Mont-Saint-Michel, a “magnificent but poorly heated office”

On the access bridge to the Mont, visited by three million people each year, a reception agent swept by the wind and rain for several hours jokes about this jewel, a “magnificent but poorly heated” office.

The cold, the humidity and the 350 steps to climb every day make it a tiring workplace.

Between the morning climb to reach the abbey, "the visits and those who stand all day, we all have joint problems in our knees and ankles", laments Herminia Amador Chacon, of the CGT.

The trade unionist drives the point home: "our dedicated shuttle leaves us ten minutes in the morning to climb the Mount to the summit and open the entire building to the public, we open late every morning because it's physically impossible!"

Around fifteen of the fifty-five employees of the abbey, managed by the Center des monuments nationaux (CMN), have been on strike since December 26. The building, one of the most visited monuments in France with 1,5 million tourists per year, has since either been closed to the public or opened free of charge.

On the orientation panel at the foot of the building, a poster warned visitors on Wednesday: "Due to a social movement, the monument will open between 13 p.m. and 17 p.m., visits and guided tours are canceled."

Two tourists having found the doors closed in the morning, Lise and Thomas, 25 and 24 years old, are "a little disappointed" to have come from Flers (Orne) without seeing the abbey, but believe that "the strike, they will not don't do it for nothing."

The demands of the inter-union CGT, CFDT and Sud Solidaires concern an increase in staff numbers, financial recognition of linguistic skills and arduousness as well as improvement of working conditions.

The investments are "not up to the level of this wonderful monument that is the abbey even though it brings in a lot of money for the CMN", according to the trade unionist.

Two prefabs

At 13:15 p.m., the gates of the abbey open for the few hours of visits made possible by the non-striking staff, many of whom are temporary workers.

One of them, who did not wish to reveal his name, provides information to tourists in three languages ​​and “supports union demands” but “has chosen to come and work”.

Cashiers usually sell tickets in two small prefabs. “These two temporary posts were installed during the covid, there is heating, we are sheltered there but it is too small, we are asking for a lasting reception structure”, adds the trade unionist, Herminia Amador Chacon, in front of the staircase where tourists pile up in a single file instead of the usual three.

According to CMN figures, 2500 visitors have entered the abbey on average in recent days, compared to 4000 usually during the winter holidays.

Arnaud Noblet, secretary general of the Mont Saint-Michel Abbey for National Monuments, says he "understands on a personal level" that employees sometimes feel "overwhelmed" during the high season.

He recalls that “since 2018 the payroll has increased by 7%, we have gone from 55 permanent agents to 85 during the summer period, and the end-of-year negotiations resulted in the creation of 2,5 positions”.

For Mr. Noblet, the CMN functions “in equalization and we claim it, large monuments like the abbey allow small ones to exist”.

The few Mont traders interviewed by AFP assure that they have not observed any difference in their turnover since the start of the movement.

Solène, 41, who came from the Paris region with her family, “was pleasantly surprised to see that it was free”. “If we can, we will give an exit ticket for the monument and the staff,” she added.