Situated 2km from Caunes, Notre Dame du Cros is a remarkable site with a chapel dedicated to the worship of the Virgin Mary.
Following a miraculous cure by the spring water, three small dry stone chapels were built on a steep slope with three statues, the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and Saint John. This is the origin of the pilgrimage of the Cros.
A larger chapel had to be built as the number of devotees grew. Pilgrimages and processions were regularly organised to coincide with the feasts of the Assumption and the Nativity and the relics of the Caunes martyrs were associated with processions asking for rain, for the protection of the harvest etc. Religious rituals were also observed during Easter week. A few pilgrimages and celebrations have survived to the present day, specifically on 15 August and 8 September. Inside the church, the chancel is lavishly decorated with paintings framed with marble and gilded wood and the beautiful communion table, pulpit and font are all made of marble.
Its exceptional natural surroundings and layout make this a very appealing place. Meals taken in the shade of the plane trees, the Cros gorges, the natural spring, the marble quarries and the steep cliffs ideal for rock climbing are just some of the elements which contribute to the appeal of Notre Dame du Cros as a picturesque meeting place for all generations.
