Church of Our Lady of the Visitation

Église Notre-Dame de la Visitation was the site of a very popular pilgrimage.
In the 12th century, Beaune and Pardon formed a small manor that was a fiefdom of the Dauphin d’Auvergne and under the control of the manor of Montrognon (Ceyrat). It then passed under the control of the manors of Châteaugay, Les Giac and Les Laqueuille until the French Revolution.

The village had a small chapel where a statue of the Virgin Mary attracted many pilgrims. Stillborn babies were taken there to be brought back to life and baptised. In 1727, the bishop forbade this practice and a manuscript from 1747 mentions that the statue was moved to the château’s chapel.

After the Concordat, the small chapel in the village was bought by the inhabitants who repaired it and placed the preserved statue there. During the 19th century, the Notre-Dame-de-Beaune pilgrimage underwent a revival. Travellers going from Clermont to Mont-Dore paid homage to Notre-Dame-de-Beaune as they passed. Today, Notre-Dame-de-Beaune is still celebrated each year on the first Sunday of July. The church was restored and extended in 1863 according to plans by the architect Ledru.