Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman and Gallican Martyrologies. Usuardus, and Maurolycus. Authority:—An ancient life written after the destruction of the original life by the Danes when they burnt the monastery of S. Germain.

S. Droctoveus, vulgarly called in France S. Drotté, was born in the diocese of Autun, in Burgundy. In his youth he was placed with S. Germain, in the abbey of S. Symphorian, at Autun, of which he was abbot. He was formed there upon the most perfect model of virtue. S. Germain having been elevated to the bishopric of Paris, wished to continue to live as a monk. Wherefore he withdrew his disciple Droctoveus from the abbey of S. Symphorian, and brought him to Paris. King Childebert having built a church in which to place the stole of S. Vincent, which he had carried back with him from Saragossa in the year 542, on his return from his Spanish expedition, and chosen this church as his place of sepulture, he was buried there in 558, and S. Germain dedicated the church on the same day as his burial, under the title SS. Cross and Vincent. He established a monastery adjoining it, over which he set S. Droctoveus, with whose virtues he was well acquainted. Droctoveus governed the monastery for twenty years, and established its fame. The monks afterwards embraced the rule of S. Benedict [father of Western monks (d. c. 547), author of the Rule], and the house and church took the name of S. Germain after the body of that prelate had been transferred to it.