Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Notre-Dame de France

Since the early (even pre-Christian) times Le Puy has been a centre of pilgrimage. Le Puy was a centre of the cult of Our Lady, already Charlemagne made the pilgrimage to Le Puy twice. In medieval times Le Puy has been a point, where pilgrims met, to follow the "Via Podensis" to Santiago de Compostella (-> 1600 km). It still is! I past through here in 2008 on my way from Geneva. The stretch between Le Puy and Conques was (for me!) an impressing walk. Crossing the Aubrac is breathtaking! Inside the Cathedral Notre-Dame is a statue of a Black Virgin, but that is a copy. The miraculous original Black Virgin, given to the cathedral by Louis IX (Saint-Louis) on his return from Egypt (7th crusade). The statue was burnt by furious revolutionists just outside the cathedral. Seen on top of the Rocher Corneille is the huge "Notre-Dame de France". It was made from 213 Russian cannons taken in the "Siege of Sevastopol" (1854–1855). This statue was probably a kind of "sorry" after the years of the Revolution Seen to the right is the 12th centry chapel "Saint Michel d'Aiguilhe" ("Saint Michel on the Needle").

"Notre-Dame de France" towers over the town since 1860. Seen as well from the street of the newer part of Le Puy are the bell tower and the dome of the cathedral.

Since the early (even pre-Christian) times Le Puy has been a center of pilgrimage. Le Puy was a centre of the cult of Our Lady, already Charlemagne made the pilgrimage to Le Puy twice. Over centuries a miraculous original Black Virgin was adored here. The statue was given to the cathedral by Louis IX (Saint-Louis) on his return from Egypt (7th cruisade). This statue was burnt by furious revolutionists during the heaydays of the Revolution just outside the cathedral. The citizens of Le Puy probably bitterly regreted all the vandalism done in that times, what may have led to the erection of "Notre-Dame de France" on the top of the Rocher Corneille. The statue is 16 metres high and weights (including the massive bedestal) about 835 tons. It was made from 213 Russian cannons taken in the "Siege of Sevastopol" (1854–1855).

Since the early (even pre-Christian) times Le Puy has been a center of pilgrimage. Le Puy was a centre of the cult of Our Lady, already Charlemagne made the pilgrimage to Le Puy twice. Seen in the forground is the 12th centry chapel "Saint Michel d'Aiguilhe" ("Saint Michel on the Needle"). In the backdrop, on the top of the Rocher Corneille, the huge "Notre-Dame de France". It was made from 213 Russian cannons taken in the "Siege of Sevastopol" (1854–1855). It may have been created, as during the Revolution furious revolutionists had burnt the statue of the miraculous Black Virgin, that was adored for centuries inside the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, seen to the right.

Since the early (even pre-Christian) times Le Puy has been a center of pilgrimage. From the 11th century on, this was one of the points from where pilgrims started their way to Santiago de Compostella. I had walked through Le Puy, when I had started in Geneva in 2008 - and I remember my feelings, when I saw the peaks the first time - in pouring rain. Inside the Cathedral Notre-Dame (12th century) is a statue of a Black Virgin, but that is a copy. The miraculous original Black Virgin, given to the cathedral by Louis IX (Saint-Louis) on his return from Egypt (7th cruisade), statue was burnt by furious revolutionists just outside the cathedral. This may have led to the erection of "Notre-Dame de France" on the top of the Rocher Corneille. It was made from 213 Russian cannons taken in the "Siege of Sevastopol" (1854–1855).

Since the early (even pre-Christian) times Le Puy has been a center of pilgrimage. From the 11th century on, this was one of the points from where pilgrims started their way to Santiago de Compostella. I had walked through Le Puy, when I had started in Geneva in 2008 - and I remember my feelings, when I saw the peaks the first time - in pouring rain. Seen in the center is the Cathedral Notre-Dame from the 12th century and the Romanesque belltower (7 storeys). On the peak "behind" the cathedral is the iron statue of "Notre-Dame de France". It was made from 213 Russian cannons taken in the "Siege of Sevastopol" (1854–1855) - and stands up there since 1860. To the left is Saint Michel d'Aiguilhe.