an ancient abbey normally linked to the mainland only by a narrow causeway at high tide. – Associated Press

: The abbey Mont Saint Michel is pictured early on Friday, March 20, 2015, in western France. (David Vincent/Associated Press)

: People gather to watch the water surround Mont Saint-Michel on France’s northern coast. A supertide has turned France’s famed Mont Saint-Michel into an island and then retreated out of sight, delighting thousands of visitors who came to see the rare phenomenon The so-called “tide of the century” actually happens every 18 years. (Associated Press)

: An aerial view as a high tide submerges a narrow causeway leading to the Mont Saint-Michel, on France’s northern coast. A supertide has turned France’s famed Mont Saint-Michel into an island and then retreated out of sight, delighting thousands of visitors who came to see the rare phenomenon. The so-called “tide of the century” actually happens every 18 years. (Associated Press)

: An aerial view as a high tide submerges a narrow causeway leading to the Mont Saint-Michel, on France’s northern coast. A supertide has turned France’s famed Mont Saint-Michel into an island and then retreated out of sight, delighting thousands of visitors who came to see the rare phenomenon. The so-called “tide of the century” actually happens every 18 years. (Associated Press)

: People wait for the wave named “Mascaret” in front of the Mont-Saint-Michel. Thousands of people flocked to Mont Saint-Michel, a Gothic Benedictine abbey perched on a rocky island, to watch what they hoped would be a “tide of the century” surround the picturesque landmark on France’s northern coast. (Guillaume Souvant/AFP-Getty Images)

: People wait for the wave named “Mascaret” in front of the Mont-Saint-Michel. Thousands of people flocked to Mont Saint-Michel, a Gothic Benedictine abbey perched on a rocky island, to watch what they hoped would be a “tide of the century” surround the picturesque landmark on France’s northern coast. (Guillaume Souvant/AFP-Getty Images)

: People wait for the wave named “Mascaret” in front of the Mont-Saint-Michel. Thousands of people flocked to Mont Saint-Michel, a Gothic Benedictine abbey perched on a rocky island, to watch what they hoped would be a “tide of the century” surround the picturesque landmark on France’s northern coast. (Guillaume Souvant/AFP-Getty Images)

: People walk at low tide around Mont-Saint-Michel as thousands flocked to there to watch what they hoped would be a “tide of the century” surround the picturesque landmark on France’s northern coast. (Guillaume Souvant/AFP-Getty Images)

: People walk at low tide around Mont-Saint-Michel as thousands flocked to there to watch what they hoped would be a “tide of the century” surround the picturesque landmark on France’s northern coast. (Guillaume Souvant/AFP-Getty Images)

: Mont-Saint-Michel is surrounded by the sea during high tide on March 20, 2015. A “supertide” is expected on March 21 that will affect coastlines around the North Sea, the English Channel and to a lesser extent in the Mediterranean. The world-famous Mont Saint-Michel on France’s northern coast is braced for an especially big tide, with a difference between high and low tide of 14.15 meters. (Damien Meyer/AFP-Getty Images)

: An aerial view of Mont-Saint-Michel surrounded by the sea during high tide on March 20, 2015. A “supertide” is expected on March 21 that will affect coastlines around the North Sea, the English Channel and to a lesser extent in the Mediterranean. The world-famous Mont Saint-Michel on France’s northern coast is braced for an especially big tide, with a difference between high and low tide of 14.15 meters. (Damien Meyer/AFP-Getty Images)

: An aerial view of Mont-Saint-Michel surrounded by the sea during high tide on March 20, 2015. A “supertide” is expected on March 21 that will affect coastlines around the North Sea, the English Channel and to a lesser extent in the Mediterranean. The world-famous Mont Saint-Michel on France’s northern coast is braced for an especially big tide, with a difference between high and low tide of 14.15 meters. (Damien Meyer/AFP-Getty Images)

: An aerial view of Mont-Saint-Michel surrounded by the sea during high tide on March 20, 2015. A “supertide” is expected on March 21 that will affect coastlines around the North Sea, the English Channel and to a lesser extent in the Mediterranean. The world-famous Mont Saint-Michel on France’s northern coast is braced for an especially big tide, with a difference between high and low tide of 14.15 meters. (Damien Meyer/AFP-Getty Images)

: An aerial view of Mont-Saint-Michel surrounded by the sea during high tide on March 20, 2015. A “supertide” is expected on March 21 that will affect coastlines around the North Sea, the English Channel and to a lesser extent in the Mediterranean. The world-famous Mont Saint-Michel on France’s northern coast is braced for an especially big tide, with a difference between high and low tide of 14.15 meters. (Damien Meyer/AFP-Getty Images)

: An aerial view of Mont-Saint-Michel surrounded by the sea during high tide on March 20, 2015. A “supertide” is expected on March 21 that will affect coastlines around the North Sea, the English Channel and to a lesser extent in the Mediterranean. The world-famous Mont Saint-Michel on France’s northern coast is braced for an especially big tide, with a difference between high and low tide of 14.15 meters. (Damien Meyer/AFP-Getty Images)

: An aerial view of Mont-Saint-Michel surrounded by the sea during high tide on March 20, 2015. A “supertide” is expected on March 21 that will affect coastlines around the North Sea, the English Channel and to a lesser extent in the Mediterranean. The world-famous Mont Saint-Michel on France’s northern coast is braced for an especially big tide, with a difference between high and low tide of 14.15 meters. (Damien Meyer/AFP-Getty Images)

: An aerial view of Mont-Saint-Michel surrounded by the sea during high tide on March 20, 2015. A “supertide” is expected on March 21 that will affect coastlines around the North Sea, the English Channel and to a lesser extent in the Mediterranean. The world-famous Mont Saint-Michel on France’s northern coast is braced for an especially big tide, with a difference between high and low tide of 14.15 meters. (Damien Meyer/AFP-Getty Images)

: An aerial view of Mont-Saint-Michel surrounded by the sea during high tide on March 20, 2015. A “supertide” is expected on March 21 that will affect coastlines around the North Sea, the English Channel and to a lesser extent in the Mediterranean. The world-famous Mont Saint-Michel on France’s northern coast is braced for an especially big tide, with a difference between high and low tide of 14.15 meters. (Damien Meyer/AFP-Getty Images)

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