Avranches is a town located in Normandy in the northwest of France on the English Channel. The city has a lucrative tourist trade due to its proximity to the island abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel. Originally a Roman town, Avranches was popular among intellectuals in the early Middle Ages, but suffered terrible blows in World War II.

Steeped in history, Avranches is located near the River See. The cathedral of Avranches was demolished during the French Revolution, but magnificent views of the estuary of the river See and the bay of Mont-Saint-Michel from the Jardin des Plantes (botanical garden) will take your breath away. History buffs will delight in seeing a tablet in the gardens of Sous-Prefecture in the Place Daniel-Huet that marks the spot where Henry II of England begged for (and received) forgiveness for the murder of Thomas Becket. The town also possesses a number of significant manuscripts concerning Mont-Saint-Michel that date from the 8th to the 15th centuries.