A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Alpis
ALPIS, or ALPAIS, (DE CUDOT) a pious French Woman, who flourished in the Diocese of Sens, at the End of the Twelfth Century.
This young woman is mentioned in L'Histoire Litteraire de la France, as having, in a sort of vision or ecstacy, an idea of the form of the globe, similar to those of late geographers. She reported, that she saw the whole world as one compact body. The sun appeared larger to her than the earth, which hung like an egg suspended in the middle of the air, and was on all sides surrounded with water. This idea, which perhaps some simple observation first gave rise to in the mind of Alpis, served not in the least to rectify the false opinions which then prevailed, or give rise to any doubts or research. It was most likely considered by the wise as merely the dream of a visionary.