It’s great to get back to Mont St-Michel to celebrate the long-awaited new bridge connecting it to the mainland. The previous causeway, built more than a century ago to let pilgrims reach the abbey regardless of the tide, altered the bay's water circulation and caused the mud flats around the fabled island to silt up. Eventually, Mont St-Michel was no longer an island. Now, with the old causeway replaced by a gracefully arcing bridge, the water flows freely and Mont St-Michel is an island again — at least at high tide. After hiking all the way to the top of the island, here’s a monk’s-eye view.

This is Day 39 of my 100 Days in Europe series. As I research my guidebooks and make new TV shows, I’m reporting on my experiences and lessons learned in Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Bulgaria, Romania, and beyond. Find more at http://blog.ricksteves.com.