156. Saint-Léonard-de-Vains. Winter panorama. The village and its priory church under the snow, at the end of the winter. Photo by Alain Dermigny. [Alain-084]
157. Saint-Léonard-de-Vains. Winter panorama. The village and its priory church, seen a little closer, at the end of the winter. Photo by Alain Dermigny. [Alain-085]
158. Saint-Léonard-de-Vains. Spring panorama taken from inside the priory. From there, the Mont Saint-Michel seems to open itself to pilgrims and travellers. Saint-Léonard is a very old village. St. Leonard lived there in the 6th century before being elected the eighth bishop of Avranches in 578. The village was then invaded by the Normans in the 9th century. After the Norman conquest, the village was part of the duke of Normandy's territory, and the fief of the lords of Vains. In 1087, shortly before his death, William the Conqueror gave the priory to the Abbey of Saint-Etienne in Caen. In 1158, Henry II confirmed this donation, which included a mansion, arable lands and vineyards, as well as salines with the right to fish and to collect kelp. Photo by Claude Rayon. [Claude-47]
