A priest from France, Goar became a hermit near Oberwesel. The local bishop accused him of sorcery, but Goar was cleared of the charge by King Sigebert. The bishop was deposed because of this and Goar was offered his luxurious home, but he preferred to return to his hermitage. Emperor Charlemagne later erected a church over St. Goar’s former hermitage and the town named after him grew around it.