Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman. G&Hican, and Benedictine Martyrologies. Authority: A life by an anonymous writer of the 9th cent.] Leutfried was sprung from a noble family at Evreux, in Normandy, and was educated in the abbey of S. Taurinius in that city. He ended his studies at Chartres. Then, renouncing the world, he built a hermitage, into which he forbade women to set foot, and spent his time in instructing children and poor ignorant people. Next the desire to go elsewhere came over him, and he rambled to Cailly, in the diocese of Rouen, where he placed himself under the direction of a holy solitary named Bertrand.

Some time after, he entered the monastery of S. Ouen, under the direction of S. Sidonius, about 674. S. Ansbert, bishop of Rouen, entertained the highest esteem for S. Leutfried, and advised him to return to Evreux, and introduce the monastic order into that diocese. Leutfried obeyed, and having found a suitable spot on the banks of the Eure, at two leagues distance from Evreux, where S. Ouen had raised a wooden cross in memorial of a luminous cross he had seen there, built a chapel under the invocation of that holy prelate, and afterwards a monastery, which at first bore the name of Croix S. Ouen, but which was afterwards changed into Croix S. Leufiroi. A numerous community assembled around this wise and holy founder. His gentleness was mingled with severity. When a brother died, and was discovered to have in some trifling particulars violated the holy vow of poverty, Leutfried refused to allow him sepulture.

He is said to have been favoured with the gift of miracles during his life. The refectory swarmed with flies one hot summer day, and gnats from the marshes stung and tormented his monks. The abbot is said to have uttered his malison, and instantly the floor of the refectory was strewn with the corpses of the troublesome insects.

He died in the year 738, after having exercised the function of abbot for forty years. He was buried in the church of S. Paul that he had built, but his body was afterwards translated to the monastery of S. Croix. In art he is represented with flies, or with children whom he is instructing.