Ann Sieben, an American walker, travels across France to visit villages bearing the name of Saint-Martin (or derivatives such as Dommartin, Dammartin, etc.), thus following in the footsteps of Martin de Tours. She was passing through Dammartin-sur-Meuse on Tuesday, Saint-Martin-lès-Langres on Wednesday, and Saint-Martin-sur-la-Renne on Thursday, before Dommartin-le Franc and Dommartin-le-Saint-Père.
A former nuclear engineer in the United States, Ann Sieben chose to change her life more than 20 years ago. She has since traveled the great roads of the world. Its objective is to share the meaning of its walk and to strengthen the links between the municipalities bearing the name of Saint-Martin and other derived words, as well as those which mark its route.
Ann Sieben, a beggar pilgrim certified by the Society of Servant Pilgrims, an official association of Christian faith based in Denver, Colorado, in the United States, began a tour of France of the Saint-Martin communes on foot , having already completed several routes since the summer of 2021: the first in the northwest of the country, the second in the southwest and the third in the southeast, up to Corsica.
During these three pilgrimages, Ann has already visited 172 communes out of 281 bearing the name of Saint-Martin. Driven by a deep spiritual quest, this 61-year-old pilgrim traveled approximately 2,500 kilometers on foot, without money, relying on the hospitality of locals for room and board.
Through this journey, she wishes to promote peace and sharing while paying tribute to the cultural and religious heritage of each commune crossed. His journey, undertaken with commitment and in a spirit of sharing, allows him to meet numerous mayors, elected officials and residents of the communities he passes through.
She resumed her pilgrimage to the East of France on November 11, 2024, the supposed date of the birth of Saint Martin. Ann Sieben began her fourth pilgrimage starting from the Basilica of Saint-Martin in Tours.
-Tuesday January 14, she left Dommartin-sur-Vraine (Vosges) and after 39 km covered during the day, she arrived in Dammartin-sur-Meuse where she was welcomed very warmly by the mayor Joël Mille, some members of the municipal council and Marie Blanche Pierre, president of the festival committee.
On the morning of January 15, she left towards Saint-Loup-sur Aujon after a stop in Saint-Martin-les-Langres.
Direction Dommartin-le-Saint-Père
This Thursday, coming from the monastery of Saint-Loup-sur-Aujon, Ann stopped at Saint-Martin-sur-la-Renne which is, this year, her 54th stop out of 66. She was welcomed by Françoise Guillaumot, mayor of the town, and Emmanuel Drouot, deputy mayor of Saint Martin. Gilles Bresset and Anne-Sophie Duprels offered her room and board for this night before the next walk which will take her to Dommartin-le-Franc and Dommartin-le-Saint-Père before the 55th stage in Précy-Saint-Martin, in Dawn.
She will end her journey this year on February 5 in Tours before flying to the USA. Note that over the past 20 years, Ann Sieben has traveled 86,000 km of pilgrimages in 45 countries including the Camino de Santiago and the Via Francigena.
From our correspondents
Jean-Pierre Lafosse and Dominique Vella
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