SMBMSM - Devil's Seat - Mount Dol3In the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel, in the heart of the Marais de Dol-de-Bretagne rises the Mont-Dol, an ideal natural site where legends abound.
This place once served as protection for people, it was a place where people felt as if they were protected from the gods. For a breathtaking panoramic view over the Bay of Mont-Saint-Michel and the marshes, we invite you to climb its mound.
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SMBMSM - Devil's Seat - Mont-DolIt was on the rock, near the Chapelle Notre-Dame de l’Espérance, that the Devil took his seat to observe one of his enemies Saint-Samson who was in the process of building a great church, today the Cathedral of Dol-de-Bretagne. It was from this siege that the Devil, angered by the construction of this monument, seized a rock and hurled it at the building to crush it, but he had miscalculated his trajectory and the stone only destroyed the top of the north tower. That’s why the upper part of the tower is missing. The stone ended its journey in the Dolent field, and gave its name to the eponymous menhir.
Tradition states that when Satan roamed the region, he took huge strides and thus went from the valley of Mireloup in Plerguer to Mont-Dol, and from Mont-Dol to Mont Saint-Michel. The Devil’s foot is the trace left by his footsteps during this trek.
On this same rock, you can see other marks, which are those of the Devil’s claws. They are the remnants of the Devil’s battle with his most fearsome enemy the Archangel Saint-Michel.
After the Devil had built the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel and was proudly contemplating his work, the Archangel Saint-Michel challenged him to create a similar marvel, so he took to the top of Mont-Dol and, in a single night, built a gigantic crystal palace, shining brightly in the rising sun. The Devil, defeated and disillusioned, was about to destroy his own work when Saint Michael offered to exchange their respective masterpieces, which was immediately accepted. The Archangel Saint-Michel took possession of the mountain that now bears his name, while the Devil moved into the Archangel’s dazzling castle. But the walls, which seemed to be made of crystal, were actually made of ice, which the rising sun melted. By the end of the day, all that remained was a pool of ice. No need to describe Satan’s rage, realising how he had been cheated. Their battle was fierce and the Devil, hurled by his adversary, left the mark of his claws on the rock as he tried to cling to it before falling to the foot of Mont-Dol.
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Moulin_du_Tertre_-_Mont_Dol-Alexandre_Lamoureux-282The Devil is not the only one to have left his mark on Mont-Dol, the Archangel, victorious, took to his heels to leap away to Mont Saint-Michel; the imprint of his foot can still be seen in the granite, to the south-east of the Virgin’s tower.
It is said that in days gone by, young people wishing to marry within the year would come and place their foot in this imprint. It was also from his foot that the Archangel Saint-Michel caused the inexhaustible spring that feeds the pond at the top of the mound.
Note:at the very top of the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, you can see the statue of the Archangel Saint-Michel striking down the Devil.
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