France
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
12 sites
Basilica of Notre-Dame du Port
The Basilica of Notre-Dame du Port is a Romanesque basilica, formerly a collegiate church, in the Port quarter of Clermont-Ferrand, between Place Delille and the cathedral. From the 10th century to the French Revolution it was served by a community of canons, regular until the 13th century, and thereafter secular.
Black Madonna of Moulins
Black Madonna shrine known for Ancient pilgrimage site, healing miracles
Black Madonna of Vichy
Black Madonna shrine known for Healing spa town patron, miraculous waters association
Cathédrale Notre-Dame-du-Puy
On Mont Anis, where a sick woman once lay upon a dolmen and was healed by the Virgin's grace, one of Europe's oldest Marian sanctuaries rises in Romanesque splendor. The Black Virgin of Le Puy has drawn kings and pilgrims since the 5th century. Today, the cathedral marks the beginning of the Via Podiensis—the most popular French route to Santiago—carrying forward fifteen centuries of pilgrimage through its Byzantine domes and Moorish arches.
La Grotte des Fées
La Grotte des Fées is a cave located in Châtelperron, in the central French department of Allier.
Le Puy
Le Puy or Puy may refer to the following municipalities in France: Le Puy-en-Velay (also called Le Puy), in the Haute-Loire department Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department Le Puy-Notre-Dame, in the Maine-et-Loire department Le Puy, Gironde, in the Gironde department Le Puy, Doubs, in the Doubs department Puy-Saint-Martin, in the Drôme department
Mt. Blanc
Mt. Blanc is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 45.83262, 6.86518. Located in Courmayeur, Valle d'Aosta / Vallée d'Aoste, Italy.
Notre-Dame de Fourvière
The Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière (French: Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière) is a minor basilica in Lyon, France. It was built with private funds between 1872 and 1896 in a dominant position overlooking the city. The site it occupies was once the Roman forum of Trajan, the forum vetus (old forum), thus its name (as an inverted corruption of the French Vieux-Forum).
Notre-Dame des Malades
In the heart of old Vichy, two churches share one roof. The 18th-century chapel holds what remains of a medieval Black Virgin—her head saved by an eleven-year-old during the Revolution, her body restored 138 years later. Around her, the 1931 Art Deco church blazes with Mauméjean glass and Byzantine mosaics, creating one of France's most unexpected sacred spaces where healing—of waters and of faith—intertwines.
Our Lady of Le Puy
Black Madonna shrine known for Healing of Villa (3rd-4th century), miracle-working site, fertility stone, starting point for Santiago de Compostela pilgrimage
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Salette
Sanctuary of Our Lady of Salette is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 44.85871, 5.97872. Located in La Salette-Fallavaux, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France.
The Black Madonna of Le Puy
In Le Puy's great cathedral, on the altar where pilgrims have knelt for fifteen centuries, sits a Black Madonna only two centuries old. Her predecessor—an ebony Virgin given by Saint Louis in 1254—was guillotined and burned in the Revolution's fury. That the devotion survives this destruction, that ten thousand still process through Le Puy's streets each Assumption, speaks to something the Revolution could not kill.
Bourgogne – Franche-Comté
1 site
Notre-Dame de Bon-Espoir
Black Madonna shrine known for Liberation of Dijon from siege (1513), miraculous owl legend, healing
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
4 sites
Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Paray le-Monial
Paray le-Monial is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 46.44974, 4.12230. Located in Paray-le-Monial, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France.
Basilique de Vézelay
Vezelay is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 47.46638, 3.74874. Located in Vézelay, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France.
Pontigny
Pontigny (French pronunciation: [pɔ̃tiɲi]) is a commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France.
Reliquary of Saint Mary Magdalene at Vézelay
Beneath Vézelay's great Romanesque basilica, in a crypt that has survived Revolution and restoration, a gold-and-glass reliquary holds a small, age-darkened bone. For seven centuries, Vézelay claimed Mary Magdalene's entire body; now only this rib remains, given by the rival shrine at Saint-Maximin in an act of reconciliation. Pilgrims still descend to pray where kings once knelt.
Bretagne
5 sites
Black Madonna of Guingamp
Black Madonna of Guingamp in Guingamp, Bretagne, France.
Chêne à Guillotin
Chêne à Guillotin in Concoret, Bretagne, France.
Grand Menhir Brisé d'Er Grah
Grand Menhir Brisé d'Er Grah in Locmariaquer, Bretagne, France.
Hêtre de Ponthus
Hêtre de Ponthus in Concoret, Bretagne, France.
