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Normandy
tourism ... During the French Revolution, all the books from
the Mont-Saint-Michel abbey were deposited for
safekeeping in the town of Avranches. Among them
are 200 medieval parchment manuscripts.
Some thirty items (manuscripts and ancient books) illustrating
the intellectual and artistic activity of the Benedictine
monastery are exhibited in a superb recently renovated
old library.
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Normandy tourism
... This is one of the best collections from the
Norman era in all of Europe, outstanding in its calligraphy
and illuminated initials, the harmony of inks and
colours, its many exceptional full-page illustrations
and the diversity of knowledge it encompasses.
Guided visits are possible on request
in July and August.
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Normandy
tourism ... Because of its rich qualities,
the treasure reminds us of the importance
of the old bishopric of Avranches.
It is kept in Saint-Gervais church,
an imposing eclectic building from the second
half of the 19th century. Not to be missed
is the famous skull of Saint-Aubert,
founder of Mont-Saint-Michel, where one can
see the hole left in his forehead by the finger
of Archange Michael. Normandy
tourism ... |
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Saint Gervais'
Treasure |
religious
painting
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Normandy
tourism ... Visitors to the museum can discover
the rich past of the Avranches area from
the Middle Ages to more recent times. The collection
comprises examples of local art and traditions
as well as a replica of a rural family home - old
costumes and headwear from the Avranches area, workshops
of local craftsmen. In a vaulted Norman hall,
a monastic scriptorium has been set up with
tools, inks and pigments to recreate the atmosphere
of medieval book production. This exhibition is
a useful prelude to a visit to the Mont-Saint-Michel
manuscripts. |
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