The Romanesque Choir was rebuilt in the popular Gothic style during the 15th and the 16th Centuries. The abbey's monastic independence was undermined during the 17th century, when the monks began to flout the strict rules and discipline of their order, drifting into a state of decadence that culminated in their dispersal from the abbey. Mont St. Michel then served as a prison for a period of time.
In 1874, the abbey was handed over to the French government with the aim of preserving the it for the ages.  Emmanuel Fremiet's famous gilt statute of St. Michael was added to the spire in 1897. Currently, Monks live and work here again, just as in medieval times: you can join them for daily mass at 12:15 pm.