Mont Saint-Michel: No One Stopped Us
The tide has cut this island off twice daily for a thousand years. Pilgrims crossed anyway. So did we. Ji'ana Fenix and HK7335 in Normandy. The abbey did not turn us away.
FIELD NOTES
Armor Field Note: Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy, France
I walked the causeway at low tide, beskar plates catching the morning light as the ancient abbey rose from the waters ahead. The medieval spire pierced fog like a blade through silk. HK7335 accompanied me, his servos whirring with each step across the stone bridge.
The pilgrims scattered when they saw us approaching the gates. Security personnel gathered in hurried clusters, speaking rapidly into radios while gesturing at my armor. Several tourists asked if we were part of some historical reenactment. I told them the armor was older than their country. The guards remained at a respectful distance, apparently deciding that two armed figures walking openly posed less threat than whatever might require stealth.
The abbey opens at 0900 hours and closes at 1900 during summer months. Arrive before 1000 to avoid the crowds that clog the narrow streets. The shuttle from the mainland runs every twelve minutes during peak season. Parking costs fifteen euros and fills by midday. The climb to the abbey takes twenty minutes through winding stone passages. The refectory and crypt hold the most historical significance. High tide cuts off foot access twice daily, though the causeway bridge remains open. The ramparts offer clear sight lines across the bay in all directions.
The medieval halls echoed with the sound of my boots and HK7335's metal feet on ancient stone. Monks once walked these same passages carrying prayer books instead of blasters. The architecture showed defensive capabilities that would impress even Mandalorian engineers. From the abbey's highest point, the view stretched across kilometers of tidal flats where armies once marched and pilgrims once waded.
Nobody questioned our right to be there.