Abbey of St Meen, Romanesque abbey in Saint-Méen-le-Grand, France.

The Abbey of St Meen in Saint-Méen-le-Grand is a composite church with a projecting transept, a north aisle, and the chapel of Saint-Vincent attached to the south side of the nave. Its orientation was reversed in 1850: the former choir now serves as the nave, while the tower, topped by a slate spire, functions as the choir. The west facade has a large pointed Gothic window with stone tracery.

A Celtic abbey called Saint-Jean de Gaël was founded around 600 by Saint Méen, nephew of Bishop Samson of Dol, with the permission of King Judicaël, who retired there and died between 648 and 652. Destroyed by Charlemagne's troops around 800 and again by Vikings in 919, it was rebuilt in 1024 by Abbot Hinguethen about 2 km from the original site and placed under Saint Méen's name. The Romanesque abbey church was altered from the 13th century, and the nave was demolished in 1771.

The abbey was first dedicated to Saint John of Gaël; it took the name of Saint Méen after the 1024 refoundation. King Judicaël of Domnonée retired here and died between 648 and 652; his tomb stood in the Saint-Michel chapel, where Abbot Robert de Coëtlogon was also buried in 1492.

The former abbey church, now the parish church, is entered from the east gable, where the portal was moved in 1850; the tower serves as the choir. The conventual buildings, rebuilt by Antoine Fagon between 1698 and 1712, were bought by the HLM company of Rennes in 1975 and turned into flats, so they are not open to visitors.

In 1177 the monastery briefly housed the remains of another revered saint that were mysteriously left within its walls. This unexpected arrival shows how important such religious centers were as destinations for sacred relics.