Tombeau de Merlin
Tombeau de Merlin in Paimpont, Bretagne, France.
Brittany
10 sites
Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours
Guingamp (French: [ɡɛ̃ɡɑ̃] ; Breton: Gwengamp [ˈɡwɛ̃ŋɡãmp]) is a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in Brittany in northwestern France. With a population of 7,115 as of 2020, Guingamp is one of the smallest towns in Europe to have a top-tier professional football team: En Avant Guingamp, which played in Ligue 1 from 2013 until 2019. Guingamp station is served by high speed trains to Brest, Rennes and Paris, and regional trains to Brest, Lannion, Carhaix, Paimpol and Rennes.
Basilique Sainte-Anne d'Auray
St. Anne d'Auray is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 47.70416, -2.95351. Located in Sainte-Anne-d'Auray, Bretagne, France.
Cairn de Gavrinis
Gavrinis (Breton: Gavriniz) is a small island in the Gulf of Morbihan in Brittany, France. It contains the Gavrinis tomb, a Neolithic passage tomb built around 4200–4000 BC, making it one of the world's oldest surviving buildings. Stones inside the passage and chamber are covered in megalithic art. It is likened to other Neolithic passage tombs such as Barnenez in Brittany and Newgrange in Ireland.
Chapelle Seinaint Corentin, Ile de Sein
Ile de Sein is a pagan holy island of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 48.03896, -4.85201. Attributes: natural, cultural, archaeological. Tradition: Pagan. Located in Quimper, Bretagne, France.
Forest of Paimpont (Broceliande Forest)
Paimpont (French pronunciation: [pɛ̃pɔ̃]; Breton: Pempont; Gallo: Penpont) is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in northwestern France. The name is a compound of Old Breton pen "head" and the Latin borrowing pont "bridge" and is first attested in the 9th century in the Latinised form Caput Pontis and then in 870 CE as Penpont. The town grew up around the abbey of Our Lady of Paimpont, which was founded by the Breton king and Catholic saint Judicael in 645 CE on the shore of a small lake now known as the Étang de Paimpont.
Foret de Huelgoat (Huelgoat High Forest)
Foret de Huelgoat is a forest of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 48.36756, -3.74455. Attributes: natural, cultural, archaeological. Tradition: Celtic. Located in Huelgoat, Bretagne, France.
La Roche aux Fées
La Roche aux Fées is a megalithic monument of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 47.93631, -1.40458. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological. Tradition: Prehistoric. Mythological context: Fairy folklore. Located in Essé, Bretagne, France.
La Table des Marchands, Locmariaquer
La Table des Marchands, Locmariaquer, France is a megalithic tomb of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 47.57162, -2.94981. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological. Located in Locmariaquer, Bretagne, France.
Megaliths of Carnac
Carnac (French pronunciation: [kaʁnak]; Breton: Karnag, pronounced [ˈkaːʁnaɡ]) is a commune beside the Gulf of Morbihan on the south coast of Brittany in the Morbihan department in north-western France. Its inhabitants are called Carnacois in French. Carnac is renowned for the Carnac stones – one of the most extensive Neolithic menhir collections in the world – as well as its beaches, which are popular with tourists. Located on a narrow peninsula halfway between the medieval town Vannes and the seaside resort Quiberon, Carnac is split into two centres: Carnac-Ville and Carnac-Plage (the beachfront). In total there are five beaches, including la Grande Plage, and further to the east, Plage Men Dû and Beaumer.
Menhir de Champ-Dolent
Nine and a half meters of pinkish granite rise from a field near Dol-de-Bretagne—100 tonnes hauled four kilometers by people who left no written record. Legend says the stone fell from the sky to separate two brothers about to kill each other, blood flowing enough to turn a millwheel. Another legend says it is sinking, slowly, into the earth—and when it disappears, the world will end. Historic Monument since 1889.
Centre-Val de Loire
5 sites
Basilica of Saint Martin
Basilique Saint Martin is a basilica of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 47.39288, 0.68302. Attributes: built, cultural, pilgrimage. Tradition: Christianity. Associated figure: Saint Martin. Located in Tours, Centre-Val de Loire, France.
Bourges Cathedral
Bourges ( BOORZH; French: [buʁʒ] ; Borges in Berrichon) is a commune in central France on the river Yèvre. It is the capital of the department of Cher, and also was the capital city of the former province of Berry.
