Chapelle saint Martin de Génouillas

The site of Saint Martin de Génouillas features a chapel, a fountain known as “miraculous,” a cross, a replica of the Grotto of Lourdes, and a rock steeped in legend. First mentioned in 1512, the chapel fell into ruin during the Revolution before being rebuilt in 1869, and again in 1919. This modest building, tucked away in the heart of the moors and woods, is nonetheless a major pilgrimage site. Every first Sunday in May, a crowd of the faithful would flock— there were more than a thousand in 1960—for Mass and the procession to the rock, said to be marked by the footprints of Saint Martin’s mule… or by the knees of the saint himself. A place where religious history blends with popular beliefs, in a deeply inspiring atmosphere.