Supertide turns French town into island briefly

A supertide turned a French medieval town into an island and then quickly retreated over the weekend.

Mont Saint-Michel is usually only accessible by a thin causeway, but every 18 years a supertide rushes into the English Channel and covers a pathway leading to the town, France 24 reported.

The tide was a few centimeters short of predictions, Nicolas Pouvreau, a tidal specialist, told France 24.

The waters rose almost 42 feet and are said to "rise at the pace of a horse's gallop," the Associated Press reported.

Thousands of visitors gathered to watch the UNESCO world heritage site turn into an island. During low tide people were able to walk across the seabed to the town.

Some drove hours across France to see the phenomenon.

"It's been a long time since we've seen Mont Saint-Michel surrounded by the sea. I was born in this region and I never saw it like this," observer Wilfred James told AP.

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