Chartres Cathedral
Chartres (French pronunciation: [ʃaʁtʁ] ) is the prefecture of the Eure-et-Loir department in the Centre-Val de Loire region in France. It is located about 90 km (56 mi) southwest of Paris. At the 2019 census, there were 170,763 inhabitants in the metropolitan area of Chartres (as defined by the INSEE), 38,534 of whom lived in the city (commune) of Chartres proper. Chartres is famous worldwide for its cathedral. Mostly constructed between 1193 and 1250, this Gothic cathedral is in an exceptional state of preservation. The majority of the original stained glass windows survive intact, while the architecture has seen only minor changes since the early 13th century. Part of the old town, including most of the library associated with the School of Chartres, was destroyed by Allied bombs in 1944.
Church of St. Aignan
Church of St. Aignan, Chartres is a church of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 48.44474, 1.49028. Attributes: built, cultural. Tradition: Christianity. Associated figure: St. Aignan. Located in Chartres, Centre-Val de Loire, France.
Notre-Dame de Sous-Terre (Our Lady Under the Earth)
Black Madonna shrine known for Ancient healing shrine, pilgrimage site since pre-Christian times, fertility and abundance, spiritual transformation
Corsica
5 sites
Filitosa
Filitosa is a megalithic site in southern Corsica, France. The period of occupation spans from the end of the Neolithic era and the beginning of the Bronze Age, until around the Roman times in Corsica.
Fontanaccia Dolmen
Fortanaccia Dolmen is a dolmen of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 41.52944, 8.91812. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological. Located in Sartène, Corse, France.
Palaghju (Palaggiu) Alignment
Palaggui Menhirs is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 41.55679, 8.88680. Located in Sartène, Corse, France.
Rehaghiu (Rinaghju) Menhirs
Rehaghiu Menhirs is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 41.52694, 8.92115. Located in Sartène, Corse, France.
Stantari Menhirs
Stantari Menhirs is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 41.53025, 8.92119. Located in Sartène, Corse, France.
Grand Est
2 sites
Reims Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims)
Reims ( REEMZ; French: [ʁɛ̃s] ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies 129 km (80 mi) northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by the Gauls, Reims became a major city in the Roman Empire. Reims later played a prominent ceremonial role in French monarchical history as the traditional site of the coronation of the kings of France. The royal anointing was performed at the Cathedral of Reims, which housed the Holy Ampulla of chrism allegedly brought by a white dove at the baptism of Frankish king Clovis I in 496. For this reason, Reims is often referred to in French as la cité des sacres ("the Coronation City"). Reims is recognized for the diversity of its heritage, ranging from Romanesque to Art-déco. Reims Cathedral, the adjacent Palace of Tau, and the Abbey of Saint-Remi were listed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 because of their outstanding Romanesque and Gothic architecture and their historical importance to the French monarchy. Reims also lies on the northern edge of the Champagne wine region and is linked to its production and export.
Saint Odile Spring, Mont St. Odile
Mont St. Odile is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 48.43333, 7.40000. Located in Ottrott, Grand Est, France.
Hauts-de-France
1 site
Cathedral of Our Lady of Amiens
Amiens is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 49.89463, 2.30205. Located in Amiens, Hauts-de-France, France.
Île-de-France
7 sites
Chapelle de Picpus in Paris
Chapelle de Picpus in Paris in Paris, Île-de-France, France.
Chapelle Notre-Dame de Bonne Délivrance
Chapelle Notre-Dame de Bonne Délivrance in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Île-de-France, France.
Eglise Notre-Dame de Pontoise
Eglise Notre-Dame de Pontoise in Pontoise, Île-de-France, France.
La Madeleine (Church of Saint Mary Magdalene)
Fifty-two Corinthian columns surround a church that looks nothing like a church. No cross. No bell tower. Napoleon wanted a temple to military glory; what emerged is Paris's shrine to Mary Magdalene—the woman who witnessed crucifixion and resurrection, first to see the risen Christ. Inside the neoclassical shell: colored marble, gilded domes, the saint ascending to heaven above the altar, and a Cavaillé-Coll organ that drew Saint-Saëns and Fauré as organists.
Mary Magdalene's Bone at La Madeleine
In the great neoclassical church that Paris dedicated to Mary Magdalene, a reliquary near the altar holds what is claimed to be a bone of the saint herself. She who first saw the risen Christ, who ran to tell the apostles 'He is risen,' is made present through this relic—one of many fragments scattered across France from the woman tradition says preached thirty years in Provence.
