Micy Abbey

The 9th century Life of Saint Maximin records that Euspicius, the archpriest of Verdun, went to meet Clovis I, who had come to punish the city for its revolt.

While seeking a retreat in 508, Euspicius discovered an unoccupied royal villa named Micy near Orleans, situated at the confluence of the Loire and Loiret rivers.

[1] The king added other domains and a piece of land inside the walls of Orléans, called Alleu de Saint-Mesmin, to serve as a refuge in case of troubles.

Mesmin the Elder died on December 15, 520 and was buried in the current cave of the dragon of Béraire (located at La Chapelle-Saint-Mesmin), a natural cavity, on the opposite bank, where he liked to come to collect himself.

The monks of Micy contributed much to the civilization of the Orléans region; they cleared and drained the lands and taught the semi-barbarous inhabitants the worth and dignity of agricultural work.

Among the monks who lived in the monastery and who are registered in its menologe since the beginning of the establishment, Jean Mabillon noted twenty-six of them recognized as saints by the Church.

So the abbot decided to expel them from the abbey and to put in their place monks from the congregation of reformed Cistercians, called Feuillants.

The base of the cross bears the following inscription: "I stand on the ruins of the monastery of Micy founded under Clovis I, Christian, king of the Franks.

Félix Dupanloup, bishop of Orléans, dedicated this monument to the venerated memory of Saints Euspice and Mesmin, founders of the abbey of Micy."