Saint-Mihiel - Saint-Michael

Saint-Mihiel developed around a convent founded by Count Wulfoalde and his wife Adalsinde around 708. Smaragdus of Saint-Mihiel (author of the "Via Regia"), who had best contacts to Charlemagne, for whom he did diplomatic voyages, was abbot here from 814 on.

Later the abbey attracted lots of pilgrims, as since 779 the relics of Saint Anatole, Bishop of Cahors, were kept here.

The Abbey existed upto the French Revolution, when it was dissolved. Some decades earlier (1734) the tombs of the founders Wulfoalde and Adalsinde had been discovered in the abbey.

Over centuries the abbey was known for its library of about 9000 books. The books and manuscripts are still here.

In WWI the frontline run right through here (Verdun is only about 40kms north). In 1914 Saint-Mihiel was captured by the Germans and was finally re-captured in 1918.

The library had suffered as well and the most famous 9th-century manuscript on the Holy Trinity by Pseudo-Athanasius, was obviously stolen. It was discovered in a Hamburg bookshop in 2007 and reintegrated into the collection.

The abbey church seen today is from the end of the 17th/ early 18th century.