Aldric grew up at the court of Charlemagne at Aix-la-Chapelle and then at the court of his son Louis. Both rulers thought highly of him. At about twenty-one he withdrew to Metz and became a priest, but Louis called him back to court to be his confessor.

Nine years after his ordination he was made Bishop of Le Mans. Besides his holiness he showed real civic spirit: he built aqueducts and churches, restored monasteries and ransomed captives.

In the civil wars after Louis died he stayed loyal to Charles the Bald and was driven from his see. He went to Rome, and Pope Gregory IV restored him. With Bishop Erchenrad of Paris he persuaded Pepin, King of Aquitaine, to give back church lands his party had seized. He took part in the Councils of Paris and Tours and was bishop for twenty-four years.

S. Aldric was born about the year 800. When aged fourteen his father sent him to the court of Louis the Pious.

​Aldric, Saint, Bishop of Le Mans in the time of Louis le Débonnaire, b. c. 800; d. at Le Mans, 7 January, 856. As a youth he lived in the court of Charlemagne [king of the Franks, crowned emperor in 800], at Aix la Chapelle, as well as in that of his son and successor Louis. By both monarchs he was highly esteemed, but when only twenty-one, he withdrew to Metz and became a priest, only to be recalled to court by Louis, who took him as the guide of his conscience. Nine years after his ordination he was made Bishop of Le Mans, and, besides being conspicuous for the most exalted virtue, was distinguished by his civic spirit in constructing aqueducts, as well as for building churches, restoring monasteries, ran.soming captives, etc. In the civil wars that followed the death of Louis, his fidelity to Charles the Bald resulted in his expulsion from his see, and he withdrew to Rome. Gregory IV reinstated him. With the Bishop of Paris, Erchenrad, he, as a deputy of the Council of Aix la Chapelle, visited Pepin, who was then King of Aquitaine, and persuaded him to cause all the possessions of the Church which had been seized by those of his party to be restored. We find him during his lifetime taking part in the Councils of Paris and Tours. His episcopate lasted twenty-four years.

Acta SS., I, January; Butler, Lives of the Saints, 7 January.