Villes Sanctuaires in France

Thousands of people from around the world gather every year to the 19 highly spiritual places of the Villes Sanctuaires de France. 

Often labelled as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, they are all recognised for their international importance. The shrines include world-renowned places of worship such as Lourdes or the Mont Saint-Michel as well as spiritual retreats high in the mountains, seaside basilicas and grandiose cathedrals.  Each destination is unique, with its own traditions, architecture, food and a wide range of activities available nearby, providing an unforgettable experience to travellers searching for spirituality, wellbeing and culture.

From retreats to Christian pilgrimages, from cultural exploration to new discoveries, the Villes Sanctuaires Association will help you add a sense of purpose to your journey.

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Alençon

Set in the heart of Normandy between Mont Saint-Michel and Paris, the country town of Alençon is the birthplace of Saint Thérèse de Lisieux. It is also famous worldwide for its exquisite lace and the Alençon needle point, part of the ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ initiative by UNESCO. 

Alençon

Ars

A mi-chemin entre Lyon et Bourg-en-Bresse, j’ai découvert Ars-sur Formans. Un village du pays Dombiste aux mille étangs, avec vue sur les monts du beaujolais. Je me suis libérée de mes doutes dans la basilique Saint Sixte, impressionnée par le parcours de son saint Curé, confesseur hors pair. Une gastronomie locale, et l’histoire d’une ville sanctuaire, d’une principauté, et de son trésor. 

Ars

Brive

A stone’s throw from the Dordogne Valley, Rocamadour and Sarlat, the caves of Saint Anthony of Padua in Brive are a sanctuary of peace above the vibrant city, welcoming pilgrims for almost 800 years.

Brive

Chartres

One hour south of Paris, the cathedral of Chartres is one of the best preserved gothic buildings in the world, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Each year, from April to October, a magical light and sound show brings the city to life every night. It is also home to a very delectable treat: world famous macaroons.

Chartres

Cotignac

Nestled amongst the olive groves and the vineyards of Provence, Cotignac is a small village where the appearance of the Blessed Virgin Mary profoundly changed the history of France.

Cotignac

La Salette

At an altitude of 1800m in the Alps mountains near Grenoble, the remote Sanctuary of La Salette surrounded by sloping meadows is the perfect environment to find inner peace.

La Salette

Lalouvesc

At an altitude of almost 1100m with beautiful views over the mountains of the Cévennes and the Alps, the village of Lalouvesc in the Ardèche is protected by two saints: Saint Jean-François Régis and Saint Thérèse Couderc.  

Lalouvesc

Le Mont-Saint-Michel

Erected in Normandy, in one of the most beautiful bays in the world, the rock dedicated to the archangel Saint Michael stands 157m above sea level. One of the first ever pilgrimage sites in Christendom, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is accessible by walking on the sand at low tide, a shuttle, or by taking an elevated dry walkway.

Le Mont-Saint-Michel

Le Puy-en-Velay

Standing dramatically on an ancient volcano at the departure point of the Via Podiensis towards Compostela, the city of Le Puy-en-Velay was built on steep volcanic slopes. The sanctuary is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Le Puy-en-Velay

Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

One hour from Marseille, between marshland and the sea, Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer owes its name to Saint Mary of Jacob and Saint Mary Salome whom, with their servant Sara, are believed to have crossed the sea from Palestine on a boat with no sails or oars. After landing here, the three close followers of Jesus then started spreading the Christian faith.  Every year in May, a great pilgrimage of Romani people from all over Europe leads them here to pay homage to their patron saint Sara. Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is situated in the Camargue Regional Park, home to an incredible range of biodiversity including greater flamingos and wild horses.

Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer

Lisieux

The town of Lisieux lies peacefully amongst the orchards and fields of Normandy, celebrating unconditional love. In the late 19th century, Saint Thérèse joined the church here at the age of 15. She wrote about her faith in her memoirs before dying of tuberculosis at the age of 24. The book “The Story of a Soul” has since been translated into 60 languages and sold over 500 million copies.

Lisieux

Lourdes

At the foothills of the Pyrénées, Lourdes is one of the most renowned sacred sites in Christendom. This is where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared 18 times to the young Bernadette Soubirous. In the cave, the water of the spring is said to have miraculous healing power. Millions of people every year make the journey to Lourdes, seeking a cure for their sufferings, in a sanctuary of kindness, empathy and hope.

Lourdes

Nevers

On the Road to Compostela, by the Loire River, Nevers is the last resting place of Bernadette Soubirous. After seeing the Blessed Virgin Mary appear to her in Lourdes 18 times, she moved to a convent in Nevers and dedicated her life to the sick and to prayer. Exhausted by ill-health, she died at 35 in 1879. When she was canonised in 1933, her body was exhumed in a perfect state of conservation and placed in a glass coffin. 
400,000 people come and pray by her side every year.

Nevers

Paray-le-Monial

In the South of Burgundy, on the banks of a canal, Paray-le-Monial was part of the Cluny sites for centuries. This is where Marguerite-Marie Alacoque, a young 17th century nun, saw Christ appear to her three times, marking the beginning of the Sacred Heart celebrations.

Paray-le-Monial

Rocamadour

Seemingly defying the laws of physics, built against a cliff in the heart of the Dordogne Valley, the sacred city has been spectacularly suspended between Heaven and Earth for a millennium. The Basilica Saint-Sauveur and the crypt Saint-Amadour are both listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Rocamadour

Saint-Maximin et la Sainte-Baume

Situated in Provence, this sanctuary houses two highly holy places: the grotto where Mary Magdalene spent the last 30 years of her life and the basilica where her remains were unearthed. First witness to the Resurrection of Christ, Mary Magdalene came to France to preach the Christian faith. She decided to stay in La Sainte-Baume to repent inside a cave, helping those who came to her. Her remains were exhumed in 1279 where the Saint-Maximin basilica now stands.

Saint-Maximin et la Sainte-Baume

Sainte-Anne-d'Auray

A few km from the sea shores of Brittany, Sainte-Anne-d’Auray is a highly spiritual where Saint Anne, grandmother of Christ, is said to have made her only earthy appearance. This miracle prompted the start of a great pilgrimage, which has included the likes of Napoléon III, General de Gaulle and Pope John-Paul II.

Sainte-Anne-d'Auray

Souvigny

In the green heart of France, North of the Massif Central, Souvigny is a monastic city mixing art, culture and faith. A remarkable example of Romanesque architecture, it is recognised as a “Grand Site” of the Auvergne region.

Souvigny

Thierenbach

At the foothills of the Vosges mountain range in Alsace, the story of Our Lady of Thierenbach began in the 12th century. A young nobleman, thinking he was dying, offered to give up all his possessions in exchange for his life. When his health improved, he became a monk and urged the clergy to build a priory for the Blessed Virgin Mary to perform miracles.

Thierenbach

Vézelay

Amongst the plains and vineyards of Bourgogne, sitting on a rocky peak named “The Eternal Hill” stands the impressive Romanesque basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine. Restored in the 19th century, the basilica and the village of Vézelay below are both listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Vézelay

Villes Sanctuaires in France