from west to east, the
granite ground of Avranches is narrower, and only from two to four
kilometers large. These granite grounds are both surrounded by a
metamorphic ring formed with schist rocks and grauwack (a kind of
schist) rocks. The ground of Saint-Pair is a flysch (detritic ground)
formed with grauwack rocks, siltit rocks et black argilit rocks with
some schist inside. The ground of Granville is a flysch formed with
grauwack rocks alternating with schist rocks. Map by Marie Lebert.

[Illustration]

008. Saint-Martin-le-Vieux. Location. The village of
Saint-Martin-le-Vieux is located between Brehal and the sea, near the
haven of the Venlee, 2 kilometers west of Brehal and 9 kilometers north
of Granville. The village was situated on the medieval road coming from
Cherbourg and going to Saint-Pair-sur-Mer to reach Mont Saint-Michel,
the final destination for many pilgrims.

[Illustration]

009. Saint-Martin-le-Vieux. The church, in ruins, stands on a hill. The
church was under St Martin's patronage, and the second saint was St.
Eutropius. The parish belonged to the deanery of St-Pair and the
archidiachone of Coutances. Foulques Paynel, probably a relative of
Guillaume Paynel, founder of the Abbey of Hambye in 1145, gave to the
abbey part of the tithe of the parish of Saint-Martin-le-Vieux, a
donation mentioned in the cartulary of the Abbey of Hambye. During the
French Revolution, the church was used as an arsenal and all its
furniture was sold. It became a church again in 1801 but, as it was
threatening to collapse around 1804 or 1805, it was no longer used.
Since that time, the parish of Saint-Martin-le-Vieux is part of the
parish of Brehal. Photo by Claude Rayon. [Claude-01]

[Illustration]

010. Saint-Martin-le-Vieux. The Romanesque ruins, with a double belfry
added in the 16th century. The ruins were overgrown by vegetation for a
while. The masonry is made of irregular blocks in schist and granite.
The arches and abutments of the openings are in granite. The schist is
the local stone. The granit could come from the granite ground of Vire
a few miles south. Photo by Alain Dermigny. [Alain-002]

[Illustration]

011. Saint-Martin-le-Vieux. The Romanesque ruins. Between the choir and
the nave, a double belfry (double because intended for two bells) was
added in the 16th century, and built in pink granite from Chausey (an
island not far from Granville). Photo by Alain Dermigny. [Alain-003]