Our Lady of Good Deliverance
Our Lady of Good Deliverance, Paris in Neuilly-sur-Seine, Île-de-France, France.
Our Lady of Peace
Our Lady of Peace, Paris in Paris, Île-de-France, France.
Lot
2 sites
Our Lady of Rocamadour
Black Madonna shrine known for 126 documented miracles, healing sick and crippled, curing infertility, rescuing sailors, miraculous bell rings during sea rescues (1385-1617)
The Sanctuary of Rocamadour
Rocamadour (French pronunciation: [ʁɔkamaduʁ]; Rocamador in Occitan) is a commune in the Lot department in southwestern France. It lies in the former province of Quercy. It is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) Association. Rocamadour has attracted visitors for its setting in a gorge above a tributary of the River Dordogne and especially for its historical monuments and its sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which for centuries, dating back to the turn of the 12th century, has attracted historical and anonymous pilgrims from many countries, among them kings, bishops and nobles (including Henry II of England, Simon de Montfort, Blanche of Castile and Saint Louis IX of France, Saint Dominic and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, among other illustrious figures). The town below the complex of monastic buildings and pilgrimage churches, traditionally dependent on the pilgrimage site and now on the tourist trade, lies near the river on the lowest slopes; it gives its name to Rocamadour, a small goat's-milk cheese that was awarded AOC status in 1996.
Metropolitan France
1 site
Black Madonna of Pontoise
Black Madonna shrine known for Medieval pilgrimage site, healing miracles
Normandy
4 sites
Basilica of Our Lady of Deliverance, Douvries-la-Delivrande
This is a complete list of basilicas of the Catholic Church. A basilica is a church with certain privileges conferred on it by the Pope. Not all churches with "basilica" in their title actually have the ecclesiastical status, which can lead to confusion, since it is also an architectural term for a church-building style. In the 18th century, the term took on a canonical sense, unrelated to this architectural style. Basilicas in this canonical sense are divided into major ("greater") and minor basilicas. Today only four of them, all in the Diocese of Rome, are classified as major basilicas: the major basilicas of St John Lateran, St Peter's, St Paul outside the Walls, and St Mary Major. All other canonical basilicas, currently over 1,800 in total, are minor basilicas. By canon law no Catholic church can be honoured with the title of basilica unless by apostolic grant or from immemorial custom. The Basilica di San Nicola da Tolentino was the first minor basilica to be canonically created, in 1783. The 1917 Code of Canon Law officially recognised churches using the title of basilica from immemorial custom as having such a right to the title of minor basilica. Such churches are referred to as immemorial basilicas.
Basilica of Sainte-Therese of Lisieux
Two million visitors arrive each year at Lisieux to encounter Saint Thérèse—a Carmelite nun who died at 24 and revolutionized Catholic spirituality. Her 'Little Way' teaches that holiness comes through small acts of love. The basilica's Art Deco mosaics tell her story; her relics anchor it. This is France's second-largest pilgrimage site after Lourdes.
Mont-Saint-Michele
Mont-Saint-Michele is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 48.63602, -1.51111. Located in Le Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandie, France.
Our Lady of Deliverance
Douvries-la-Delivrande is a basilica of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 49.29840, -0.37205. Attributes: built, cultural, pilgrimage. Tradition: Christianity. Associated figure: Our Lady of Deliverance. Mythological context: Celtic. Located in Douvres-la-Délivrande, Normandie, France.
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
1 site
Tumulus of Bougon, Bougon
Tumulus of Bougon, Bougon, France is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 46.37805, -0.06736. Located in Bougon, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France.
Occitania
9 sites
Basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus
Within the medieval walls of Carcassonne, the Basilique Saint-Nazaire has welcomed worshippers since the 6th century. Pope Urban II blessed its stones in 1096 while preaching the First Crusade. Today, Romanesque nave and Gothic choir stand in harmony, filled with some of the finest stained glass in southern France. The church remains active, offering what it has offered for nearly 1,500 years: a space set apart for the sacred.
Black Madonna of Daurade
Black Madonna shrine known for Fertility and childbirth miracles, patroness of women in labor
Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a French fortified city in the department of Aude, region of Occitania. It is the prefecture of the department. Inhabited since the Neolithic Period, Carcassonne is located in the plain of the Aude between historic trade routes, linking the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea and the Massif Central to the Pyrénées. Its strategic importance was quickly recognised by the Romans, who occupied its hilltop until the demise of the Western Roman Empire. In the fifth century, the region of Septimania was taken over by the Visigoths, who founded the city of Carcassonne in the newly established Visigothic Kingdom. Its citadel, known as the Cité de Carcassonne, is a medieval fortress dating back to the Gallo-Roman period and restored by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc between 1853 and 1879. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997 because of the exceptional preservation and restoration of the medieval citadel. Consequently, Carcassonne relies heavily on tourism but also counts manufacturing and winemaking as some of its other key economic sectors.
