Returning to Mont Saint-Michel: Why Going Back Matters
There are places that leave a mark on us long before we realise it. For me, Mont Saint-Michel is one of them.
More than fifty years ago, on a school trip in 1974 (the week that ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest to be exact) I crossed the causeway and entered the fairytale island of Mont Saint-Michel.
Half a century later, I found myself returning.
It still dominates the skyline for miles around. The narrow streets are just as steep, the stone walls just as imposing, and the tides remain as dramatic as ever. Yet everything has changed - because I have.
As children, we visit places with innocent curiosity. We notice the obvious: the towers, the souvenir shops, the excitement of being away from home. As adults, we see something deeper. We begin to appreciate the craftsmanship that created such remarkable places without modern machinery. We understand the centuries of history contained within every stone. More importantly, we realise how fortunate we are to be able to return.
Revisiting somewhere from your childhood is a reminder that life is measured not just by years but by experiences. Between my first visit and my latest, life has been full of adventures, challenges, victories and countless setbacks. The young boy who visited France aged twelve could never have imagined the journey that lay ahead.
I couldn’t help but reflect on how memories shape us. We often chase new destinations, ticking countries and landmarks off our bucket lists. Yet sometimes the most meaningful journeys are backwards. Returning reconnects us with the person we once were whilst allowing us to appreciate the person we’ve become.
There’s something reassuring about places that endure. In a world where technology changes by the minute, Mont Saint-Michel remains remarkably timeless. It reminds us that some things are worth preserving - not only buildings and monuments but traditions, stories and memories.
As a coach, I often encourage people to look forwards, to set goals and embrace new adventures. But looking back has its place too. Reflection isn’t about living in the past; it’s about recognising how far we’ve come. It gives context to our achievements and perspective to our future.
If there’s somewhere that meant something to you as a child - I would encourage you to go back. Don’t expect everything to be exactly the same. In fact, I hope that it isn’t. The value lies not in finding your childhood preserved in stone, but in discovering how much you’ve grown since you first stood there.
Fifty odd years on from that school trip, Mont Saint-Michel reminded me that while time changes us all, the places that first inspired our sense of wonder still have the power to do so again and that’s why revisiting them matters.