Rothéneuf is a village in the north west of France, situated north-east from Saint-Malo, about five kilometres alongside the coast. Administratively, it is part of the commune of Saint-Malo, in the département of Ille-et-Vilaine. The village is a seaside resort but is famous for its sculpted rocks, "rochers sculptés". Abbé Fouré, having suffered a stroke at the age of 30, which left him paralyzed on one side, retreated to a life as a hermit in the cliffs of Rothéneuf.