Saint-Michel-en-l'Herm Abbey, Saint-Michel-en-l'Herm, France

The Abbey of Saint-Michel-en-l'Herm dates from 682 AD when it was constructed by Benedictine monks from Noirmoutier. It was destroyed by Vikings in 877 AD. The new church was completed in 1047.

In 1569, Protestants attacked it, killing approximately 200 monks. The motives for the attack are still debated, but one theory is that the attackers sought treasure and manuscripts hidden by the Bishop of Luçon.

The final destruction took place during the French Revolution when the abbey was confiscated and most of buildings destroyed.

User Reviews

Thib64 M (2 years ago)
Great place steeped in history. The guide was great ?.

Chantal Panem (2 years ago)
Interesting visit and brought to life by an enthusiastic, competent and caring young guide. To be completed with a visit to the André Deluol sculpture museum

Alain DECHAUX (2 years ago)
Very informative visit with a rather original living guide... if you are in the area, don't miss it to relive a moment in the history of France...

Vasseur Tiffany (2 years ago)
very pretty, guide Clément very nice, too bad not to see a little more.. but very interesting, my children liked it (10,7,4) to do!! and great low price

Louise FONTAINE (3 years ago)
A place worth the detour. Clément is an outstanding guide who makes the visit lively and interactive. I had a great time. I would like to thank him for the quality of his work.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Christian Lauw

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Wieskirche

The Pilgrimage Church of Wies (Wieskirche) is an oval rococo church, designed in the late 1740s by Dominikus Zimmermann. It is located in the foothills of the Alps in the municipality of Steingaden.

The sanctuary of Wies is a pilgrimage church extraordinarily well-preserved in the beautiful setting of an Alpine valley, and is a perfect masterpiece of Rococo art and creative genius, as well as an exceptional testimony to a civilization that has disappeared.

The hamlet of Wies, in 1738, is said to have been the setting of a miracle in which tears were seen on a simple wooden figure of Christ mounted on a column that was no longer venerated by the Premonstratensian monks of the Abbey. A wooden chapel constructed in the fields housed the miraculous statue for some time. However, pilgrims from Germany, Austria, Bohemia, and even Italy became so numerous that the Abbot of the Premonstratensians of Steingaden decided to construct a splendid sanctuary.

Saint-Michel-en-l'Herm Abbey

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