Lourdes Sanctuary
Lourdes (, also US: , French: [luʁd] ; Occitan: Lorda [ˈluɾðɔ]) is a market town situated in the Pyrenees. It is part of the Hautes-Pyrénées department in the Occitanie region in southwestern France. Prior to the mid-19th century, the town was best known for its Château fort, a fortified castle that rises up from a rocky escarpment at its center. In 1858, Lourdes rose to prominence in France and abroad due to the Marian apparitions to the peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous (later canonized a saint by the Catholic Church for her virtuous life). Shortly thereafter, the city and its Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes became among the world's most important sites for pilgrimage and religious tourism.
Montsegur
Montsegur is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 42.87576, 1.83318. Located in Montségur, Occitanie, France.
Mt. Canigou
Mt. Canigou is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 42.52820, 2.40099. Located in Casteil, Occitanie, France.
Rennes le Chateau
Rennes le Chateau is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 42.92787, 2.26198. Located in Rennes-le-Château, Occitanie, France.
St. Guilhem le Desert
St. Guilhem le De'sert is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 43.73399, 3.54945. Located in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, Occitanie, France.
The Sainte-Foy abbey church in Conques
Conques (French pronunciation: [kɔ̃k]; Languedocien: Concas) is a former commune in the Aveyron department in Southern France, in the Occitania region. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune of Conques-en-Rouergue.
Occitanie
6 sites
Abbey of Saint-Martin-du-Canigou
Abbey of Saint-Martin-du-Canigou in Casteil, Occitanie, France.
Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Daurade
Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Daurade in Toulouse, Occitanie, France.
Basilica of Our Lady of Marceille
On a hilltop outside Limoux, a Gothic basilica guards one of France's most poignant Black Madonnas. Legend says a plowman found her statue and took it home three times; three times she returned to this spot. A chapel rose, then a church, then basilica status in 1905. In 2007, vandals decapitated her and stole the head. She stands now with a reproduction—diminished in artifact, undimmed in devotion.
Chair of Isis (Throne of Isis)
High above the thermal village of Rennes-les-Bains, a granite seat carved into the forest floor has drawn seekers for centuries. Known to locals as the Devil's Armchair—a name given by the Church to sites it could not suppress—contemporary practitioners call it the Throne of Isis, approaching it as an initiatory seat of power for feminine mysteries. The adjacent sacred spring and position within a landscape of geometric alignments mark it as a place where something persists.
Chapel of Saint-Salvayre
At the end of a rutted road climbing from Alet-les-Bains, a small chapel sits at the edge of sky and mountain. Rough stone walls, Romanesque sculptures rescued from destroyed churches, a mysterious stone pillar by the entrance. Many who enter report strange energy from the altar and the pillar—something primal that predates the Christian dedication. The name means 'Holy Saviour'; a nearby hill is called 'The Dead Man.'
Grotto of Lourdes (Grotto of Massabiell)
Grotto of Lourdes (Grotto of Massabiell) in Lourdes, Occitanie, France.
Pays de la Loire
2 sites
Cathedral of St. Julian
Cathedral of St. Julian, Le Mans is a cathedral of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 48.00924, 0.19884. Attributes: built, cultural. Tradition: Christianity. Associated figure: St. Julian. Located in Le Mans, Pays de la Loire, France.
Dolmen de la Madeleine
La Madeleine Dolmen is a dolmen of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 47.33169, -0.23501. Attributes: built, cultural, archaeological. Located in Gennes-Val-de-Loire, Pays de la Loire, France.
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
13 sites
Abbey of Saint-Victor
Rising fortress-like above Marseille's ancient harbor, the Abbey of Saint-Victor descends through sixteen centuries of unbroken prayer. The crypt holds one of France's richest collections of early Christian sarcophagi—and a Black Madonna whose February procession draws thousands to receive blessed candles and boat-shaped biscuits, continuing traditions older than anyone can remember.
