Eglise Saint Sauveur

The evangelization of population in the forest of Auge was initiated in the Vth century by Saint Latuin, honored as first bishop of Seez sent by the Pope and who faced incredulity and persecution, then by Saint Landry in times very disturbed by Germanic invasions.

The Merovingian dynasty converted to Christendom since Clovis, it is under their patronage that in the VIIth century, people saw Saint Ebrulf settling in the forest of Ouche, where he founded a hermitage, basis of the important Abbbey which will be called after him and will provide a safe haven to many monks, of whom later on,  the prolix Orderic Vitalis. Other lords, monks and hermits settle, christianize the population, churches are built and,

Vimoutiers, "relay for life" in the forest, halfway between Orbec and Trun, would have thus been named : Vicus monasterii, the burg of the church.

"Very modest, narrow, described without any chairs nor benches, two small altars on each side of the nave, recalling the simplicity of the first ages, certainly originally wooden-made, then rebuilt of limestones of the country,

 Saint Sauveur Church, located on the market place (map1779) vis-a-vis the communal oven, close to the Hotellerie des moines, was included in the properties given indirectly by Richard I to the Benedictines monks of Jumieges in the Xth century, in the circumstances described for the donation of Vimoutiers.

Certainly,  it was a halt of prayers for pelgrims,  because the earliest reference to the chemins Montais/Ways to Holy Michael Mount appears at Vimoutiers in 1025.

Saint Sauveur Church is demolished in 1787. Its materials will be used to enlarge the 1ere eglise Notre-Dame.

► Vestiges of Norman Abbeys