After a decade behind the desk, Benjamin Pontais decided it was time for a life change. Trading in his office job, he relocated to the scenic region of Manche, where for the past two years, he has been guiding tours around the breathtaking Mont-Saint-Michel Bay.
Benjamin’s transformation from city worker to nature enthusiast started in Granville, his hometown. Though his early life was spent studying and working in places like Rennes and Paris, his heart longed for the coast. Returning to Manche with his family in 2020, Ben sought a profession closer to nature. “I wanted a job linked to the sea. I have a strong connection to the coastline,” he explained.
His journey to becoming a certified bay guide at Mont-Saint-Michel began four months after leaving his office career. At Mont-Saint-Michel, guides are traditionally trained through a time-honored system where experienced guides mentor newcomers, a practice overseen by the local prefecture. Through a year-long program, Ben learned about the bay’s wildlife, vegetation, and history, all crucial knowledge for navigating the tides and quicksands safely.
By 2023, Benjamin had taken the leap to run his own guiding business. With the prefecture issuing around 60 credentials annually, opportunities abound for guides in the bay, which sees nearly half a million visitors a year. Benjamin’s tours, offered from February to October, cover about 3,000 km on foot per year. “That keeps you fit,” he chuckled.
For Benjamin, being a guide is more than just leading walks; it’s about ensuring the safety and enjoyment of his groups, often numbering up to 60 people. From mastering tidal schedules to providing first aid and dealing with quicksand, guides must be prepared for anything. They even undergo skills refreshers every three years.
As an ambassador of the bay, Benjamin is also responsible for educating visitors about the local environment. Training from the French Office of Biodiversity augments his extensive knowledge of the area’s ecological and cultural history.
With the season wrapping up in November, when water temperatures drop below 10 degrees, Benjamin is ready for a well-deserved break. Until then, he continues to offer a range of tours, from short excursions to full crossings from the coast. More details can be found on his website, “Ben en Baie.”
