Saint-Michel-de-Feins was a small rural commune in northwestern France. As a former commune it is often described in local records and guides as Saint-Michel-de-Feins. The settlement typified many low‑population communes in the French countryside, with a recorded population of 136 inhabitants in 1999 according to available demographic summaries (1999 data).
Location and administrative context
The locality lies within the Pays de la Loire region and belongs to the Mayenne department in the northwest of France. These larger administrative units situate the village within regional councils and departmental services: Pays de la Loire and Mayenne. The broader national context is, of course, the French Republic (France).
Characteristics and origins
The place name combines a dedication to Saint Michael with a local toponym, a common pattern in northern France that points to ecclesiastical influence and long habitation. As with many small communes, its landscape was predominantly agricultural and residential, with local roads connecting it to nearby villages and market towns.
Merger and recent development
On 1 January 2019 Saint-Michel-de-Feins ceased to exist as an independent commune when it was merged into the new commune of Bierné-les-Villages. This kind of consolidation reflects a national policy encouraging voluntary mergers to pool resources, simplify administration and respond to demographic change Bierné-les-Villages.
Why it matters
- Example of rural administrative organization in modern France.
- Illustrates trends such as depopulation of small villages and commune mergers.
- Useful for regional studies, genealogy and local history research.
For readers interested in further details—historical records, maps, or contemporary administrative arrangements—local departmental archives and municipal notices are the usual sources. The evolution of Saint-Michel-de-Feins into part of Bierné-les-Villages is one small instance of wider territorial reforms affecting many rural communities in France.
Additional official listings and summaries can be consulted via regional pages and demographic reports where the former commune is still referenced as Saint-Michel-de-Feins or in documents concerning Bierné-les-Villages.