This is the brand design for Mont Saint-Michel, France. Mont Saint-Michel, located on the Normandy coast of France, is a World Heritage Site known for its monastery perched on a tidal bay. Mont Saint-Michel and its surrounding bay are UNESCO World Heritage sites and have become a major tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors annually. As the dual challenges of increasing tourism and protecting the natural environment grow, the stakes surrounding on-site operations become increasingly complex.
Day-to-day management involves the French National Monuments Center, the Brittany and Normandy region, the Beauvoir-Pontorson-Mont-Saint-Michel municipality, a joint association, and private businesses. To coordinate these diverse stakeholders, the French government established the Mont-Saint-Michel National Public Authority and is promoting integrated management.
The French design studio Graphéine was tasked with branding this organization. Their task was to create a brand that projected Mont Saint-Michel's image in a contemporary way while still offering strong legal protection. Because Mont Saint-Michel's silhouette is a widely consumed symbol, existing logos tended to remain similar. Graphéine proposed a typography that departed from the typical silhouette logo and was universally readable while maintaining originality.
The development of the typeface was also central to the new identity. We collaborated with Blaze Type to create a typeface inspired by medieval Gothic manuscripts, using contrasting weights and punctuation to create a balance of delicacy and power. The vertically rising impression reflects the principles of monastic architecture, while variable expansion was also considered.
The colors originate from the bay's landscape. Using a combination of soft natural tones and vibrant hues symbolizing public activity, the logo simultaneously embodies both conservation and operational functions. The frame-like structure of the logo expands the field of vision across the bay, while the letters and icons appear to float above the horizon, enhancing the mystical and contemplative atmosphere. The Graphéine team also shared the story behind the project in a French podcast.
