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Merovingian Period (480 -713 AD)
In the 5th century, Clovis and his Frankish army conquered the old Roman kingdom of Syagrius between the Loire and Seine Rivers. Several sarcophagi, discovered in the chateau moat, are evidence of the Merovingian presence in Lavardin. Two of the sarcophagi are on display at the Vendôme Museum and several remain deep in the interior of the chateau.
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The power of the church declined after Clovis. Piety declined and superstition reigned over the land. But the missionaries of Pope Gregory the Great recommenced to evangelize the area. Numerous monasteries were built far from the corrupted civilized areas so that their member could spend there days in prayer, manual labor and meditation.
At the end of the 7th century, a monk called Richimirus obtained permission from his bishop to live in a remote place of the banks of the Loir River in order to flee the world and live like Christ. He lived in a cave near a tower called “turris dominica” (Tower of the Lord). The foundation of an old construction exists today on the hillside above the Cave of the Virgins that is believed to be the remains of the old tower. Richimer later built a monastery in a place not far away, which is today called Saint Rimay in his honor.
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| The hermitage de Saint Richimer. Lavardin, France. |
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| The cross of St. Richimer, 7th century Lavardin, France. |
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The cave of St. Richimer., 7th century, Lavardin, France |
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