A major destination for Christian pilgrims, Pontmain Sanctuary in Mayenne came into being after the Virgin Mary appeared to children in the village on 17 January 1871. The imposing Neo-Gothic basilica, erected in the 19th century near the spot where the apparition happened, contains beautiful stained glass windows depicting the Virgin's apparitions in Pontmain, Lourdes and La Salette, along with scenes from the life of Christ. The Barbedette barn, where the children saw the Holy Virgin in 1871, has been converted into a place of prayer and contemplation.
Vitré