Arles
Arles ( ARL(Z), US also AR-əl, French: [aʁl]; Provençal: Arle [ˈaʀle] in both classical and Mistralian norms; Classical Latin: Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of Provence. A large part of the Camargue, the largest wetlands in France, is located within the territory of the commune, which is the largest in Metropolitan France in terms of geographic territory. In non-metropolitan France, Maripasoula in French Guiana is the largest French commune in general. The commune's land area is roughly similar to that of Singapore. The city has a long history, and was of considerable importance in the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis. The Roman and Romanesque Monuments of Arles were listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1981 for their testimony to the history of the region. The city is famous for being the archdiocese of Caesarius of Arles and Hilary of Arles. Additionally, many artists have lived and worked in this area, including Pablo Picasso, Paul Gauguin and Jacques Réattu. The Dutch post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh lived in Arles from 1888 to 1889, and produced over 300 paintings and drawings during his time there. These are held in internationally known museums and private collections around the world. An international photography festival has been held annually in the city since 1970.
Black Madonna of Aix
Black Madonna shrine known for Protection during plague, ancient pilgrimage site
Chapelle du Saint-Pilon
At 994 meters atop the Sainte-Baume massif, a small stone chapel marks the legendary spot where angels lifted Mary Magdalene seven times daily for divine sustenance. The climb through ancient forest to this wind-swept summit rewards pilgrims with 360-degree views extending to the Mediterranean—a fitting complement to the grotto below where the saint spent her earthly hermitage.
Church of Our Lady of Good Repos
In the village of Montfavet, outside Avignon, a Gothic church carries the name its cardinal founder chose in 1341: Notre-Dame de Bon Repos, Our Lady of Good Rest. Built during the Avignon Papacy as both monastery and burial place, the church preserves a 14th-century statue of the Virgin and figured corbels depicting human virtues and vices. Less touristed than Avignon's famous sites, it offers encounter with medieval devotion.
Church of the Saintes Maries de la Mer
Sts. Marie de la Mer is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 43.45157, 4.42798. Located in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.
La Sainte-Baume, Grotto of Mary Magdalene
La Sainte-Baume, Grotto of Mary Magdalene is a grotto of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 43.45739, 6.90168. Attributes: natural, cultural, pilgrimage. Tradition: Christianity. Associated figure: Mary Magdalene. Mythological context: Christianity. Located in Saint-Raphaël, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux (French: [mɔ̃ vɑ̃tu]; Provençal: Ventor [venˈtu]) is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km (12 miles) northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the department of Drôme. At 1,910 m (6,270 ft), it is the highest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Beast of Provence", the "Giant of Provence", or "The Bald Mountain". It has gained fame through its inclusion in the Tour de France cycling race; in 2009 it was the scene of the first penultimate-day mountain top finish in the Tour de France, with Alberto Contador sealing his yellow jersey. As the name suggests (venteux means windy in French), it can get windy at the summit, especially with the mistral; wind speeds as high as 320 km/h (200 mph) have been recorded. The wind blows at over 90 km/h (56 mph) for 240 days a year. The road over the mountain is often closed due to high winds, especially the col des tempêtes ("storm pass") just before the summit, which is known for its strong winds. In the 10th century, the names Mons Ventosus and Mons Ventorius appear. Mont Ventoux, although geologically part of the Alps, is often considered to be separate from them, due to the lack of mountains of a similar height nearby. It stands alone to the north of the Luberon range, separated by the Monts de Vaucluse, and just to the east of the Dentelles de Montmirail, its foothills. The top of the mountain is bare limestone without vegetation or trees, which makes the mountain's barren peak appear from a distance to be snow-capped all year round (its snow cover actually only lasts from December to April). Its isolated position overlooking the valley of the Rhône ensures that it dominates the entire region and can be seen from a long distance away on a clear day.
Notre-Dame de Confession (Our Lady of Confession)
Black Madonna shrine known for Green candles tradition, Candlemas celebration, protection of sailors
Saint Sarah
Saint Sarah in Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.
Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, Basilica of Mary Magdalene
Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, Basilica of Mary Magdalene is a site of sacred significance. Approximate coordinates: 43.45241, 5.86356. Located in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France.
Skelton of Mary Magdalene at Saint Maximin la Sainte-Baume
Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ maksimɛ̃ la sɛ̃t bom]; Occitan: Sant Maissemin de la Santa Bauma) is a commune in the southeastern French department of Var, in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Located 40 km (25 mi) east of Aix-en-Provence, the town lies at the foot of the Sainte-Baume mountains. Baume or bama is the Provençal equivalent of cave. The town's basilica is dedicated to Mary Magdalene.
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Laghet
Black Madonna shrine known for Healing shrine, fertility blessings, located on ley-lines with healing energy